Monroe County Commissioners gave out 2023 Citizen Service Awards at the Tuesday, Jan. 16 Board of Commissioners’ meeting, honoring a pair of citizens who have made great contributions to the county over the past years.
Monroe County District 3 Commissioner John Ambrose presented on Tuesday, Jan. 16 a Citizen Service Award to Monroe County Public Works Director Kimbel Stokes.
Stokes was named the county’s Public Works Director in February 2023 after previously serving Monroe County as a road paving and special projects consultant.
Stokes also previously served as the president of the Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA).
Commissioner Ambrose said before Stokes retired from private sector work, Stokes provided input on county road surfacing free of charge.
Commissioner Ambrose said, “And the roads that he (Stokes) did for us, if we followed his guidelines, we had no trouble with them.”
Commissioner Ambrose said county public works employees have told Commissioners frequently how much they like working for Stokes.
Monroe County District 4 Commissioner George Emami presented on Tuesday, Jan. 16 a Citizen Service Award to Proform Construction, LLC Owner/President Robert Muckenfuss.
Muckenfuss’ construction company received the contracts to build a number of new and upcoming county facilities, including the High Falls Fire Station, the Smarr Fire Station, the county’s new records storage building, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s new training facility. Muckenfuss’ company also previously did the renovation to the Monroe County Health Department, the expansion at Monroe County Animal Services, and is the in the process of completing the new Georgia Department of Driver Services building off Hwy. 18.
Commissioner Emami said Muckenfuss is responsible for about $1 million in county savings on the High Falls Fire Station alone since his company’s bid came in drastically lower than that of a competitor with whom the county initially intended to contract with on building the fire station.
“If any of you are here and you pay taxes in Monroe County, we all owe this gentleman a debt of gratitude,” Commissioner Emami said of Muckenfuss. “A million dollars in one project was saved on the High Falls station by this man being willing to work and do the remodel of that property at a substantially reduced price.”
Commissioner Emami said he recently toured the High Falls fire station, which is in the process of being built at the site of the former Falls View Restaurant on Towaliga River Drive.
Commissioner Emami said, “That is going to be an incredible place for us to gather and have community in District 4 and in High Falls.”
