Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. MARCH 25. 2021 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 7A
Economic lessons learned
from the COVID-19 pandemic
Compiled by
Merritt Melancon
University of Georgia
Athens, Ga. - It’s been a
year since the COVID-19
pandemic turned the ways we
work and play upside down.
For many Georgians, it’s
been a year of lost wages,
working from home and re
mote learning. But for all the
change and anxiety there
were bright spots too, said
economists at the University
of Georgia.
Three economic experts
from the Terry College of
Business (Ramsey Chair of
Private Enterprise William
Lastrapes, Selig Center for
Economic Growth Director
Jeff Humphreys and labor
economist Ian Schmutte)
share what went right, what
went wrong and what we
learned from a year of the
COVID economy.
Highlights across the nation
Lastrapes: The economy
showed a remarkable ability
to adapt to the changing na
ture of economic activity
under shutdowns and social
distancing. Perhaps most re
markable of all was the gen
erally smooth transition from
office work to working from
home by employees in many
industries. While the trend to
ward such remote work has
been underway for years, it
surely accelerated — from
10% of the labor force a year
ago to 50% today.
Work-at-home schedules
are likely here to stay and can
have significant positive ef
fects on productivity, with
some economists claiming
that productivity could rise
by 2.5%. The move toward
working at home also has
profound implications for
housing markets, labor mo
bility, commuting and traffic
congestion, public trans
portation, and the overall de
sign of cities.
In Georgia
Humphreys: Despite
COVID-19, Georgia landed
more economic development
projects in fiscal year 2020
than in fiscal year 2019. Due
to the build-out of many eco
nomic development projects,
Georgia’s total employment
was only 2% below its pre-
COVID-19 recession peak
level by the end of 2020. In
comparison, the nation’s total
employment was 7% below
its pre-COVID-19 recession
peak level.
In the labor market
Schmutte: The CARES
Act, which provided en
hanced unemployment bene
fits and other forms of
income support, was able to
support the low-wage and
high-exposure employees hit
hardest by early public health
lockdowns. During the early
months of the pandemic, con
sumption increased and the
poverty rate fell during the
early months of the pan
demic, even while unemploy
ment was still at historic
levels.
Lowlights across the nation
Lastrapes: The severe, al
beit brief, pandemic reces
sion of 2020 was certainly
Notice to Bidders
April 2021
SEPARATE sealed BIDS for the construction of 2021
ASPHALT PAVING PROJECT will be received by
Pickens County, 1266 East Church Street, Suite 188,
Jasper, Georgia 30143, until 2:00 p.m. local time on
the 8th day of April 2021, and at said place publicly
opened and read aloud.
The work to be done consists of cleaning, tacking,
and placing an asphaltic overlay on selected streets
in Pickens County, the approximate length of the
streets are as follows: Carver Mill Road 9,821 ft.,
East Price Creek Road 14,996 ft., Sutton Road 4,964
ft., Old Mill White Road 4,594 ft., Evans Road 5,492
ft., Thompson Lane 2,429 ft., Yellow Creek Road
13,200 ft., Scarecorn Creek Road 7,023 ft., Old
Waleska Road South 1,848 ft., Refuge Valley Road
2,904 ft., and Roland Road 2,218 ft., for an approx
imate total of 69,489 linear feet of resurfacing and
approximate tonnage to be 13,809 tons.
No bids will be received or accepted after the above
specified time for the opening of Bids. Bids submit
ted after the designated hour will be deemed invalid
and returned unopened to the Bidder.
Copies of BIDDING DOCUMENTS may be obtained
at Pickens County Administration Office, 1266 East
Church Street, Suite 188, Jasper, Georgia 30143.
The successful bidder will be required to furnish a
Bid Bond and a Performance and Payment Bond. A
certified check in the amount of 5% of the bid
amount will also be acceptable. Check to be re
tained by the County until all work is completed to
satisfaction.
Provide the County a copy of Certificate of Insurance
as additional insured.
After the award of the contract and before the start
of work, you will be required to attend a preconstruc
tion conference with representatives of the County.
The conference will serve to acquaint the partici
pants with the general plan for paving of the streets
and to discuss any special conditions that the
County may have that may alter the original bid
price.
Eleven (11) roads in the project herein described are
to be completed within sixty (60) calendar days from
the date of award of contract.
No bidder may withdraw his bid within thirty (30)
days after the actual bid date of the opening thereof.
Pickens County reserves the right to waive any ir
regularities or reject any or all bids.
Pickens County
1266 East Church Street, Suite 188
Jasper, Georgia 30143
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ugly in terms of high aggre
gate levels of unemployment
and large aggregate declines
in employment and produc
tion. Generally, recessions
tend to have relatively uni
form costs across all sectors
of the economy. But, it
quickly became apparent in
the spring of 2020 that the
economy’s response to the
need for social distancing had
unequal effects across indus
tries workers.
The bulk of the cost of the
shutdown was born by low-
income workers in the restau
rant, hospitality and travel
industries, as well as by small
business owners. These in
dustries were already work
ing on shoestring margins
and unable to withstand per
sistent decreases in demand
for their products. Those with
higher incomes were able to
adapt more easily through
work-at-home and the ability
to draw down savings to pay
the bills. Policymakers were
aware of and responded to
these disparities, but proba
bly not enough.
In Georgia
Humphreys: Due to social
distancing and contagion
fears many of Georgia’s
high-contact businesses con
tinue to operate at greatly re
duced capacity levels that
may not be very profitable.
Some types of businesses, for
example, live entertainment,
remain mostly shut down.
Also, the debt many Georgia
companies have taken on to
survive the pandemic may
limit their growth once the
pandemic is over.
In the labor market
Schmutte: The pandemic
has had many effects on the
labor market that we will not
fully understand for years.
Research finds that young
people who start their careers
during a recession are disad
vantaged and may never
catch up in terms of lifetime
earnings and career advance
ment. Similarly, because
schools and child care centers
have been closed for months,
the careers of caregivers —
primarily women — have
suffered. Finally, the disrup
tion of schooling has led to a
reduction in education and
socialization for a generation
of children, the full costs of
which are unclear, but possi
bly very large.
Insights: What did
we learn?
Across the nation
Lastrapes: The federal
government acted like a na
tionwide insurance policy to
lessen the economic shock of
the pandemic through disas
ter relief checks, unemploy
ment compensation and
Federal Reserve lending fa
cilities.
But the surest way to
make the economy less sen
sitive to future pandemics is
to have a strong and effective
nationwide public health sys
tem that can promote a plan
of action, reduce uncertainty
and provide a sense of secu
rity when infectious diseases
arise. This is naturally a role
for the federal government,
through agencies like the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention in Atlanta.
However, private sector
funding and cooperation are
also necessary components
of a strong public health
structure. Beefing up public
health in the U.S. might en
tail significant costs in the
short run, but the payouts in
terms of future economic se
curity are likely to be well
worth these costs.
In Georgia
Humphreys: Putting top
priority on a robust economic
development strategy is a
very effective way to prepare
the state for a recession, re
gardless of the cause or na
ture of the recession. For
decades, Georgia’s leaders
and economic developers
have championed a deliber
ate effort to innovate and
adopt best practices in eco
nomic development.
Georgia’s public and pri
vate sectors put top priority
on funding economic devel
opment. Leaders have passed
economic development legis
lation that helped Georgia
outcompete other states for
new projects and expansions.
There is a good working re
lationship between state and
local governments and other
major players. Those factors
when combined with Geor
gia’s transportation infra
structure helped keep the
economic development
pipeline foil during the steep
est recession in modem U.S.
economic history.
In the labor market
Schmutte: Policies that
fought the pandemic by pay
ing businesses to stay closed
and people to stay home
seemed to work well. How
ever, there was not always
political will to keep them
going. To better fight reces
sions in the future, we should
consider using “automatic
stabilizers” that would trigger
expanded unemployment in
surance benefits when unem
ployment rates exceed some
set level. Doing so would
avoid a political fight emerg
ing every time a labor market
crisis emerges.
Attention Bidders
The bid is for five (5) permanent mounted genera
tors.
2331 Hwy 136 Jasper Ga 30143
306 Hawkins Ridge Jasper Ga 30143
184 Pinhook Rd Ranger Ga 30734
3379 Steve Tate Rd Marble Hill Ga 30148
3043 Camp Rd Jasper Ga 30143
Contractor to provide the following services:
• Furnish and install Kohler propane and natural
gas driven generators.
• Generator system include engine block heater,
flexible fuel lines, sound attenuated enclosure,
weather resistance steel enclosure, stainless
steel flexible exhaust connector,
• Critical grade exhaust silencer, battery
charger, or kohler DEC 3000 Microprocessor
control. And RSAIII-Remote annunciator,
Factory authorized startup, operator training,
and system load testing using building load at
beginning and all conduit and wiring for
connection.
• Generator to be located in area specified by
Pickens County and contractor to construct
concrete pad (3,000 psig) as foundation for
generator with in conduit in concrete.
• Five-year equivalent extended warranty on
generator system to be provided.
• Full first year factory authorized maintenance to
be included.
The work will consist of producing and installing
the generator with all applicable connections and
wiring. The work is to be completed within 120 con
secutive calendar days from date of the awarding
contract.
All bids must be in by Thursday April 8, 2021
at 3:00 pm. No bids will be received or accepted
after 3:00 pm, April 8, 2021. Bids submitted after
the designated hour will be deemed invalid and re
turned unopened to the bidder. Pickens County re
serves the right to waive any irregularities or reject
any and all bids.
Bid Packages can be picked up in the Water De
partment at the Administrative Building located at:
1266 East Church St. Jasper GA 30143
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106 Travelers Rest Rd, Ste D
Georgia Mountains
Hospice
Asks You To
Vote for your local
“Mardi Gras in the Mountains”
King and Queen
PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR MARDI GRAS IN THE MOUNTAINS
Georgia Mountains Hospice will again be hosting the annual Mardi Gras in
the Mountains Gala on Saturday, April 24th, 2021. They are partnered this year
with the Ellijay and Jasper Councils of the ICiights of Columbus and the Rotary
Club of Jasper. Festivities the night of the event will include a catered buffet
meal, music by “Banks and Shane” and a silent auction that will run throughout
the evening.
The highlight of the evening will be the crowning of the “Mardi Gras in the
Mountains” King and Queen in true New Orleans style. The Gala committee has
chosen six individuals from three surrounding counties as nominees and are al
lowing you to vote in an online process that will keep the chosen couple a well
kept secret until the night of the event
The nominees for
Pickens County
Queen Nominee
Kim Kinne-Ryan
King Nominee
Mark Mitton
Visit https://mardigrasinthemountains.org to review the nominees of the
“Mardi Gras in the Mountains” Gala event and place your monetary bid for your
favorite King and Queen. Votes will be monetary donations, with each dollar
equaling one vote. Tickets may be purchased online, there is a discount for early
ticket purchase.
Do not miss this opportunity to celebrate with members of these organizations
who share in the same vision and dream for members of your communities. All
monies raised from this event will benefit Georgia Mountains Hospice and local
charities supported by the Knights of Columbus and the Rotary Club of Jasper.
For more information on the evening events, how to purchase tickets
or the voting process, please contact Gina Pendley at 706-253-4100
or 800-692-7199 or go to https://mardigrasinthemountains.org.
Votes may be mailed to Georgia Mountains Hospice
70 Caring Way ~ Jasper, GA 30143