FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006
Contact: Ms. Willie Paulk
City of Dublin County of Laurens Development Authority
478-272-5546

Economic Development Leaders Building
Strategic Plan For The Future

The economic development team for Dublin and Laurens County is taking steps to develop a strategic plan for recruiting and retaining businesses in the community during the next several years. The City of Dublin County of Laurens Development Authority will be developing short term and long terms goals this spring as a part of a “re-tooling” process, according to James Malone, chair of the authority.

“Our community is extremely fortunate to have a strong industrial and commercial business base,” Malone says. “The supporting infrastructure provided by local governments is also a key component of the successes we have experienced over the past several years. However, in order to remain competitive with other communities in the state, region and the world, we must take a step back from time to time and evaluate the direction in which we are going and the strategies of how we plan to get there.”

The $80 million expansion announcement this month by YKK AP America Inc., a leading manufacturer of architectural building products, is a direct result of relationships built during the past several years between Laurens County community and government leaders and YKK company officials, says Willie Paulk, executive director for the authority and president and chief executive officer of the Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. The authority played a significant role in allowing the project to move forward by providing financing incentives for the company. The expansion is expected to create 200 new jobs over the next four years.

The Chason Group, Inc. of Cartersville, Georgia is providing consulting services to the authority as a part of the strategic planning process. Stakeholder interviews will be held in early March to gather input from local government, community and business leaders regarding areas the authority needs to focus on in the future. Also included on the interview list will be statewide economic developers and site location consultants. The goal is to develop a common list of perceptions and realities for the members of the authority to work with during a planning session at a later date.

“Our goal is to develop a strategic plan and message that focuses the authority’s approach to economic development,” says Malone. “The competitiveness of creating and retaining jobs in a community is rapidly changing. As an economic development team, our charge is to make sure we have the right tools and infrastructure to add value to the community. The authority recognizes the importance of reviewing our successes and challenges every four or five years. That is why this process is so important.”

Paulk emphasized the importance for members of the Authority, government officials, community representatives, business leaders and the professional staff to agree upon and become committed to implementing key initiatives as a part of the strategic plan.