Ga. House Rural Development Council to Meet Thursday

The Georgia House Rural Development Council will kick off a series of meetings around the state Thursday with a session in Rome.

The council is tasked with researching and recommending initiatives aimed at boosting the economic resiliency of counties outside metro areas. At the Rome meeting — set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Berry College — members are scheduled to hear from a wide range of experts on current issues facing rural Georgia.

Those issues include developing strategic policies to bolstering economies, supporting small businesses, increasing access to broadband and expanding educational opportunities.

Berry President Steven Briggs and state Rep. Katie Dempsey, R-Rome, are slated to welcome the panel at Oak Hill and Martha Berry Museum, 24 Veterans Memorial Highway. The meetings are public and will be livestreamed at legis.ga.gov /house.

The council also has meetings planned for Sept. 18 in Thomson, west of Augusta; Oct. 22 in Douglas, northeast of Valdosta; and Dec. 4 in Springfield, north of Savannah.

Among the presenters scheduled at the Rome session are Dr. David Bridges, director of the Center for Georgia’s Rural Prosperity and Innovation; Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Christopher Nunn; Andrew Heath, deputy chief engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation; and Greg Wilson, associate director of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

The executive directors of the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia also are expected to provide insight.

Established in 2017, the Georgia House Rural Development Council was renewed for the 2023-2024 legislative session by the unanimous adoption of House Resolution 488 in 2023. This is the first time they’ve met in Floyd County.