PDA Annual Existing Industry Appreciation Fish Fry

October 29, 2011

PDA Annual Existing Industry Appreciation Fish Fry

Beth Alston
The Americus Times-Recorder

PLAINS — The annual Existing Industry Fish Fry was held Thursday at the Plains Community Center, hosted by the Americus-Sumter County Payroll Development Authority, the Americus-Sumter County Chamber of Commerce  Platinum Trustees and Georgia Work Ready Community — Sumter County Team. The food was prepared by Agrium.Mike Donnelly, PDA member, emceed the program.From everyone who spoke, words of encouragement flowed, with the opinion that the local economy is on the upswing.State Rep. Mike Cheokas, R-Americus, commented that “existing industry is the backbone of this community. It puts people to work and provides the jobs and the necessary income for our citizens to expand and have families and send their children to school. We greatly, greatly appreciate what ya’ll do.”Randy Howard, chairman of the Sumter County Board of Commissioners, pledged the County’s support in creating more jobs.Other elected officials recognized were Americus Mayor Barry Blount and City Council members Lou Chase, Eloise Paschal and  Juanita Wilson, Plains Mayor Pro Tem A.B. Jackson-Merritt and Council members Eugene Edge and Wade Medlock and Andrea Oates.Andersonville Mayor Marvin Baugh offered a word of special appreciation for Cheokas and state Sen. George Hooks, D-Americus, for attending their recent meeting with the U.S. Postal Service, which is considering closing the Andersonville Post Office.Others recognized were Leslie Mayor-elect Jane Butler, and Candace Scott, with economic development on the state level.Sparky Reeves, president of South Georgia Technical College, said there are now 4,400 students and 300 employees at SGTC, and that with transition to the semester system, FTE is up 8.5 percent.Sarah Walls and Patti Coles of River Valley Regional Commission, PDA members, Chamber officials and Platinum Trustees were also recognized.Angela Westra, Chamber president, said she feels “we’re on the threshold of some really, really, big stuff” and offered her appreciation for existing industries and businesses.“There’s something in the air,” she said, pointing out the Americus Motorsports Complex, Georgia Chopsticks, the inland port, Mulcoa’s recent expansion, PetCare RX, the opening of the new Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in mid-December. Dr. Wallace Mays, chairman of the Chamber board, had high praise for the new facility.Jay Roberts of Georgia Power Co., and a member of the Sumter County Team, Georgia Work Ready Community, said that 4,000 individuals took the assessment at SGTC.Jae Lee of Georgia Chopsticks was present as were representatives of PetCareRX and George and Jackie Bryce, Brad Lafevers and Duane Broxterman of Heart of Georgia Railroad and Southeast Railcars, Jonathan Lafevers of the intermodal port at Cordele, representatives of Hickory Springs, Lyle Farms, 13th Colony Distilleries, Sumter County government, CE Minerals, and Pharmacentra.George Bryce, in comments about the Americus Motorsports Complex, said he and Jackie, although in Sumter County for 32 years, want to put their roots even deeper in Sumter County. He said with the development of the AMC, over five years in three phases, that Americus and Sumter County will become the hub for motorsports in the Southeastern United States and the complex will have about 50 shops on its property which will bring “hundreds and hundreds” of jobs and “billions and billions of dollars” to the local economy as well as tax savings.