Incentives are key

When it comes to attracting new businesses to town and creating jobs it’s vital to have incentives to help seal the deal. As I’ve mentioned before, prior to the beginning of 2024, there was only one local incentive (Early County Revolving Loan Fund) and state historic tax credits associated with the rehabilitation of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places (Court Square Historic District).

If you’ve ever taken a community economic development course or kept up with the revitalization of any rural town in Georgia over the past 8 years, you know the value of the Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas Legislation aka the Rural Zone. House Bill 73 was signed into Georgia law in May of 2017. In December, the first 5 cities were announced. Bainbridge was the only city in our region to receive the designation that first year.

At the beginning of 2024, Blakely became the tenth city in Southwest Georgia to make the list. To make the cut, it takes a lot more than filling out an application and attaching a few downtown photos to an email.

I had talked to several downtown professionals about their experience with preparing for the Rural Zone application process. I was told it would take at least a year or more to gather the required information. It was not something that could be thrown together last minute or even within a couple of months.

The deadline for applications was set for mid-August, and by the time I started researching the process, it was already the end of March. A representative with an economic development partnership had told me there was no way I would be able to put the application together well enough to be considered by the deadline – especially by myself – and that I should try for the following year.

Waiting a whole year was never an option. It felt like we were already behind in what we could offer to attract investment to the community. There was absolutely no way I could wait a year. We had to be in the next round of applicants. If I didn’t at least make an attempt to complete it by the deadline, Blakely wouldn’t even be considered. I knew I had to try.

From April to August, I was hyper-focused on Blakely’s Rural Zone application. Keep in mind that during this time, the other duties of the economic development office never ceased. I was also learning the Revolving Loan Fund process, taking classes and going to conferences, while visiting local businesses. However, I did at least one thing every day to move the application further to the finish line. That summer there were a lot of late work nights.

I began digging through Early County and Blakely comprehensive plans and former Early 2055 documents. Much of the process was informing the community of the benefits and advocating for the designation. Surveys were blasted out to the community, informational sessions scheduled and focus group interviews conducted.

Properties that met the criteria for inclusion in the Rural Zone had to be determined and mapped out. I would ride up and down every street in the historic core of Blakely. My eyeballs scanned all 131 parcels that were ultimately accepted by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). There are 101 buildings within the zone and 71 of those are considered historic (over 50 years old). At the time the application was prepared, there was a vacancy rate of 39%.

Current photographs had to be taken and keyed to a map, so I walked the downtown area and took photos of all 101 buildings. The most tedious part of the process was the requirement for a Downtown Master Plan. I used all of the research I had conducted to create an 83-page document strategizing a 5-year vision and plan for Historic Downtown Blakely. When all was said and done, the application consisted of a 19-page narrative, the Downtown Master Plan, multiple maps (tax values, historic, vacant, and blighted properties), digital GIS maps, letters of support, feasibility studies and a market analysis.

I can’t say I didn’t have help with the application. The Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) Economic and Community Development team in Atlanta were a blessing. I was boots on the ground gathering the data for the maps, and they took that information to create the maps and other digital files. They also created the marketing analysis and feasibility study. They went above and beyond to assist Blakely in getting the application submitted by the deadline and I was grateful.

The day the application was to be postmarked just so happened to be during the same time as the two-day South Georgia Leads retreat in Valdosta. The first night of the retreat I shut myself away in my hotel room and put together 4 copies of the full application in 3-ring binders. I used the downstairs hotel computer to upload all the files on 4 jumpdrives to be included in the full application “packet.” Religiously, I triple checked each binder to ensure all required documents were there. Finally, I sealed the box and prepared it to be mailed the next day.

The box had to be postmarked before 5 p.m. It was a full day of class and presentations, and I was eager to find the post office. It was nearly 4:30 p.m before I could “escape” and find a parking spot in Downtown Valdosta. I had to walk a few blocks carrying the rather large application box. My heart dropped when I pulled on the doors to the old Post Office building and found them locked. It really felt like the devil was trying to prevent me from having that box postmarked on time.

Thankfully, there was a lady outside the building that directed me to the location of the “real” post office. The postmark was literally within a few minutes of the deadline. I asked the postman several times to verify the time. He printed a receipt with the time stamp. When I walked out the door of the post office, I said a little prayer, put the Rural Zone out of my mind and moved on to the next quest.

Itisa bitofa long story, but a worthwhile chapter to support our journey. No doubt it was challenging. Overall, the Rural Zone application process enabled me to sling myself headfirst into the community while getting to know it more closely. For that – I am truly grateful.

Shared with permission from The Early County News