On May 7, 2009, the City of Eastman, Georgia issued a $7,395,000 water and sewerage revenue bond through USDA - Rural Development. Gray & Pannell LLP acted as bond counsel to the City. The revenue bond was issued to construct additions and improvements to the water and sewerage system of Eastman.
Gray & Pannell LLP works regularly as bond counsel to smaller communities throughout the State of Georgia issuing debt through the USDA Rural Development program. USDA Rural Development makes loans and grants to help finance utilities and communitity facilities to areas of less than 25,000 people. For more information regarding this program, please contact our offices or visit www.rurdev.usda.gov.

On March 19, 2009, Decatur County issued its $8,455,000 Decatur County General Obligation Sales Tax Bonds, Series 2009. Gray & Pannell LLP acted as bond counsel on the transaction. The attorneys of Gray & Pannell LLP began working with the Board of Commissioners in the early summer of 2008 on the renewal of their SPLOST and a bond program for the County. The bonds were authorized in conjunction with the renewal of the Decatur County SPLOST by the voters of the County on September 16, 2008.

Tom Gray and Jim Pannell have both been named Georgia Super Lawyers for 2009. The recognition is published annually by the publishers of Atlanta Magazine. Tom and Jim have both received this distinction every year since 2004. A list of the 2009 Georgia Super Lawyers can be found at www.superlawyers.com

Gray & Pannell LLP served as bond counsel to the Colquitt County School District on the closing of its $8,000,000 Colquitt County School District General Obligation Bonds, Series 2009 on February 19, 2009. The $8,000,000 financing was the second series of bonds issued by the School District after the voters approved up to $20,000,000 in bonds in a special election held on February 5, 2008. The Series 2009 Bonds will be used to finance capital improvements throughout the School system and will be repayed through the educational sales and use tax (ESPLOST) currently being collected in Colquitt County.

On February 12, 2009, Gray & Pannell LLP served as special counsel to the City of Garden City on the financing of a new City Hall. The $9,950,000 transaction was structured as an Installment Sale Agreement between Garden City and Georgia Municipal Association. The new city hall will be the centerpiece of a new Garden City Town Center located off of Chatham Parkway.
The attorneys of Gray & Pannell LLP have worked with dozens of cities and Georgia Muncipal Association over the years structuring multi-year financings through GMA’s bricks and mortar program. The Garden City project is a great example of how cities in Georgia can finance real property and capital improvements through GMA.

Gray & Pannell LLP acted as bond counsel to the Jeff Davis School District on the issuance of $12,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of general obligation sales tax bonds in December of 2008 and January of 2009.  The $12,000,000 of bonds is the first time in a decade that the School District has issued debt for capital projects.  The proceeds of the bonds will be used to construct a new Jeff Davis Middle School and to renovate Jeff Davis High School.

On December 17, 2008 and January 6, 2009, Gray & Pannell LLP served as bond counsel to the Lowndes County School District on the issuance of $27,130,000 in aggregate principal amount of Series 2008 and Series 2009 general obligation bonds.  The Series 2008 and Series 2009 bonds were the last series of bonds to be issued by the School District of the $80,000,000 authorized by the voters of Lowndes County in 2006.  The attorneys of Gray & Pannell LLP began working with the School District in early 2006 on the $80,000,000 bond program to build two new elementary schools, a new midle school and a new high school for the district.

On January 7, 2009, Gray & Pannell LLP acted as bond counsel to Walker County, Georgia on the issuance of its $15,355,000 Walker County General Obligation Sales Tax Bonds, Series 2009.  The Series 2009 Bonds in conjunction with $8,630,000 of Series 2008 Bonds issued by the County in December of 2008, were authorized by the voters of Walker County in a special election on July 15, 2008.  The $23,985,000 borrowing will be used to acquire, construct and equip capital outlay projects of the County and cities of Chickamauga, Fort Oglethorpe, Lookout Mountain, and Rossville.

The attorneys of Gray & Pannell LLP began working with Liberty County and Fort Stewart Army Base on the construction of a terminal building, hangers, parking lots and other improvements at the Midcoast Regional Airport known as Wright Army Airfield in 2005.  The airfield is a facility operated by Liberty County, the City of Hinesville, the Liberty County Industrial Authority, and the United States Army.  Gray & Pannell LLP helped negotiate an intergovernmental contract relating to the construction and operation of the airport and acted as Special Counsel to finance $7,000,000 of improvements to the airport facility.  On December 30, 2008, Gray & Pannell LLP acted as bond counsel on the issuance of $5,000,000 of revenue bonds through the Liberty County Public Facilities Authority to permanently finance improvments to the airfield.

On December 4, 2008, Peach County issued $15,015,000 in general obligation sales tax bonds.  Gray & Pannell LLP acted as Bond Counsel to the County on the issue.  Gray & Pannell LLP began working with the County in the early summer of 2008 to assist the Board of Commissioners in calling a special election on September 16, 2008 to authorize a special local option sales tax and the issuance of general obligation bonds.  The bond issue was the first time the County had issued bonds in 23 years.