Georgia County Government - October 2008 - (Page 29) to County Manager Carter. At the crossroads of the major arteries of I-75 and U.S. 82 (Corridor Z), the county and the region are well-positioned near a major north-south interstate and the only eastwest route connecting South and West Georgia with the coast. Says Tift County Economic Development Director Brad Day: “Commissioners throughout the region are sensitive to the fact that most roads have been built in the state to carry people north/south. Here, the presence of Corridor Z is most fortunate. Its presence attracts more road development because it connects the ports in Brunswick and Savannah to the U.S. Bread Basket – not to mention the “Fruit and Vegetable Basket” of our own state. All improvements revolving around I-75 and U.S. 82 are state and federally-funded priorities.” As for air transportation, Turner County as well as Cook County each have their own airports, as does Tift County. The Turner County Airport recently benefited from a $450,000 Capital Improvement Plan courtesy of the Aviation Division of the Georgia DOT; and the Tift County Airport, under the auspices of the county’s Airport Authority is now looking to expand its runway to 6,500 feet. State rural airport expansion initiatives also hold the promise of assisting with future expansions. Water supply for people and agriculture, and ongoing drought, are concerns as crucial in South Georgia as in any region. For now, the region is in a better position with regard to water supply than those regions more dependent on surface water. However, agribusiness has been hurt by record drought in recent years, and excess aquifer drawdown poses unique challenges. It’s apparent from our interviews that no community here takes for granted the availability of water from the underground Floridan Aquifer, upon which all rely on for drinking water and to support irrigation and industry. “We are drought conscious, certainly,” Waldron offers. “And we realize the importance of promoting conservation.” Day adds that, unlike surface water supplies in north and metro Georgia, water usage here is “non-consumptive,” meaning it goes back to the source. Nevertheless, state-mandated water restrictions are strictly enforced by local governments in the region, and water conservation is as much a buzzword in South Georgia as it is in northern jurisdictions where lakes are below pool and rains are required to replenish reservoirs. The Future As for future prospects for economic development, and growth, it certainly bodes well that the officials in South Georgia and the staff of the RDC that supports them in all the common goals of all counties in the region all agree that each county’s gain – whether of a new industry, a new state government facility or a new small business – is a gain for the entire region. As competition for new industries heats up among various regions of the South, within Georgia and outside its borders, and marketing initiatives to lure potential companies to this region step up, one certainty everyone can count on is that each county here will SOUTH GEORGIA continued on page 32 Peach County … a special place to live, work and play Walter Smith Roy Lewis James Khoury Martin H. Moseley Commissioner Commissioner Chairman Commissioner Thomas J. Palmer Vice Chairman 204 West Church St., Fort Valley, Georgia 31030 - Telephone 478-825-2535 Fax 478-825-2678 Explore our growing county online at www.PeachCounty.net 395217_Peach.indd 1 OCTOBER 2008 8/13/08 4:39:12 PM www.accg.org 29 http://www.peachcounty.net http://www.accg.org
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