City of Statesboro, Georgia Southern partner for community input as city population surges

by Steven Glover

STATESBORO, Ga. (WTOC) - As rapid growth reshapes Statesboro, city leaders are turning to residents to help identify the community’s biggest everyday challenges and guide future planning.

The city teamed up with Georgia Southern University to launch a community-wide assessment, kicking off the effort with a town hall at Pittman Park United Methodist Church. The partnership uses public forums and surveys to gather feedback on issues ranging from traffic congestion and infrastructure to living costs, rent, and medical care.

Helen Rosko, a professor at Georgia Southern University helping lead the project, said the assessment focuses on three core questions for neighbors: what challenges they face, what should be done to solve them, and who should take the lead.

“This is an opportunity for our citizens to help determine the future of the community and for us to have the opportunity to learn and hear from them,” said Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar.

According to McCollar, Statesboro’s population has expanded rapidly during his tenure, growing from roughly 27,000 when he took office in 2018 to more than 35,000 today. While that boom has attracted new dining and commercial development, it has also strained local roads. McCollar noted the city is already examining plans for new transportation corridors to relieve bottlenecks.

Residents attending the forum expressed enthusiasm about the influx of businesses while acknowledging the growing pains. Nicole Donaldson, a local resident, described the growth as “tremendous” and welcomed the new dining options, but noted that traffic in certain corridors has become increasingly congested.

Officials will hold another community input session on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the City of David Assembly for residents who were unable to attend the initial meeting.