Which bill to pay first — thousands of dollars to the county landfill? More to Georgia Power or Coastal Electric? Insurance? Sewer?
Last winter, Walthourville Mayor Sarah B. Hayes sat at the conference table with City Clerk Shana Moss, agonizing how to prioritize the debts facing their town of 4,000.
Founded by strongwilled local women wanting independence from unhelpful Liberty County leaders, Wathourvile had thrived on one source of revenue: an independent water system. The city had a budget surplus in 2017. But after Covid rocked the country and the economy, its finances went off the rails…