Joint economic development meeting held last Thursday
By Deborah Bennett

John Perryman, project manager for Georgia Power, speaks to members of the Jenkins County Commissioners, Millen City Council and Jenkins County Development Authority during a meeting held Thursday, Jan. 18. The activity was sponsored by the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)

Promoting economic development in Jenkins County has been a long time topic of discussion throughout the community, both by elected officials and private citizens. Some helpful "hints" on the subject were presented to members of the Jenkins County Commissioners, Millen City Council and Jenkins County Development Authority during a meeting held Thursday, Jan. 18, at Cindy's Café on Cotton. The Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce sponsored the activity.

John Perryman, project manager for Georgia Power, and Ray Barrentine, a Georgia Power district manager, presented a program outlining the process of "selling" a community to prospective industries.

Perryman noted that the demographics of a community play an important role in economic development, stating that prospective industries will often investigate a community via the Internet before any contact is made. He called attention to the fact that the poverty rate for Jenkins County is listed at 20 percent, more than double that of the state. The high school dropout rate is listed at 38 percent while the state average is only 23 percent.

"Demographics tell prospective industries a lot about the community. A lot of communities get eliminated, and they don't even see a prospect," Perryman said.

He also noted that businesses make their decisions on making money.

"You must sell a community's profitability," he said.

Perryman encouraged a cooperative effort among all county, city and school officials, stating that economic development was a "team sport." He also called attention to the need for incentives to lure industries to a community.

"It helps if you already have these in place, so that you know up front what you can offer an industry," he said.

Perryman named three goals that he pursues in promoting economic development: getting people to move to Georgia; getting them to build and grow in the region; and retaining those that are already here.

"The process takes a long time. It doesn't happen overnight. We're lucky just to get a prospect to come into a community," he said.