MORROW -- Fayette County Commission Chairman Jack Smith weighed in on local issues during the 8th annual South Metro Development Outlook forum held Tuesday at Clayton State University in Morrow.
According to organizers, the all-day event aimed to provide an open platform for individuals with a common interest in fostering smart growth in south metro Atlanta, with a focus on Fayette, along with neighboring counties.
Joined by commissioners from Clayton, Douglas, south Fulton and Spalding Counties, Smith took part in an afternoon “fireside chat” about current topics of interest, such as development opportunities and regional water and transportation concerns.
“We are open for business and look forward to working with the people who can make this recession end,” shared Smith.
Highlighting the benefits of setting up shop in Fayette County, Smith recognized the local school system as one of the “finest” in the state. Besides offering a quality education to future leaders, a strong school system is advantageous to economic growth because developers seek to build amongst an educated workforce, based on development studies.
He also addressed the abundant water supply as another plus for Fayette County, after recently breaking ground on its fourth drinking water reservoir, Lake McIntosh, located in Peachtree City. The milestone comes at a time when some areas across the state struggle with a short water supply, as a result of the drought that happened three years ago.
While Fayette County has a comfortable water supply, the county has not been exempt to implementing cost-saving measures due to the persistent economic drought impeding the nation.
Fayette County has taken preventive steps, such as hiring freezes and project delays, to maintain its track record of sound budgetary practices. However, Smith stressed the importance of wise spending habits, which he credits for the county’s survival mechanism to weather the storm.
“You have to look at collections of revenue and project the direction you’re going,” he asserted, referencing continuous cutbacks from the state.
The effects of congestion on major metro area thoroughfares and highways was another hot-button issue the panel discussed.
Smith noted that potential cooperative opportunities with Fulton and Clayton Counties might come to fruition in the future in an effort to reduce congestion on the 85 interchange, which he called a “bottleneck” for commuters, and essentially a hassle for residents in Fayette County.
“We’re doing allocation funding studies,” he said concerning collaborative initiatives.
In an effort to move forward with the times, Smith said the county is also operating through e-government, an electronic government system that serves as a more efficient way to handle government business.
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