Joint Development Authority Gets Award
The Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) recognized the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton Counties for an “outstanding achievement in the location/expansion of business in Georgia” at its annual awards luncheon.
The JDA was recognized because of the Facebook project, which Governor Nathan Deal announced in March 2018. This project will invest approximately $42 billion in capital equipment and provide 250 new jobs.
One of the opportunities in helping the JDA win this project was also one of the obstacles. Facebook needed a large staging area for construction, but there was none available. However, Shire, did have such an area directly across from the planned entrance to the Facebook property. Through lengthy negotiations, Facebook and the JDA were able to work out a deal with Shire to allow Facebook to use Shire’s remaining property for a staging area. Both Shire and Jasper County were well represented at the awards ceremony with Commission Chairman Carl Pennamon attending.
{{more}}
Mr. Pennmon also serves on the Four County Authority. Also from Jasper County was Steve Jordan, the county’s non-government member of the Joint Authority, and David Dyer, economic development director for Jasper County.
GEDA is in its 12th year of recognizing major projects as part of its annual awards ceremony with four different categories—small, mid-size, large and regional. The Deal of the Year awards recognize outstanding achievement in the location or expansion of new business in the state of Georgia that meet community economic development goals and involve significant community program support, such as financial or permitting assistance, workforce development, state financial support and more.
The Georgia Economic Developers Association is a nonprofit association of professionals, volunteers and supporters. The association provides networking and professional development opportunities for its members, and supports public policies that promote quality job creation and sustainable economic development throughout the state. For more information, visit www.geda.org.
