Guyton City Council has opted to end its agreement with the Effingham County Prison for inmate labor.

Council members voted unanimously to terminate the use of inmate labor for projects around the city.

“What we thought was a pretty good plan has not turned out to be so,” said Guyton Mayor Michael Garvin.

Garvin said the city is working on a plan that he has “some faith in.”

“They’ve got a plan that I think is going to benefit the city,” the mayor said.

Guyton had been using prison inmate labor since March 2007.

Council members also have approved extending the deadline for work on its Rail to Trails project. The deadline with the Federal Highway Administration is Dec. 31. Funding for the program is scheduled to expire on that date.

Guyton leaders believe closed grocery won’t be empty for long 

Guyton city officials don’t expect the now closed IGA store at the corner of Highways 119 and 17 to stay vacate long — at least, they hope as much.

The mainstay of Guyton closed last week, depriving the community of its only grocery store. A crew was there Monday morning pressure washing and cleaning the store.

“Other people are looking at it,” interim city manager Randy Alexander said. “I don’t foresee it being closed for long. We need a grocery store.”

Jimmy Thompson, who still owns the building, sold the business to Don Hicklen about two and a half years ago. Hicklen closed the doors two weeks ago.

Alexander and Mayor Michael Garvin are scheduled to meet with the Effingham Chamber of Commerce to come up with a plan to promote business in Guyton.

“We want to see what we can do to make it grow,” Garvin said.