Posted on May 12, 2025
Neighbors in the lake’s coves are calling for better lake maintenance as the county eyes a potential partnership with private investment company “Lovejoy Capital.”
MACON, Ga. — Neighbors on Lake Tobesofkee are excited about possible upgrades coming to the lake.
On Thursday, private investment company Lovejoy Capital presented their ideas to Tobesofkee residents and lake goers to give a glimpse of what they can offer if they proceed with a deal with Macon-Bibb County.
A handful of neighbors told founder Murphy Talmadge that his team should prioritize lake maintenance before bringing in new amenities, and specifically tend to the silt that is building up in the lake’s various coves.
Christi Dykes has lived in one of the coves for 12 years, where silt can be seen from the surface of the water, and weeds are grown a few feet high.
“It’s just filled up, it’s gotten mucky, the silt is thick,” Dykes said. “Our property values are going down because of the lack of maintenance. We’re super excited about the investment that Lovejoy wants to make to our communities, we think it’s needed. So, it would be nice if some of that $23 million go to maintaining the lake.”
The county lowers the lake every four years, the last occurring during the 2023-24 winter season.
Despite Lake Tobesofkee being owned by Macon-Bibb, homeowners are financially responsible for dredging around residential docks and lakeside properties, according to the county.
But average dredging costs can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the size and depth of bodies of water. A one-acre pond can cost up to $20,000, based on varying factors like depth of sediment, accessibility, and disposal methods.
Which is why neighbors hope a new investment could prioritize financing cleanup in areas where it’s needed most.
“We watch fishermen all the time who come out here and don’t realize how shallow it is, and they get their boat stuck,” Dykes said. “We see them often using their paddles to shovel off the side to try and get out … We’ll see more boats that bring in more invasive weeds and make this even worse. We’d love to see lake maintenance as part of the package.”
Peter and Kelly Praino live in Beaver’s Cove, where silt build up is not only in their backyard, but also in the middle of their waterways.
“You got to maintain the lake first and help get all the silt out of here,” Peter said. “Then go ahead and start expanding what you want to do. Even the roads have to be taken care of, they can’t handle any more traffic. They’re in disrepair as they are.”
A Friday evening boat ride through the center of the cove revealed areas that measured just 3 to 4 feet deep.
In the middle of the lake nearby the Duck Ponds, other spots measured less than 2 feet deep. Silt could be seen rising to the water’s surface behind the Praino’s boat moter.
“We’ll clean up around our sea wall and our dock area, we’re just looking for the county to take on their responsibility in the common areas,” Kelly said. “If we prolong that maintenance, it becomes a bigger problem, so the important thing today is to keep the conversation going, trying to figure out how we can make that happen with a collaborative effort.”
