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Ellaville is 'Entrepreneur Friendly'
Ellaville and Schley County were awarded an official designation as an Entrepreneur Friendly Community through the Georgia Department of Economic Development. This has come through the work of the Schley County-Ellaville Chamber of Commerce.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development's (GDEcD) Small Business & Innovation Division provides a community-based program that helps create an entrepreneur environment, building entrepreneur and small business strategy into the community's overall economic development strategies. The division will take a community through proven methods designed to establish a support program for entrepreneurs.
A team from the Small Business & Innovation Division spent the day of September 11 in Ellaville. This review team was headed by Keith Moffett, Regional Program Manager for GDEcD, and includes: Spencer Mueller,
The day started with a presentation given at the Chamber's offices in downtown Ellaville. Mickey Holloway, Chamber president, explained that the Chamber board had identified as a top priority the goal of helping local people with their existing businesses and also helping them establish new enterprises. He said that the emphasis was on helping local people because those businesses with roots here are the most likely to remain here. This initiative is linked to the larger work of planning for future growth in the community. The Chamber has already developed a Guide Book for new businesses that lists resources available and necessary links to key contacts. Holloway said that the Chamber of Commerce stands with local citizens who envision and work to have a business of their own.
"Then Keith Moffett came to us with the idea of getting the Entrepreneur Friendly Designation, Holloway explained. "If approved, we will be the 24th County in Georgia to get this designation."
Holloway pointed out that Ellaville and Schley County has a good amount of industry in relation to its size, and called upon Joe Eason to speak about the history of industrial development in the county.
Mr. Eason said that in 1955 The Schley County Industrial Corporation was formed to draw industry into the area. The corporation became a non-profit and proceeded to purchase 200 acres of land southeast of town.
"About 70-80 percent of our industrial businesses are located on land that was first purchased by the corporation," Eason said. "The organization has been a vital part, whether small or large, in the development of the industrial base of the community."
Tommy Barnes, a member of the Chamber's Entrepreneur Committee, spoke of the growth in the area and said that he disagreed with the population projections that were included in the statistics given to the review committee. He said that he thought the population in 10 years would be even larger, reaching 7,500. He listed entrepreneurs who have built successful ongoing businesses in the area, and said that he would even call the school system "entrepreneurial." Barnes described the community spirit as one not of "why" but "why not?"
William Johnson, superintendent of Schools, said that the athletic complex was over 90 percent paid for by donated funds, which was proof of the supportive spirit that exist in the community. He also pointed out the unusual fact that a generous donation from a Schley County native, Robert Hill, was made to the public high school to go towards the construction of the newly completed wing.
The Review Team spent the remainder of the day visiting Ellaville Floral & Gift Shop, Central Bank of Georgia, and then, after lunch at The Wildcat Café, they met again at the Chamber for a presentation on the Thomas E. Barnes Enterprises. A private conference was held by the team to determine the designation eligibility and at 4 p.m. the ceremony conferring Schley County and Ellaville as an Entrepreneur Friendly Community was held.
Members of the Chamber's Entrepreneur Small Business Development Committee include Holloway, Dale Melton, Marnie Eason, Kim Lawhorn, Tommy Barnes, Clint Long, Larry Wall, Doug Redmond, and Diane Laster. Over the next 30 days the committee will work on strategies to implement plans for projects in conjunction with the new designation.
Senator George Hooks and Representative Mike Cheokas attended the designation ceremony.