Economic Developers Tour Stephens County

Stephens County is a community equipped for and supportive of economic development. This was the message of the second fall 2009 “Developer Day” event hosted by the Stephens County Development Authority. Five statewide economic development project managers from Georgia EMC, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Power Company, and the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission toured the community. The trip focused on Stephens County’s development-ready sites, buildings, work force, and leadership so as to help project managers better foster development in the area.

Tim Ash, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, and Representative Michael Harden served as the “chauffeurs” for the day. Joe Moore and Bryon Whitworth of American Woodmark took the group on a tour of the facility. The group also viewed several available industrial buildings and sites in the Meadowbrook Industrial Park and Hayestone Brady Business Park, including the 80,000 square feet Rooker spec building. Stephens County High School Principal Felton Stephens gave them a tour of his school, highlighting the improved graduation rate. The project managers also got a glimpse at the natural sights of Toccoa with stops at Toccoa Falls and Paul Anderson Park.

The economic developers joined local leaders from the City and County government, healthcare, education, and real estate sectors for lunch at the Willard Kimsey Environmental Education Center (Straw House). The statewide guests gave an overview of their agencies and projects, and local leaders were able to address their concerns and perspectives on local development projects.

Rope Roberts, Georgia Power Company: “My job is to help communities with all faces of economic development. One of the positive things I can say about Stephens County – and I have always pushed this – is the labor force trained in metal working, which goes back to LeTourneau days. Not everybody can work metal. When we can say we have a metal working company, we can say we have a great work force in this area.”

Chip Wright, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission: “What I do at the Regional Commission is community design. I work with Toccoa and other communities to utilize resources that they already have in hand, which a lot of times are historic downtowns. To make these places gathering spaces again… branches out and helps with the attraction of business and economy building enterprises. Once people who are looking to relocate their businesses in your community see that you have a pride in your community, it makes Toccoa–Stephens County the place they want to be.”

Taube Ponce, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Global Commerce Division: “Companies that export generally have a higher growth rate than companies that don’t export. They generally pay higher wages and are more stable. One of the silver linings of our current economic situation is that the dollar is low, which…for exporters is great because our products are even more competitive now. Exporting is a wonderful tool for economic development, and communities don’t often think about that. We and our offices can help companies find markets for their products.”

David Austin, City of Toccoa: “We are so glad to have you here today. We think a lot of our City and County and we’ve worked a lot with you over the years to make things even better. I welcome you to Toccoa-Stephens County and hope you come back.”

Tim Ash, Toccoa-Stephens Co. Chamber of Commerce: “Stephens County is ready, willing and able to accept new businesses and acclimate our workforce to those businesses. We are doing a lot of things right these days and just need the rest of the world to get the message. We appreciate your being here to see what’s taking place and to contribute what you can to help us along.”

Cam Parker, Stephens Co. Development Authority: “As local economic developers, one of the most important things we can do is try to be good partners with statewide organizations. We want to do our very best to help you help us, and part of that is communicating, just like we are today, what we think are some of our strengths. One of our strengths is our people, who know how to work and have a strong work ethic. They also give us the tools to be a good partner with you, passing SPLOST V – 80% of which was for economic development – with a 72% vote. Our leaders are also pro-business, pro-growth. They get along and they want to progress. We want to be good partners. If you need us to do something just let us know, and we’ll give it our best.”

Some interesting data about local spending...

Stephens County proclaimed a "Work Ready Certified Community"

On Monday, November 2, Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed Stephens County a “Work Ready Certified Community” at the Work Ready Awards Luncheon in Atlanta, giving community leaders a framed certificate listing the County’s achievements. This announcement is the culmination of a process that began in early 2007. The effort to gain certification was led by Gordon Broome, Work Ready Community Team Leader, in coordination with the North Georgia Technical College, the school system, the Stephens County Development Authority, and other community organizations.

The Georgia Work Ready program is a voluntary initiative which enables communities to demonstrate that they have the talented workforce needed to fill current and future jobs. The certification also shows a community’s commitment to education and to improving high school graduation rates, important factors for driving businesses to an area. To become certified, specified numbers of community residents had to pass the Work Ready Assessment in six different categories: Technical college graduates, GED holders, unemployed adults, high school graduates entering the workforce, current high school seniors, and college graduates or recent attendees. The County’s target of 418 certifications within 36 months was completed in 26 months with 833 Work Certified residents.

Another requirement related to improving the High School graduation rate. Over the last two years, the school system has improved that rate by 15.5 points; from 63.1% to 78.6%. This achievement is well above the basic requirement of 2 points per year.

What is also significant about Stephens County’s achievement is the percentage of assessed individuals who scored at the “Gold” level and are thereby considered able to perform 90% of the jobs in Georgia. 29% of Stephens County’s certified individuals scored at the “Gold” level versus only 20% statewide, proving the local workforce to be well above average. The Work Ready Assessment includes four passing categories – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

The County’s certification process continues. Over the next two years, the Community Team must sustain its efforts to increase the numbers of businesses requiring workers to gain certification, assess more individuals, improve scores of non-passers, and maintain a high school graduation rate above 75%.

22 out of 159 counties in Georgia are currently Work Ready Certified Communities. Stephens, Franklin, and Hart are the only three contiguous counties in the state to reach this designation.

“Our work force is our most important economic development tool,” says Cam Parker, Stephens County Development Authority Chairman. “We literally market ourselves to prospective businesses, and this designation proves what we already knew: our work force is second to none.”

“What we’ve demonstrated in the last 26-month period is that above average skills exist in Stephens County,” states Gordon Broome, Stephens County Work Ready Community Team Leader. “We are going to continue to actively promote this asset and increase it by using job gap training and other opportunities of the Work Ready program.”

Bowen and Watson price approved for constructing SCHS

On Tuesday, Stephens County School System officials approved Bowen and Watson's price for construction of the new high school building, at just over $31.1 million. This amount was the guaranteed maximum price for approval.

Currahee Welding Announces new Operation, "Currahee Waste Products"

At a ceremony yesterday, Currahee Welding announced the development of a new operation, Currahee Waste Products, which will manufacture residential rear loaders. Company owner Rusty Harrison said that the completion of the demonstration body of the waste hauling equipment marks the start of the operation, which Robert Williams, sales and marketing leader, will be promoting. Currahee Waste Products is to run out of the same location as Currahee Welding, located in Northeast Georgia midway between Atlanta and Greenville, SC near Interstate 85 in Eastanollee. Currahee Welding has been in business for over twenty years. Harrison anticipates that the new operation will include 10-12 new employees initially.

Rusty Harrison, Owner: “This is going to be a big venture and it will be tough at first because we will be competing against large companies. But I believe we can get into the market and sell our product.”

Senator Jim Butterworth: “We know how much of a time and investment challenge this project is in this day and age…when the unemployment rate is the highest in probably our lifetime. Even given our situation in the U.S. economy, we still need to realize that we are in a much better position than many other economies in the world, and it’s because people like Rusty are taking the challenges that he is taking, and we appreciate his effort.”

Representative Michael Harden: “In a time when I find myself congratulating people for keeping their doors open and for not folding, it is so refreshing in this economy to be able to see someone who is not only keeping their doors open but also moving forward. Rusty has recognized a niche in this market, he has diversified and he is going to move not only his family and business forward, but this entire county.”

Jonesy Haygood, Stephens County Commissioner: “On behalf of the County Commissioners we commend you for what you have undertaken. You have undertaken a project that very few people would have the guts to do, and you followed through from step one to the very end. This will be a tremendous asset to the county. Thanks for choosing us to be a part of your endeavor.”

Billy Morse, Toccoa City Manager: “On behalf of the city of Toccoa I want to thank you and congratulate you for what you’re doing. You have been a vital asset to the Public Works Department for many years with your welding services, which keep us up and running. Congratulations to you; we will work with you in any way we can to help you.”

Tim Ash, Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce: “The Chamber is here to support local businesses. We always love to acknowledge the expansion and growth of someone who has already demonstrated success in local business. We thank you for your investment in Stephens County and your guts in going forth with something new in this economy. That’s what will bring us out of where we are, and we appreciate that greatly.”

Cam Parker, Stephens County Development Authority: “The Development Authority’s job is to create more jobs, but to do so more than anything, we depend upon people like you. You said in the beginning of this venture that you would be battling huge companies as competitors. R.G. LeTourneau was in the exact same position as you a hundred years ago in California, and he succeeded. He came to Toccoa and helped us to further develop our manufacturing sector. I thank you so much for helping our community get back into the business of making things.”

• See more photos from the announcement ceremony
  

SCDA Infrastructure Committee presents watershed research findings

After five years of research into the threats to the Lake Toccoa watershed, the SCDA's Infrastructure Committee presented their findings and recommendations to the City of Toccoa. “Seventy percent of the earth is covered in water … but only .007 percent of all the water in the world is available for us as human beings,” said committee chairman Buddy Lawson to commissioners. “I thought that was significant, and brings home the need for protecting our watershed and water resources.”

The committee made five overall recommendations to protect the water supply which will cover 90-95% of all threats if implemented:

• Prohibit development of any kind on city-owned property surrounding Lake Toccoa.

• Control golf course storm water run-off into Lake Toccoa and control chemicals applied to the golf course.

• Prepare and implement a plan for regional water sales.

• Dredge Lake Toccoa and the Davidson Creek Impoundment.

• Extend water discharge piping from Davidson Creek to Lake Toccoa

North Georgia Technical College sees a jump in enrollment

North Georgia Technical College has seen a major increase in student enrollment for the Fall quarter. The school as a whole experienced a 44% increase over last fall's enrollment, while Stephens County's Currahee Campus has had a 55% increase. 2,988 total students attend NGTC.