Almost the entire City Council showed up early Friday morning to unveil the first of four identical signs welcoming citizens and visitors to Eatonton.
Only Ward 4 Councilmember Teresa Doster was unavailable due to foreign travel.
Mayor John Reid said he was “ecstatic” to see this sign erected on the west side of North Jefferson Avenue, near its intersection with Lower Harmony Road.
“It’s just another great addition to help enhance the beauty of our city and move in the right direction, enhance tourism, and let people see that we are a welcoming community,” Reid said.
City Manager Gary Sanders explained the next sign to be unveiled will be eastbound alongside Monticello Highway (Hwy. 16), west of Ingles supermarket. Entering from the south on the west side of the Highway 441 Bypass, a third sign will be erected near Dairy Queen, and the fourth sign will eventually welcome travelers westbound on Highway 44, near Putnam General Hospital.
Sanders said all four signs are finished and ready to be installed. However, the final two listed are still awaiting Georgia DOT approval, he added. The signs were constructed by 44 Signs in Greensboro at a cost of approximately $18,000 each, partially paid for by ARPA funds.
“We’re very happy about the sign. I love how it looks, but I was on one of the committees that helped design it, so I’m a very big fan,” Wards 1 and 4 Councilmember Marie Rainey said. “We just feel like it’s very welcoming, and it’s a very much needed update for the City of Eatonton like it matches the direction of where we’re trying to go.”