Bobby Dwelle steps down as JCDA chairman
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Bobby Dwelle stepped down this month as chairman of the Jenkins County Development Authority, having served 35 years in the position.

During the February meeting of the Jenkins County Development Authority (JCDA), Bobby Dwelle relinquished the post he has held for approximately 35 years and stepped down as chairman of the group.

"I thought it was time to pass the torch to another generation," he said.

Dwelle has served as a member of the JCDA since its creation

in 1962 and recalls that the organization came into being when a group of local citizens became concerned that there were no job opportunities for men in the community. John Brooks, A.K. Bell and Ralph Crowe Sr. helped with establishing the JCDA, he said.

"Jockey International was going strong at the time with 400-500 women being employed at the plant, but there were no job opportunities for men in the county," Dwelle said.

The JCDA was formed to seek industry that would employ males. Soon after its creation, land for the county's first industrial park was purchased.

"Thirty men pledged $1,000 each to purchase 300 acres, and the rest was provided through a $20,000 note," Dwelle recalls.

Development of the county's first industrial park on Magnolia Street led to the location of a window manufacturing facility, Look Products, in Jenkins County. The facility was later purchased by Remington Steel and Metal Industries, which also built two additional plants. Other industries that eventually located in the park were Bellcrest Homes, now Cavalier Home Builders, Savannah River Steel, Reeves Construction and Augusta Sportswear

Other accomplishments of the JCDA that Dwelle recalls include: provided financing through revenue bonds for Jockey International; provided financing for Metal Industries' main plant and for the extrusion plant; assisted Bellcrest Homes; assisted Metal Industries in the location of its Capitol Architectural Products plant in industrial park; located company and financed building for Augusta Sportswear; helped provide funds for the restoration of the Olde Freight Depot that now houses the Millen-Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce and Olde Freight Depot Museum; purchased and renovated the Old Pal Theater on Cotton Avenue as a civic center; purchased and renovated the oldest business structure in Millen, the Holland Law Office; was instrumental in the location of the Fred's store in Millen, including providing financial aid in order to obtain the property; supportive of Savannah River Parkway and Magnolia Springs State Park; obtained title to and developed the Lourie Family Garden on Cotton Avenue; and provided funds for purchase of property for industrial development.

Recent plant closings and the resulting loss of jobs have served to magnify the importance of the development authority in the community, Dwelle said.

"We are working as hard as we can to fill these empty buildings. But there are 159 counties in the state that all have industry seeking organizations," he commented.

"The competition is as keen as I have ever seen it. We are surrounded by four of the largest counties in the state - Burke, Screven, Bulloch and Emanuel - and it is hard for us to compete," he added.

"There are many behind-the-scenes tasks that take place on a daily basis. The JCDA has provided jobs through the years for families to feed their children and to put shoes on their feet," Dwelle said, noting that he plans to continue to be a part of the organization's efforts as his term of appointment does not expire until the end of the year.

Mabel Jenkins will lead the group's efforts as the newly elected chairman.