Georgia County Government - May/June 2008 - (Page 37)

Chairman Eldrin Bell (center) with ACCG Executive Director Jerry Griffin and 2006-07 ACCG President O.D. Netter on receiving his ACCG Commissioners Training certification at the 2007 Annual Meeting. “business cluster” around the airport to the status of a bona fide “aerotropolis,” a newfangled term describing commercial centers springing up around airports internationally. The quest for fast and convenient transportation, it appears, is ever growing here, and, no doubt, it is in the best interest of the entire state of Georgia. If airports are “the 21st century engines of development” that aerotropolis enthusiasts claim they are, prompting many types of advantageous re-development (12 such projects are now in progress in municipalities and communities near the airport), then Atlanta’s HartsfieldJackson has an ideal community surrounding it. It is headed by officials who welcome and support anything that improves neighborhoods, empowers the local workforce, garners transportation funding that can be leveraged to support critical human services, and results overall, in a higher quality of life. All welcome prosperity here, for all residents, and it looks like the sky is the limit. ■ “heritage trail,” tying into an expanded “People Mover” at the airport, which could connect to East Point and other stops via the Peachtree Trolley. Bell envisions a plan incorporating other partners, mostly local municipalities, in a potential tax allocation district (TAD) to further leverage the economic engine of the airport and utilize transportation funding to cover many community needs that hinge on public transportation. Proposed legislation requests that the legislature will authorize a TAD to accommodate the project. Within the ranks of county administration, meanwhile, a reorganization of the county’s staff is under way. Employing some 2,600 people in 27 departments, Bell plans to consolidate many, regroup a number of support services, and create stronger support for key departments, including Human Services, Police Services, the Fire Department, Finance, and the Health Department. Meanwhile, growth seems to know few limits here. Bell describes plans revolving around the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) to boost its attraction and spur growth in the number of visitors that patronize it per year, which already exceed half a million. Current plans call for construction of a hotel, followed by at least two more phases including more than 1 million square feet of new office and retail space. In combination with HartsfieldJackson’s $5.4 billion expansion due for completion in 2015, the area surrounding the GICC will likely make it one of the region’s busiest – elevating the entire SERVICES: MAXWELL PIPING & GRADING, INC. Gregory Maxwell – Owner P.O. Box 1140, Lithonia, GA 30058 P: (770) 527-9317 • F: (404) 795-1026 E-mail: g_maxwell@bellsouth.net Utility Contractor Water Line Construction Sewer and Storm Drain Systems Light Grading MBE/DOT/SBA 8A Approved Atlanta’s True South is 7 cities full of outdoor fun, golf, shing, historical homes, civil war sites, music, art, museums, tours and Southern Hospitality. Experience the diversity of people and activities within 15 minutes of the world’s busiest airport and you will discover why Clayton County is Atlanta’s True South. www.visitscarlett.com 1-800-662-7829 Clayton County Convention and Visitors Bureau 104 N. Main Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236 MAY/JUNE 2008 www.accg.org 37 http://www.visitscarlett.com http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - May 2008

Georgia County Government - May 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters ACCG 2008 Annual Meeting: Highlights County Focus: Clayton County Negotiating a Professional Service Firm Contract: Part 3 Counties Get Involved in Efforts to End Sexual Abuse of Children Smart Growth Scorecard Gives Communities a Way to Grade New Developments Wireless Technologies Critical for First Responders Research Corner: The ACCG Policy Process RDCs Assist the USS Georgia Flag Project Extension News: Animals Take Spotlight in Disaster Planning Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Grady County NACo News: Green Initiative Launches Searchable Database Insurance News: ACCG Announces New Inmate Medical Savings Program County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - May 2008

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