Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 7A
County officials seek input on plan update
MEMBERS OF the Jackson
County Area Chamber of
Commerce can't say they
didn't have a chance to be
heard as the county’s com
prehensive plan is updated
this year.
Those who attended the
chamber's Sept. 2 break
fast found county officials
all but begging for input on
the months-long process. The
end result will be a road map
for development of Jackson
County.
Toni Smith of the county's
planning department called
the breakfast a “town hall
meeting” for the business
community.
It was an abbreviated ver
sion of four “town hall meet
ings” open to the public dur
ing September. The others
are Sept. 15 at the Jefferson
Civic Center, Sept. 28 at
the Nicholson Community
Center and Sept. 29 at the
Commerce Civic Center.
All meetings begin at 7
p.m.
The plan is a document
that covers issues related to
population, housing, eco
nomic development, natural
and cultural resources, land
use, community facilities and
service and intergovernmen
tal coordination over the next
20 years.
The county has until Oct.
31 to finish the plan. All of
its municipalities must do the
same by the same deadline.
Smith said the goal is to
“vigorously embrace” the
county's future “while not
losing sight of its past.”
Maps of the county were
placed around the Jackson
EMC auditorium and col
ored pencils were provided
in the hope that participants
might color in suggestions
for land uses in various areas.
Officials placed four-page
questionnaires at each seat
and encouraged chamber
members to complete them.
Jerry Weitz of Jerry Weitz
and Associates, the county’s
(and Commerce’s) consultant
on the plan, solicited com
ments from the audience. Six
people offered suggestions.
Weitz suggested others.
Gina Mitsdarffer, who is
not only the county’s plan
ning director, but also the
chamber chairman, encour
aged participants to attend
the two-hour town hall meet
ings and said she hoped the
chamber members would
provide a “fresh unadulter
ated view from the business
community” as to the direc
tion of development.
Chamber to work on membership renewals
BY MARK BEARDSLEY
THE RECESSION has
been tough on members of
the Jackson County Area
Chamber of Commerce, but
those who are past due with
their 2009 dues can expect a
call or visit from a chamber
director.
Linda Foster, the chamber’s
manager of member services,
called out names of past-due
groups at a recent board of
directors meeting, waiting for
individual directors to vol
unteer to contact the compa
nies.
The membership rolls have
taken a double-whammy.
First, the recession has put
many companies out of busi
ness or made it more difficult
for them to pay their dues.
Second, a new software pro
gram is, for the first time,
actually purging those com
panies sufficiently delinquent
in payment of their dues.
As of Aug 17, Foster said
the chamber had 510 mem
bers. That’s down 53 from the
same time last year.
That number is expected to
continue to fall, even as new
members are added (33 so far
this year), but the chamber
staff wants to stop the bleed
ing as much as it can.
Year to date, Foster said
she'd invoiced 419 members
for dues worth $120,127, and
received payment from 330 —
income of almost $95,000.
As Foster went through the
list, various directors volun
teered to make the contacts,
although several of those
delinquent members turned
out to be out of business.
OTHER BUSINESS
In spite of business clos
ings and a weak economy,
Jackson County continues to
see interest from new com
panies about locating in the
county.
President Shane Short said
seven new projects have
made contact since June, giv
ing Jackson County 19 active
projects.
The county has 25 million
square feet of approved “pad-
ready” industrial property,
Short pointed out.
Short also reported that
Jackson County had certi
fied enough people as “work
ready” under the program by
the same name, but the state
has been slow to process the
information.
“Technically, we have met
our goal,” said Short, who
pointed out that most of the
work in reaching 683 cer
tificates was done by Howard
Ledford, director of instruc
tion at the Commerce campus
of Lanier Technical College.
“They’re not certifying
us yet,” Short said. “I don’t
understand at this point what
the problem really is.
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WORKING MEETING HELD
Jefferson Area Business Association President Bill Frazier (R) is shown addressing
JABA members at Thursday’s meeting. The group held a working meeting to dis
cuss a new vision statement, new mission statement and new by-laws. Also shown
(L to R) are: Bonnie Jones, diAna Kunz Huckins, John Culpepper, Deborah Worley
and Patrick Phelps.
Photo by Sharon Hogan
JABA members work on mission statement
BY SHARON HOGAN
WHAT CAN we, as a group, offer business
owners in Jefferson? This is one of the ques
tions members of the Jefferson Area Business
Association are trying to answer.
The group held a working meeting on
Thursday, Aug. 20, to come up with a vision
statement, a mission statement and new by
laws.
JABA president Bill Frazier presented a set
of proposed by-laws for consideration.
JABA members Patrick Phelps, Terri Harvey
and diAna Kunz Huckins agreed to serve on
a by-laws committee to review the by-laws
presented by Frazier. The committee will pres
ent any proposed changes to the group at the
September meeting.
Member Amy Carlan led a group discussion
and brainstorming session on program topics
for the next 18 months.
Members in attendance on Thursday came
up with the following list of topics they would
like to see covered: email marketing - social
media, economic professor, property improve
ment, Small Business Administration (SBA)
registration/contracts, energy consumption,
advertising, business process improvement,
working capital management, business eti
quette, Department of Fabor services, Native
Intelligence - Frank Norton Jr., financial lit
eracy, computer back-up, human resources
- taxes, insurance, etc., and system thinking
management.
Member Yasmin Loft led a discussion on
ways to grow the association. The members
unanimously approved sending postcards to
invite Jefferson business owners to attend the
monthly JABA meetings. The target date to
begin this project is January 1.
Members want to get the vision statement
and mission statement finalized before the
cards are printed.
Two guests were welcomed at Thursday’s
meeting. They were: John Culpepper, Express
Employment Professionals, and Michael
Comfort, Comfort Carpet Care.
Frazier presented a list of topics for future
meetings including business development
ideas, JABA revenue sources and ideas, part
nerships, business and JABA promotions and
internships for business partners.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will
be held at noon on Thursday, Sept. 17, in the
meeting room at Community Bank and Trust,
Memorial Drive, Jefferson. Lunch will be
available beginning at 11:45 a.m.
Call 706-367-5233 to subscribe to
The Jackson Herald today!
Jackson County’s flood risk information has been revised and updated flood
hazard maps are now ready for review. You can see the new preliminary
maps, learn how they can affect building and flood insurance requirements
and find out what your options are at the following Open House:
September 18 • 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Jackson County Courthouse
in the Jury Assembly Room at
5000 Jackson Parkway, Jefferson, Georgia.
Jackson County officials along with representatives from the
Georgia Department of Natural Resources and FEMA will be
on hand to answer questions.
The maps will also be on display at the GIS Department at
the Jackson County Administration Building at 67 Athens
Street, Jefferson, Georgia starting September 21.
More up-to-date flood hazard maps ultimately mean a safer
Jackson County.
For more information
call Joel Logan
706-367-1877
or email to
jlogan @ jacksoncountygov.com
lood Hazard Maps
Jackson County
Learn your flood risk at an upcoming Open House