Georgia County Government - July 2008 - (Page 8)

Feature Laurens, Treutlen and Wh to Leverage Economic De in the ‘Heart of Middle Ge With the advent of the nation’s first commercial-grade plant to manufacture ethanol out of cellulose from pine forests in Treutlen County, Georgia is positioned to become a premier bio-energy ‘corridor.’ Meanwhile, these ‘heart of Middle Georgia’ counties all have a lot of irons in the fire. L 8 By Deborah Dewberry, Editor ocated off Interstate 16 some 50 miles southeast of Macon, the “heart of Middle Georgia” region Laurens, Treut len a nd Wheeler counties occupy is like many other rural regions in the state, having operated traditionally on the basis of an agricultural economy, with a heavy complement of Georgia’s formerly strong timber, textile and paper industries being prevalent. With timber and agriculture waning, compared to decades past, and textiles now defunct, times have certainly changed – translating here, as elsewhere, into large tracts of farmlands being sold, lands changing hands, and lands also changing uses. However, economic diversity is a hallmark of economic development efforts in such regions statewide now, and the commercially cultivated deep pinelands in the region are prime territory for GEOR I C U TY GOVERNMENT GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT GEORGIA COUNTY OVERNMEN ORGI ERNMENT Laurens County Board of Commissioners, pictured from left to right: Vice Chairman D.M. Mullis, Commissioner Clifton Crews, Chairman Emory Lake, Commissioner Tommy Daniel and Commissioner Roscoe Brower. some of Georgia’s more cutting-edge economic development initiatives. Proactive Economic Development “About a year and a half ago,” says Laurens County Administrator Bryan Rogers, “Laurens County and the city of Dublin, partners in the DublinLaurens County Industrial Development Authority, decided to be more proactive in seeking industrial development for the region. We made some progress.” Agrees County Vice Chairman D.M. Mullis, “Our Development Authority approached commissioners with the idea to market Laurens County proactively, with regard to economic development, to appeal to companies that might

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

Georgia County Government - June 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Laurens, Treutlen and Wheeler Counties Work Together to Leverage Economic Development 2008 Hurricane Season Forecast to be Active GDEcD: Georgia Is Bolstering International Marketing Efforts U.S. Communities Announces Auto Parts Service Contract Energy Innovation Center Opens in Warner Robins Coweta County Uses Innovative Road Construction Techniques Counties & The Law: An Analysis of Ten Commandments Displays in Georgia Courthouses Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Talbot County Extension News: Youth Summit Teaches Civic Engagement Research Corner: Train Me! NACo News: NACo Seeks Obesity Prevention Programs County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - June 2008

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