Good Things Are Happening Here

Good things are happening in Monticello and Jasper County, and people who attended last Thursday’s “Community Conversation” learned a little more about what’s happening and the background necessary to make good things happen.

Sponsored by Forward Jasper, the evening was designed to educate the general public about the positive aspects of economic development, and to explain that the county is moving forward in a positive direction.

Chris Clark, Chief Executive Officer and president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce said he knows what economic development means to Georgia and its families. He said that the goal of the COC and economic developers is to make communities a better place to do business.

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He said he has been in every community in the state, and he can tell us the ones who work. It’s simple, he said, you first and foremost must show you have a qualified workforce. Then there are things like road access, downtown atmosphere, a building, patience and planning, and more. He talked about the importance of partnerships, such as utility partners, the state, and working regionally.

Communities who succeed have leadership, he said. Where leaders work together, you have success.

He gave an example of one time he had a company almost ready to commit to a site, and then he got a call from the CEO who said they were no longer interested. He said the man said the company had put people on the ground in the community for the past three weeks, and they learned the elected officials were bickering amongst themselves and each other, and the company did not want to be a part of that community.

He told a little about his experience in helping to bring Caterpillar and Kia to Georgia. He encouraged those attending to keep the effort of working together and support David Dyer and the Development Authority of Jasper County (DAJC) to recruit and maintain businesses. He said that a strong and successful Chamber of Commerce is essential. He said everyone needs to be involved in the COC, as it is the organizing point for the community. He also urged those who were not members of the local COC to join now.

The program included a segment on bio-ethics, and the work being done in our local school system to perhaps create a bio-ethics pathway for students in the future. Recently, some 29 students and two teachers teamed up to study bio-ethics after school and on Saturdays. The students did not get extra credit or payment of any kind. It was offered to them if they were interested. The teachers were impressed with the number of students who committed to taking part in the program. The teachers and students shared a little of what they studied with the group Thursday.

Those gathered also heard from Mike Grundmann about the Quick Start program offered through the state’s technical college system, and locally through Southern Crescent Technical College. Scott Norton of Norton Packaging said how delighted his company is to know that its workforce will be trained, and that training will take place right across the street from the new facility.

Norton is a California-based corporation that is a fourth-generation family-run business. About 15 years ago, the company took a “big step,” according to Scot Norton and decided to move some of its manufacturing from California. They opened a plant in Hamlin, Indiana, and it has done very well.

Because of their success there, and a customer base in the southeast, the Nortons began looking at expanding into the southeast. Eventually their search led them to Monticello. They visited two years ago, and have been in negotiations since, until they announced the move late last year.

“Your economic development people made us feel good about the community,” said Mr. Norton. “We look to be here for a long time, and hope it is a beneficial relationship for everyone involved.”

He said they plan to have the plant up and running this fall, hopefully opening the doors sometime in September or October. He also said they will work hard to increase their customer base, and as the facility grows, he anticipates expansion.

Paul Michael, a developer for Stanton Springs talked about the public-private partnership that has created Stanton Springs, and told a little of his company’s success. TPA Realty, of which he is a part, was the developer for Johns Creek near Atlanta. He said they took 1,500 acres of pasture, and three years later CibaVision announced it would locate there. The area currently has 70,000 residents.

He talked about the slow process to attract industry. He reviewed the Stanton Springs project, saying the land was acquired in 1998. The state had been looking to expand into the life science industry for a decade, and Stanton Springs made the short list for a number of projects.

Four years ago, negotiations began with Baxter Inc. He said it took a lot of cooperation between a lot of people and entities to get Baxter to locate here. He said Baxter is making a $1 billion investment, and by doing so the company has made a commitment that it believes in this community.

Baxter will employ 1,500 people, and another 300 will be hired statewide in support roles, he said. The company will have a $100 million annual payroll. In addition, every job in the life science industry has a spin-off multiplier effect, said Mr. Michael, and authorities predict some 7,800 jobs statewide will be created.

Alan Verner, chairman of the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Newton, Morgan and Walton Counties which was the public partner in attracting Baxter said of Jasper County and the four-county area, “We have a lot to look forward to, and the support of the community is absolutely essential.” He recognized Steve Jordan, former chair of the authority and current member along with former commissioners Charles Hill and Alan Cox.

He said, “Baxter made a great choice in coming here.” He said you will see the real benefit years from now, and said it was great to have something that our kids can do. He also commented on the good turnout for the community meeting.

The remarks from the various speakers were interspersed with musical performances. A guitar group was playing as people entered, and a group from the Washington Park Elementary Chorus sang near the beginning of the program. The Jasper County High School jazz band performed before Mr. Michael spoke, and a trio from Piedmont Academy rounded out the night’s musical entertainment.

Also speaking at the meeting were Monticello Mayor Bryan Standifer, County Commission Chair Carl Pennamon, DAJC Chair Rusty Bullard, and executive director Dave Dyer, Dr. Randall Peters, president of Southern Crescent, and Dr. Mike Newton, Jasper School Superintendent.

Before the meeting, from 6 to 6:30 p.m., various community organizations were set up in the commons area at the high school.