Camden County graduates at the November 7, 2013 ceremony included County Administrator, Steve Howard; Board of Commissioners Vice-Chairman Jimmy Starline (District 3); and Administrative Services Director, Adam Kabasakalian.

Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social service providers from twelve counties in Northwest Georgia. The Academy provided each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a unique understanding of the complexities of economic and community development on the local, regional, and state levels.

Created in 1993 by then-Governor Zell Miller's Development Council, the Academy assembles a cross-section of economic development professionals and resources to provide this training in all twelve service delivery regions in Georgia.  The Board of Directors of the Academy consists of 22 members representing public and private economic development organizations and agencies from across Georgia. Since its organization the Academy has provided training for thousands of professional and non-professional economic developers around the state, and since 1998 the Academy has been offered annually. Georgia EMC and Georgia Power provide facilitators for the program, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs provides staff support to this important program.

"One of the goals for the multi-day regional Academies is to encourage multi-county cooperation," says Corinne Thornton, director of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. "Many times the participants discover the issues facing their community are the same as those facing other communities in their region, and can then combine limited resources to address the issue."

The Academy's multi-day program, taught one day a month over a four-month period, includes training in the basics of economic and community development, plus specialized segments on business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development,  quality planning, redevelopment and other essentials for community success. In addition, the curriculum features specific leadership skills such as consensus building, ethics in public service, collaborative leadership and other segments needed for effective community leadership in economic development. Local elected officials receive certification training credits through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association for completion of this program, and the program is certified for CEUs through the UGA Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

The JLUS is a joint effort of Camden County, the Camden County Joint Development Authority (JDA), and the Cities of Kingsland, St. Marys and Woodbine in coordination with SUBASE Kings Bay.  The study commenced in May. Workshops and surveys have been conducted to seek public input, and a Technical Committee and Policy Committee have met monthly to assist the consultant with the development of data, analysis, and recommendations.

Draft JLUS recommendations address the need for continued coordination and cooperation among the communities adjacent to SUBASE Kings Bay. Key recommendations specifically address the importance of a coordinated approach to land use, to the use of the Cumberland Sound waterway, and to matters of safety and security. Examples include:

Land Use - Proposed expansion of the existing Land Use Notification Area that surrounds the base to expand coordinated community and military review.

Waterways - Proposed establishment of Cumberland Sound Local Marine Navigation Coordination Area and intergovernmental/interagency committee.

Safety/Security - Recommendations concerning St. Marys Airport and other identified factors of safety/security concern.

These and additional recommendations will be presented for public review and comment. Following the Public Open House, final recommendations will be prepared and a review and approval process will be completed by the Technical Committee, Policy Committee, and elected representatives of Camden County, Kingsland, St. Marys and Woodbine.

The study is funded by a grant to Camden County from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment.

Scholarships available for GA High School Seniors and College Undergraduates

The Constitutional Officers of Camden County - Sheriff Proctor; Clerk of Courts, Joy Lynn Turner; Probate Judge, Robert C. Sweatt, Jr., and Tax Commissioner Beth Soles - are pleased to announce a scholarship contest for Georgia high school seniors and current college undergraduates.

Each year, the Constitutional Officer's Association of Georgia (COAG) offers Georgia students. This year, the Association will offer three scholarships one each in the amounts of $1,500, $1,000 and $500. To be eligible for this year's scholarship, students must graduate high school by the Spring of 2014 or be enrolled in an accredited Georgia college or university. Students must also seek a degree in a field related to government/law enforcement, political science, accounting/finance or business, or pre-law.

To apply, applicants must submit a typed 1,000-word essay that answers the question: "Who are the locally elected constitutional officers and what differentiates them from other county offices?," provide a letter of acceptance or enrollment from an institution of higher education, a copy of a college application or transcript to provide verification of degree field, and the COAG scholarship application. For application click the link below.

http://www.co.camden.ga.us/DocumentCenter/View/6276

All completed applications, documentation and completed essays should be mailed flat in a 9 x 12 envelope to: Suzanne Cross, COAG, P.O. Box 1644, Decatur, GA , 30031.

For more information, visit www.coag.com or contact Suzanne Cross at 404-377-1364 or [email protected].