Georgia County Government - November 2008 - (Page 22)

FLOYD COUNTY continued from page 21 center cafeteria. There is also a lengthy question-and-answer session made available, to further encourage youth or others to bring their inquiries forward and get involved. Floyd County commissioners also visit, on request, student government classes, civics classes and similar government education forums. The county also is an enthusiastic supporter and participant in the Rome-Floyd County’s Chamber of Commerce High School Leadership Rome initiative, an offshoot of the Leadership Rome program for adults interested in civic leadership. “This program has done a remarkable job infusing youth with the importance of government and its operations,” Jennings says. “It’s another innovation of which our community is extremely proud.” Jennings leads seminars on leadership and team-building regularly for this group and others, on a “challenge” course at Berry College. Soon he plans to take a coterie of young people on a government-education “retreat” that will incorporate an excursion on North Carolina’s wild and scenic Nantahala River, just across the Georgia-North Carolina state line. Environmental Education for the public is yet another local government innovation slated to take greater shape in the community as the Joint Rome-Floyd County Environmental Services Office undertakes building a River Education Center, for which architectural plans have been completed. Comments Jennings, “We think schools Chairman Jennings is current chairman of the Executive Committee of the Northwest Georgia Regional Water Resources Partnership, a 15-county body dedicated to scientific assessment and best management practices for the priceless water resources in this region, which in the absence of periodic drought, has traditionally counted among the highestquality and most plentiful surface water supplies in the country. “Right now the Partnership is undertaking a comprehensive watershed assessment to lead us into planning for the future,” Jennings asserts. “We are currently identifying five sites for regional water reservoirs in the region.” Tentative sites for the reservoirs are in Murray, Gordon, Pickens and Whitfield counties, with further plans pending the Georgia General Assembly’s passage of a Water Authority for the region. The implementation of water supply reservoirs, in Jennings’ view, is critical. “The rivers in the region currently serve some 750,000 drinking water customers and estimates are that the resources we have will have to supply 2.5 million people by the year 2050,” Jennings claims. “Georgia must plan for water – as a state and regionally. We think the regional Partnership can serve as a model for how the water planning districts could operate under the auspices of the Statewide Water Management Plan.” Jennings stresses that the regional Partnership is a volunteer organization. “We have very diverse representation, from farm bureaus, permit holders, local government entities, utility Floyd County and Rome are at the confluence of three rivers. Image courtesy of the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau will greatly benefit from such a center, and we know our public education partners will be anxious to take advantage of such a resource.” Water Resource Concerns At the junction of three rivers, where the Oostanaula and the Etowah Rivers combine into the Coosa, which flows southward, the jurisdiction of Floyd County fortuitously has leaders mindful that the Coosa River Basin is one of the most eco-diverse river basins in the world. And while all officials here are well in favor of the Georgia Statewide Water Management Plan, they don’t have a tradition of relying on state guidance when it comes to assessing, managing and planning for sound water resource management. The new Roman Holiday riverboat – used for educational and social excursions along Rome’s riverways. Image courtesy of the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau 22 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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

Georgia County Government - November 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Floyd County Leaders Foster Government That's 'Designed With Citizens in Mind' Staff News: ACCG Interns Georgia's Grand Old Courthouses: Hall County Extension News: ACCG and Extension Partner to Create 'Fellows' Program Research Corner: Resources Available Through ACCG County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - November 2008

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