Newspaper Page Text
SUje Aiiuancg
The ADVANCE, October 27, 2021 /Page 2A
Strike
continued from page 1A
probusiness environment,
Georgia is emerging from
the global pandemic with
unprecedented economic
momentum,” Governor
Brian Kemp said. He noted
that his administration will
remain focused on building
this solid foundation and
continuing to bring more
jobs and opportunities to
Georgians.
Georgia’s accolades
came from Area Develop
ment, which is considered
the leading executive maga
zine covering corporate site
selection and relocation.
Each year, the publication
conducts an annual poll of
approximately 50 leading
site consulting firms from
across the U.S. The poll
considers 13 different fac
tors to determine which
state ranks highest in eco
nomic development.
In addition to achiev
ing the Top State status,
Georgia earned a No. 1
ranking in five categories,
including overall cost of
doing business, coopera
tive and response state gov
ernment, competitive labor
environment, workforce
development programs,
and available real estate.
The recognition fol
lows Kemp’s announce
ment that the state set
new economic develop
ment records during FY21
in spite of the worldwide
COVID-19 pandemic.
During this period, invest
ments in Georgia increased
by 4% while job creation
increased 5% above prior
state economic develop
ment records Between July
1, 2020, and June 30, 2021,
new investments totaled
$10.97 billion and 33,439
jobs were created.
The Governor and the
General Assembly called
for a $40M Rural Innova
tion Fund to be included
in the FY 2022 budget to
support economic devel
opment efforts in rural
Georgia. The OneGeorgia
Authority is in the process
of developing and adopting
rules for the program and
will oversee the implemen
tation of the program.
Kemp committed
$875M of the State Fis
cal Recovery Fund for
economic development
($325M), broadband
($300M) and water/sewer
infrastructure ($250M).
Rural communities can ap
ply for these funds if they
have an eligible project.
A year ago, Kemp an
nounced the creation of a
Rural Strike Team whose
purpose is to bring jobs,
investment and economic
development to all corners
of the state. Soon after, Bri
an Marlowe was tapped to
lead the Team.
“To keep rural Georgia
strong and remain the top
state for business, I am laser-
focused on bringing proj
ects of regional significance
to communities wanting to
grow,” Kemp said. “By part
nering with elected officials
and economic developers,
we can highlight the incred
ible people, places, and re
sources that exist outside of
major metro areas.” He said
the Strike Team will raise
the visibility of regional
economic development
assets—specifically, large
industrial sites outside of
metro Atlanta—and unit
ed communities to mar
ket those sites to potential
prospects.
“These large prospects
will benefit multiple coun
ties, dozens of communi
ties, and hundreds of hard
working Georgia families.
Working together we will
ensure rural Georgia’s best
days are ahead,” the Gover
nor said.
As Executive Direc
tor of the Strike Team,
Marlowe is working on the
Governor’s behalf to ac
tively facilitate new oppor
tunities for rural Georgia.
Marlowe brings a wealth
of knowledge to his new
assignment. He has served
as Tiff County Develop
ment Authority President
and CEO and has extensive
experience in economic
development and local gov
ernment in rural Georgia.
He has a successful track
record of new industry lo
cations as well as existing
industry expansions repre
senting thousands of jobs
and hundreds of millions of
dollars in local investment.
Following the Vidalia
session held at the Greater
Vidalia Chamber office,
Marlowe explained that
the meeting was held in
response to surveys sent
out by the Strike Team last
summer. It was the first step
in the Team’s plan of action.
“We generated a
comprehensive list of De
velopment Authorities
throughout Georgia from
the Georgia Economic De
velopment Association and
the Georgia Department
of Community Affairs. We
had a great response from
our rural communities,
with 84.6% responding to
the survey,” Marlowe ex
plained. The survey cov
ered a broad range of top
ics including marketing,
regional initiatives, sites/
buildings and identifying
challenges to economic de
velopment in their respec
tive communities.
Workforce and infra
structure are the top two
issues/needs that have
been identified in the sur
vey, Marlowe said. Cited
as economic development
challenges were education
of the workforce; housing
of the workforce; available
land and/ or buildings;
funding; and collaboration
with local, state and fed
eral entities. Most of the
authorities surveyed did
not have an economic de
velopment marketing plan
for their communities.
Marlowe expects the
process of facilitating focus
groups in each region of the
state to be completed by
the end of this year. There
after, the information in
these focus sessions will be
compiled to develop a plan
of action for each region.
“This is still a work
in progress, and Gover
nor Kemp will make some
more appointments to
the Team,” Marlowe said.
So far, Marlowe has en
listed the help of Darrell L.
Moore, Executive Director
for the Center for South
Georgia Regional Impact at
Valdosta State University,
and Scott Purvis, a Com
munity and Economic De
velopment Manager with
Georgia Power.
The Rural Strike Team
will eventually be made up
of a core group of about
seven members and sup
ported by 12 or more orga
nizations representing nu
merous individuals based
on geographic location
and project specific param
eters. “We have been on
conference calls with the
University System’s Board
of Regents, Georgia Tech,
Abraham Baldwin College,
the Georgia Department of
Transportation and many
others,” Marlowe said. “Ev
erybody wants to help with
this initiative because they
know how important it is to
the Governor.”
Marlowe asked Purvis
to assist in mapping strate
gic assets in rural Georgia.
“We will be reaching out to
the other utility companies
to assist us in mapping stra
tegic assets in other parts
of the State. Once we have
compiled this information,
we will assist communities
in developing marketing
plans for said assets,” Mar
lowe explained.
He added that there
might be some opportunity
for some cost-share with
developing those plans.
“We will see if some public
state monies can be used
for that. We are working on
that now,” he said. He said
that the team will reach out
and recruit consultants and
prospects for strategic as
sets to help communities
market their assets and will
make community visits on
an as needed basis. “We
may be in North Georgia
today and South Georgia
tomorrow.”
The Team also plans to
assign a numeric value to
each community in terms
of readiness for community
development. A Commu
nity Readiness Index with
criteria will be developed
and communities will be
invited to participate. “Ev
eryone can do this to get as
sessment of where they are
in the process. This will be
an in-depth assessment to
provide an objective look
at their economic develop
ment efforts. This will also
include identifying chal
lenges and opportunities
within the community.”
Strike Team’s Purpose at
a Glance
The Strike Team’s Mis
sion is to support Geor
gia’s rural communities by
eliminating obstacles and
enhancing their competi
tive advantages through
partnerships that create
opportunity and success in
rural Georgia.
The mission is based on
three core principles, also
known as the 3 C’s: Culti
vate Opportunity; Cham
pion Rural Prosperity; Cel
ebrate Success. The Team’s
vision is to create a produc
tive working relationship
and strategic partners to
bring jobs and investment
to all of rural Georgia for a
prosperous future.
The Team’s eight core
functions are:
• Survey rural econom
ic development profession
als
• Facilitate regional fo
cus groups
• Map strategic assets
in rural Georgia
• Assist communities
with developing marketing
plans
• Recruit consultants/
prospects for strategic as
sets
• Conduct community
visits
• Provide project man
agement support
• And develop a Com
munity Readiness Index.
ODDS 8 ends
Harvest
Fest—
Victorious Em-
powerment
Church, Inc., Corner
of Orange St. and
Brogdon St., will
have Harvest Fest
on Saturday, No
vember 6, from
10:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m. Entry is free,
with free food, give
aways, live music,
and free clothing.
Everyone is in
vited to attend.
ask
Mbo Magnolia^
Letters have been edited for length and clarity.
Dear Ms. Magnolia,
I’ve noticed in your articles in
past years you have given informa
tion about how to protect pets during
holiday seasons such as Halloween. I
work with pet care daily here in Vida
lia, and it bothers me when pet owners
don’t take into consideration that pets
don’t understand what is happening,
especially on Halloween when people
and kids dress up and act so out of
character. Pets get confused and don’t
know how they are supposed to act.
Then they get into trouble which is
very unfair to them.
I hope this year you will include
these tips from the ASPCA. Keep treats
and candy away from pets since most
of them can be very dangerous, as well
as chewable decorations such as glow-
sticks. Keep the decorations and wires
out of reach so that pets don’t knock
over lit pumpkins and get burned or
start a fire. Don’t dye their hair or
dress pets up in costumes, no mat
ter how cute they look; costumes can
limit movement or ability to breathe
and have dangling pieces that can be
a choking hazard. Don’t leave pets out
in the yard where they may be abused
by pranksters. Keep them calm in a
room away from noise and activities,
away from the front door when trick-
or-treaters come. Make sure they have
plenty of food, water, toys and blankets
to keep them comfortable. Make sure
pets have an ID in case they run away
in all the scary activities. And don’t
take them trick-or-treating; it may be
fun for humans, but pets only find it
stressful.
Pet-Caregiver
Dear Caregiver,
Thank you for taking the time to
reenforce our desire to keep pets safe
and happy.
If you have a question for Ms. Magnolia, please mail it to P.O. Box 669, Vidalia, GA
30475, or e-mail to msmagnoliaadvance@yaboo.com.
SECCA DONATION — Oxford of Lyons presented Southeastern Early College and Ca
reer Academy, SECCA, with a $6,000 donation through the Oxford Foundation and
a company-wide educational initiative. SECCA will use the money to help fund the
Make It-Move It Manufacturing and Logistics Class SECCA is hosting this fall for high
school seniors. L to R: Flora Torres, Oxford Import Administrator; Shelly Smith, SECCA
CEO; Angie McDaniel, Oxford Senior Manager, International Operations; and David
Avery, SECCA Director of High School Programs..
JOHNSON
MAYOR
Experience
Vidalia Knows
And Trusts
★ Self Employed Business Man
★ 21/2 Years Vidalia City Council
City Finance & Personal Committee
City Water & Sewer Committee
City Police & Fire Committee
D GregoryJohnsonforMayor2021
gjohnson4mayor@gmail.com
Cash App: $gregjohnson2021
Paid for by Friends of Gregory Johnson
P.O. Box 963 I Vidalia, GA 30475
