CENTERVILLE – Jeanne Bauer, the city’s “secret weapon,” according to Mayor Harold “Bubba” Edwards, laid out a vision for the park and pavilion on the grounds of City Hall.

Bauer and Edwards spoke at the Eggs and Issues breakfast Tuesday, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Centerville and the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce. Close to 100 attended the event at City Hall.

Bauer’s plan for the park, or as she termed it, a “nature center and butterfly garden,” is part of the city’s efforts to develop a town center, Edwards said. “We have a secret weapon in Jeanne Bauer who’s totally engaged in this process,” he said. Bauer was named the city’s consulting manager earlier this month.

“Economic development is my passion,” Bauer said, “and we’re going to use this park as a place to preserve the spirit of Centerville.”

The fence surrounding the tennis courts has been removed, and volunteers have worked on the revamped pavilion, she said.

“It’s a place where the community can gather, a place where we can teach children about nature and the environment.”

The extension service will work with the school system in developing a junior gardener program, she said, with the Boy Scouts building bird houses and bird feeders and the Girl Scouts planting a wild flower garden.

A half-mile walking path will wind from the park and encircle City Hall, and residents will be able to walk their dogs.

“Keep them on a short leash and scoop the poop,” she said.

Trees and vegetation in the area form a habitat for birds which will be kept as much as possible, she continued, noting that a local birder informed her a loggerhead shrike from Canada, rare in this area, has been spotted.

One event coming soon will be a community market Oct. 8, she said. Antiques, crafts, produce, plants, music, food and face-painting for children are some of the attractions.

Local musicians will supply entertainment, and items such as a basket with UGA goodies will be raffled off. Bauer added she hopes to make the community market a regular event.

“We’ve got the vision now,” she said. “We’ll have a place where you can relax and catch your breath.”

Bauer said in doing research she came across a newspaper article some years ago about a Christmas tree lighting ceremony held in the city. The event was done in memory of family members in the community, she went on to say, “and we want to re-affirm that spirit here in Centerville.”

Edwards opened the meeting by going through changes the city has undergone the past four years, highlighting the just-completed consolidation of the police and fire departments into the Public Safety Department, a new training facility for firefighters being built on Dunbar Road, and the city’s improved financial status.

Edwards did note the city is dealing with a benefits issue as health care costs have risen by more than 50 percent in the past four years.

“We need relief,” he said. “We can’t control it but we have to cope with it.” He added the city is looking at some options, including a “flex saver” account setup for city employees.