TIFTON — The Tift County Board of Commissioners has enlisted Georgia Power to oversee two lighting renovation projects.

County commissioners elected to partner with the electrical company during their Oct. 14 meeting with the aim of installing new or better lighting across the county.

The first of these initiatives will see the implementation of LED bulbs in all lampposts throughout Tift County and the Special Tax District, at no cost to the county.

During the previous board meeting, county manager Jim Carter informed commissioners that the replacement would save the county upwards of $900 a month and that should any of these lights go out, Georgia Power would be notified and would report that outage to the county.

Commissioners also contracted Georgia Power for $157,783.78 to install a lighting system at E.B. Hamilton Sports Complex, which is nearing completion of its initial phase of development — the lighting being the final step.

Carter reported that Georgia Power had offered the county a lease for the lighting system, meaning the company would still be the owner, but would work to maintain it and would provide the county a lower wattage system.

Through this agreement, the county will only be responsible for service and regulation fees, which Carter estimated would cost the county around $2,279 a month.

He explained, however, that the system would not include athletic lighting for the fields.