Albany - Today was especially sweet for the dozens of community and business leaders around southwest Georgia who worked for two years to protect the Albany Marine Base. Southwest Georgia Alliance for Progress Chairman Joel Wernick couldn't finish telling the good news before the room erupted with cheers.
Congressman Sanford Bishop thanked the Lord, "This is the day that Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
The Alliance raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and worked closely with congressional leaders to protect MCLB marines and civilian workers. "We're especially grateful to the workforce out there," Dr. Willie Adams, Albany Mayor. "For the last 53 years, they're the ones that have done the job."
"The most important thing we learned today is not gains or losses, but MCLB is open and doing business," Dougherty County Commission Jeff Sinyard. Business will soon pick up at the base.
"The prospects for a higher, better, more product quality of life for us because of the infusion of jobs and capital that will be coming following today's announcement," said Rep. Bishop. "The expansion and gains for this base, we're just thrilled."
"We've got twelve analysts from the local community, former marines and logisticians," said Chamber of Commerce President Tim Martin. "They'll know what this report means or at least they will as they study it. So we'll have more information later today, this weekend, or perhaps later this week."
For now, leaders from more than 20 south Georgia counties are just celebrating the good news MCLB is safe.
The Marine Corps Commandant told Congressman Bishop today that he plans to come to Albany within the next few weeks to discuss future plans for growth at the base.
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