Rural prosperity

Susanne Reynolds, Director for the Development Authority of Early County (center), served on a panel alongside Tiffany Holmes, Deputy Director of the Georgia Chamber Foundation, and Jason Dunn, Executive Director for the Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County Development Authority. The panel discussed “Responsible Economic Development and Building Stronger Communities Through Growth.”

I had the opportunity to participate on a panel at the Georgia Chamber Rural Prosperity Summit held in Tifton. Anytime I have the chance to talk about Early County outside of Early County, I consider it part of my position as the local economic developer to make sure our story is being told accurately.

Preparing for the panel also gave me an opportunity to reflect on just how much our story has changed in a short period of time.

This time last year, we were still in the bitter fog following the Georgia-Pacific Cedar Springs paper mill closure. Losing 535 jobs from the largest employer and corporate taxpayer that had been part of our community since the early 1960s created a ripple effect throughout our entire area.

Fortunately, our local economic development efforts were already in motion.

Nearly one year after the mill closure, QTS officially announced Blakely as a site in development, along with more than $25 million in community benefit agreements, including $12.5 million for workforce development within the Early County School System. That program is intended to prepare students not only for data center-related careers, but also skilled trades that can serve other industries we will attract along the way.

The mill closure taught us a difficult lesson. We cannot afford to have all our economic eggs in one basket ever again.

Early County’s greatest opportunity is not just one large project. One of the greatest opportunities is the infrastructure investment coming into our community. This can act as a catalyst to recruit our next five or ten projects, which could be anything from manufacturing, agribusiness, food processing, forestry-related industries, to logistics and other employers that create quality jobs. Ultimately, this can begin to diversify our tax base.

During the panel, something I deal with daily was discussed: Balancing economic growth with the desire to preserve the rural character and quality of life we love. These two things do not have to compete.

Understandably, residents and taxpayers want a strong public school system, infrastructure, public safety, healthcare and amenities. All these services require a healthy tax base. We cannot talk seriously about improving quality of life without also talking about creating the economic activity necessary to support it.

More often than not, this requires difficult conversations. If we as a community decide we never want to see, hear or experience industrial developments, we also have to be prepared to experience more generations of poverty. That may sound blunt, but economic stagnation has consequences too.

Another important lesson from the past year has been the power of partnerships. During our work with QTS, I watched the Development Authority, County, City and School System move together toward a common goal. In many ways, it reminded me of the generation of local leaders who fought to bring the paper mill to Early County in the early 1960s. Much like that group of leaders, our current leadership was not willing to let an opportunity for the future of the community pass it by.

It is a different generation and a different industry; however, the same question that needed to be answered then was answered yet again in our local history. What are we willing to do today to give the next generation a thriving Early County for tomorrow?

Rural communities must be willing and able to tell their own stories. Early County has always had tremendous assets. Now, those assets are finally getting attention thanks to the dedicated people who provide facts and solutions, while working with those who share the common interest of paving avenues for its community to succeed and thrive.

Until further notice, the Development Authority of Early County will continue to tell the community’s story, build relationships and connections that will improve our infrastructure and overall workforce. We will also make sure Early County is represented in the rooms where Georgia’s economic future is being discussed.

Rural prosperity is not something that simply happens by accident in our community. It’s something we must be willing to build.

Published in the Early County News on October 7, 2026.