Water resources continues to be one of the strengths that Banks County has, while lack of funds to move forward on a wastewater treatment plant is still a weakness.
Banks County leaders met Tuesday at the county annex to discuss the county's strengths and weaknesses. It was one year ago that the group first met and this week's meeting was to review progress that has been made.
The meeting was attended by members of the board of commissioners, chamber of commerce and Banks County convention and visitors bureau. Members of the county's development authority attended last year's meeting but did not attend the session held this week.
“We are here to analyze where we are and what we need to do to get to where we want to be, in terms of economic development,” CVB chairman Mark Valentine said.
County clerk Jenni Gailey addressed one of the top three strengths in the county - water resources. Gailey reported the county's one-million-gallon clear well for water storage is almost complete, the county commissioners recently gave approval for the engineers to apply for an additional 100,000-gallons per day withdrawal permit and the county has acquired three watershed lakes.
BOC chairman Milton Dalton spoke about one of the weaknesses identified one year ago - not one of the top three - infrastructure: wastewater. Dalton advised the county has acquired land for a new wastewater treatment facility. However, the number one weakness identified one year ago - funding - prohibits the construction of a wastewater treatment facility at this time.
Chamber of Commerce director Tara Fulcher reported that Windstream recently received a grant to fund broadband service to areas of Banks County that currently do no have broadband access.
Gailey advised the group on Tuesday that the county is getting calls every week from commercial and/or industrial prospects looking at locating in Banks Crossing.
“Of course, all of them don't come through,” Gailey said.
Fulcher reported that the economic development page on the chamber's website had 300 hits over the past month. Land available in Banks County, zoned commercial, light industrial or agricultural, that has been submitted by the land owners is listed on the chamber's website, Fulcher advised.
Commissioner Charles Turk said, “I think telecommunications is what is hurting us.”
Fulcher said fiber optic is one issue.
The group discussed a marketing plan for Banks County. Gailey said Fulcher and herself work closely with any prospects looking at the county.
“Part of the marketing plan is knowing where to send people,” Gailey said.
Gailey said she thought the county's website needs to be upgraded. She asked those present to go back to their respective offices and view some other county websites to see how they market their individual counties and make suggestions for marketing Banks County.
“Right now, while the economy is down, is the time to do the planning,” Gailey said, about economic development for Banks County.
Gailey advised she would be sending out request for qualifications on the master plan for the Martin Bridge Road area this week.
“Planning is the key,” Gailey said.
CVB president Bonnie Johnson said, “I think everybody around this table is interested in what is best for Banks County.”
The group agreed that the goal is to collectively develop a marketing plan for Banks County.
Strategies discussed to reach this goal were: update and organize all relative data, research ways to market the community and work on ways to maximize outreach to state agencies.
The group set a meeting for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21, in the Wilson Shoals Conference Room at the Banks County Courthouse Annex, to work on the strategies and goal for marketing the county.
The group made one change to the top three threats identified one year ago. The number two threat identified in 2009 was lack of continuity/communication form county administration to county administration. The group agreed this is not a threat and it was replaced with undeveloped land - bedroom community. The county has large tracts of undeveloped land and the group agreed they don't want Banks County to become a bedroom community.
Sherry Ward, Banks County CVB, advised she would contact Homer Mayor Doug Cheek about attending this meeting. The group also agreed to contact the development authority about having a representative at the next meeting.
