Fort Stewart Garrison Commander Col. Bryan Logan and City of Hinesville Mayor Allen Brown share a fist bump after signing an intergovernmental support agreement during a ceremony June 25 on Fort Stewart. The agreement will allow the City of Hinesville to provide grounds maintenance to Fort Stewart’s main cantonment area, training areas and 54 cemeteries.

FORT STEWART, Ga. — The grass is about to get much shorter on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, thanks to a new agreement between Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville.

Leadership from Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville celebrated as they formally entered into an Intergovernmental Support Agreement June 25 at Club Stewart. The partnership allows the City of Hinesville to offer ground maintenance for Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield to include all areas across the installation’s 288,000 acres such as the main cantonment area, training areas and 54 cemeteries.

Fort Stewart will join the ranks of 64 other agreements between local entities and garrisons throughout the Army and is the second IGSA agreement for Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.

The first partnership was held between Hunter Army Airfield and Chatham County for animal control.

The new partnership, a 10-year agreement between Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville, will reinforce the bond between both communities.

“Intergovernmental Support Agreements allow the U.S. Army to enter into a partnership with local and state governments to provide services on the installation as opposed to entering into a subcontract with a separate entity,” said Col. Bryan Logan, Fort Stewart garrison commander. “The agreement between Fort Stewart and the City of Hinesville will incur a 30% cost decrease for Fort Stewart which is a significant savings. It’s a better and more efficient product and more importantly the money will stay here within the local community which ties the City of Hinesville closer to Fort Stewart.”

Amid COVID-19 restrictions, the socially distanced signing ceremony was attended by both Fort Stewart and City of Hinesville leadership along with team members from both entities who have worked throughout the last 18 months to plan the partnership. Travis Mobley, chief of Plans, Analysis and Integration on Fort Stewart assisted in spearheading the endeavor and was also in attendance.

“The more partnerships we can have with our brethren outside the gates helps strengthen our relationship for any other community endeavors,” Mobley said.” We have a cost advantage and we’re also getting an increased delivery of service as well through this agreement. On the city side of the house they receive increased revenue. This agreement is at no cost to the taxpayer, so it’s a win-win for both sides.”

In addition to the grounds maintenance agreement, Mobley stated that they are looking forward to future IGSA agreements with the City of Hinesville to include water storage tank maintenance and a recycling agreement. The installation is also open to forming similar agreements with various counties surrounding both Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield in an effort to streamline services and strengthen the bond between Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield and surrounding communities.

The current ground maintenance contract is set to end in early August with the IGSA agreement beginning Aug. 1.

The Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield communities should expect to see a seamless transition within the current ground maintenance cycle as regular and more frequent maintenance schedules are established.