Davis interview, part three

(This is the third in a three-part series stemming from a sit-down interview with Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis on June 26, 2009. The first part can be found here, and the second part can be found here.)

A potential economic partnership might become a more broad-based, regional approach according to Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis, rather than merely a joint venture with Athens-Clarke County.

The initiative, which was considered a strong likelihood just six months ago, has stalled in Oconee County over the past few months.

At the beginning of the year, Davis told the Athens Banner-Herald that he expected the Oconee County Commission to approve the partnership by spring. Despite some initial concerns regarding appropriate funding for the venture, Athens-Clarke County commissioners approved it on March 3.

As of early March, Oconee County commissioners, who seemed to be largely supportive of the concept, still expected to be able to vote to approve the partnership within two months. That timetable, however, has passed, and Davis seems unlikely to pursue one that focuses on just the two counties ...

Should it just be Athens-Clarke and Oconee? I'm beginning to think that we may think broader than this.

Davis noted the successful partnerships the two counties have through more broad-based supported organizations, including the Bioscience Development Authority (with Barrow and Gwinnett counties), as well as the Innovation Crescent Group that's based in Cobb County with plans to stretch toward Augusta-Richmond County.

Davis praised the work being done by Rusty Haygood, the county's economic development director, for his efforts to recruit business to the community. As an example, he said that Haygood recently had traveled to Boston for a meeting focusing on bioscience technologies.

Compounding the concerns is the ongoing financial climate. He said Oconee County lacks the necessary funds to support a partnership at the level Athens-Clarke County would, and he noted that several businesses that would have helped provide private funds lack the capacity to do so in this economic environment.

Davis said he was hesistant to sacrifice any of Oconee County's existing financial resources during such tough times ...

I'm a firm believer that we've got to maintain a local presence with an economic development emphasis locally because it's much more than just marketing a region to land a big fish. We've got to do more for the little folks to bring in the companies and the business (like we have) along Epps Bridge Parkway, and I think that's something we need to do. So I wouldn't want to give up a Rusty Haygood out of Oconee County to go work on a regional effort, and we not have enough funds to supply the need locally.

For that reason, (the joint economic partnership) may turn into a broader emphasis than just Athens-Clarke and Oconee.