Development meeting lays out goals for future
By Evan Carden

Municipal, county and business leaders from across Clarke County gathered at the Grove Hill Methodist Church to talk about past accomplishments and lay out their vision for the future.

The event was a breakfast hosted by the Clarke County Community Foundation, which issued its mission statement, which states, "Our vision is to be a model organization for community development that supports economic development activities and establishes Clarke County as a regional leader in providing residents a superior quality of life."

Foundation Vice President Terry Raybon laid out the goal of the organization, which includes informing the citizens of the county what is going on in the foundation. She said the foundation has changed its focus with the new direction being to keep Clarke County the wonderful place it already is, to live, while building upon its assets and making the county a good place to raise and educate children.

"We believe industry leaders will say this is an important step in locating to our area," she added. "Today we roll out our vision, in order to keep ourselves zeroed in on what it takes to get there. We also are looking for input."

Raybon laid out the six goals set forth by foundation members. "We didn't want to dilute our effort by going too broad and setting to many goals," she said. The following objectives were announced:

Goal 1 - Secure resources necessary to meet the needs of the foundation.

Goal 2 - Develop a comprehensive communications plan.

Goal 3 - Enhance the quality of life for all Clarke County citizens.

Goal 4 - Support new and existing industry

Goal 5 - Identify and solicit support for infrastructure improvements.

Goal 6 - Identify and expand non-traditional economic development opportunities.

The plan gives specifics on how these goals are to be accomplished.

The next group of speakers discussed projects currently being undertaken by the foundation.

Highway 84

Sharon Jones spoke about the push to get U.S. Highway 84 four-laned all across the state. She said part of that goal has been met with the approval of $8.8 million in federal and state funds, requiring a 20 percent match by local governments, to get the portion of the highway from Interstate 65 to Monroeville four-laned.

There are 1,700 miles of U.S. 84 in the state and only a portion of it on the east side of the Alabama has been four-laned. The highway has been designated as an east-west corridor and an organization known as the El Camino Commission has been working to get it fourlaned from Georgia westward through Texas. Mississippi and Georgia have completed their portions.

"We are working with the Department of Transportation on how to progress," said Jones. "We are finally starting to move in the right direction. We appreciate the support we have received so far."

She went on to say that work will begin in 2009 for the replacement of the bridge in Coffeeville, which will be built with the intention of the planned widening of the highway.

HIPPY program

Judy Graham explained the focus to the Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY), which focuses on getting parents involved in the education for their children as early as possible.

Graham pointed out that 39.7 percent of people in Clarke County do not have a high school diploma. "The challenge is to change the way we deliver some things," she said. "Educators can't do it all. We must start with 3 and 4 year olds. A parent's involvement has more impact on a child than anything. To get parents involved is the key."

HIPPY puts trained parent educators in the home to accomplish this goal. "These are trusted people within the community who take lessons to the parents," said Graham. "This is not an overnight solution. We must first get parents to want to be involved."

County and cities reports

Commissioner Paul Bradford and the mayor of Clarke County's cities gave reports on their economic development efforts.

Danny D'Andrea of Alabama Power spoke of an upcoming wireless project.

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