TIFTON — The Tifton City Council has made plans to support and participate in the planned South Georgia Energy Authority.

Council members approved a resolution to support the city’s participation in the organization, which would assist the cities of Ashburn, Douglas, Fitzgerald, Ocilla, Sylvester, and Tifton in organizing initiatives to expand and support gas supply projects in those municipalities, during their Feb. 3 meeting.

The council had initially planned to reserve a decision until their upcoming meeting as standard, but had decided to push the vote ahead due to time constraints regarding the formation of the authority.

Matt Seale, head of the Douglas-Coffee County Economic Development Authority, proposed the idea of forming the authority to the council during their Jan. workshop meeting, explaining that Tifton and Douglas were at the capacity of the gas line they both benefitted from, which, while a clear sign of their remarkable development, also severely limited additional future growth for the municipalities and others like them.

The authority, Seale explained, would operate on a regional level and work with the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia to better assist its participating cities in pursuing further expansion.

City attorney Rob Wilmot explained at this week’s meeting that the board would consist of nine members, made up of either the mayors or a designee of each city supporting the authority and three additional members elected by those members, provided the appointed candidates have experience in economic development.

Wilmot noted that Tifton had an adequate gas supply at the moment, but expressed concern that it would not be able to support large manufacturers in high demand of gas were one to show interest in setting up shop in the area, and thus recommended support of the authority.

He stressed that the energy authority would remain an independent entity that would work to plan projects for the represented municipalities and allocate finances as needed, but that the city would be able to weigh in on the discussion and projects through their participation.

Smith reported that she had spoken with Brian Marlowe of the Tift County Development Authority prior to the meeting, who had confirmed that an expansion to the city’s gas supply could entice additional industry, earning her support for the initiative as well.

She recommended city utilities manager Adam Cobb to serve on the board as city designee, but expressed an interest in Marlowe serving as well.