The Dougherty County National Flood Insurance rating decreased from a “7” to a level “6” and Commissioner Jeff Sinyard says it will save county residents money. “If a homeowner is paying a certain dollar amount for flood insurance, it has now been reduced by five percent which is great news” says Sinyard.

There are 32 communities in Georgia that participate in the program and Dougherty County is one of seven that has a level 6 rating. No jurisdiction in Georgia has a level one through five rating, however Interim Planning and Development Director Mary Teter says it’s her goal to become the first community with a level five rating.

In other county news commissioners are considering making a memorial monument policy. As it stands right now there is no law about having a monument on public grounds. The commission was recently asked to grant one for D.J. Vincent who drowned August 3, 2008 while saving another person in the Flint River.

Commissioners don’t have an objective policy and say they would like to create one before approving the memorial monument. The purpose is so they can apply the same rules fairly to anyone wanting a monument on public property in the future.

All commissioners agreed the bench is a deserving monument.