Local governments participate in economic development training
The cities of Fort Oglethorpe, Rossville and Lafayette, along with Walker County Economic Development, participated in Downtown Development Authority (DDA) training on March 15.
Ann Arnold, retired DDA director and Master Downtown Development Professional, conducted the eight-hour training at Fort Oglethorpe City Hall to satisfy training requirements.
“Fort Oglethorpe and Rossville had members that needed training,” said Jeff Epperson, Fort Oglethorpe DDA chairman, “so we reached out to the local city and county governments to see who could attend and we were able to bring Ann Arnold here for in-person training.”
Arnold has over 35 years experience in organizational and community development. She is nationally certified in downtown management by the National Main Street Center and in Organization Management by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. She is one of only five certified professionals in the state of Georgia by the Georgia Downtown Association.
Those attending were Fort Oglethorpe DDA members Bob Dial, Charles Faulkner, Chris Mckeever and Geo Mejia; Rossville DDA members Riley Gibson, City Council member Michael Hicks, Tobey Hill, Faith Pressley and Gray Wattenbarger; Lafayette Main Street Manager Kristen Bentley and Walker County Economic Development Director Stephanie Watkins.
The attendees heard
first-hand accounts of issues and successes that Arnold faced as the DDA director in Cartersville and Rome.
“To learn how the DDA should operate and what is expected of us will help
us work with our cities to identify our assets, work with the elected officials, business owners and developers and see how we can leverage our strengths to improve our cities,” said Chris
Mckeever, Fort Oglethorpe DDA secretary. “To have Ann answer our questions, suggest resources and push us to look at old problems with new eyes was extremely helpful.”