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10/16/2009 |
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Chamber's Intercity Leadership Visit |
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ROME, Ga. – A group of Rome and Floyd County business and community leaders spent two days in Decatur, Georgia and the Eastlake Community for the Chamber’s fourth annual InterCity Leadership Visit. InterCity visits are designed to learn best practices from another community. The information gained assists business and community leaders in planning for Rome and Floyd County’s future.
The trip focused on public-private partnerships, economic development, revitalization, preservation, education, and the arts. The group learned about the City of Decatur’s downtown development, transportation master plan including the Complete Streets concept, and community arts master plan. Agnes Scott College, Drew Charter School, the Villages of East Lake, and Sheltering Arms Early Learning Center were also toured.
Peggy Merriss, Decatur City Manager, and Dekalb County Chamber of Commerce President, Leonardo McClarty, welcomed the group to Decatur. Speakers included Decatur City Mayor Bill Floyd; Lyn Menne, Assistant City Manager Community & Economic Development; Amanda Thompson, Planning Director; Linda Harris, Assistant Director of Community & Economic Development; Catherine Neiner, Director, Career Planning, Agnes Scott College; Bridget Roosa, Assistant Professor and Director of the Dance Program Liaison between ASC and Decatur on the Arts Alliance Building Initiative; Leis VanBekkum, Sustainability Fellow ASC and City of Decatur; Demetrice Williams, Director Special Events and Conferences who collaborates with numerous Decatur organizations and initiatives on the use of ASC facilities for meetings, conferences and other events; Dr. Cynthia Kuhlmann, Drew Charter School, Kathleen Brownlee and Carol Naughton with New Community Ventures.
“We are grateful to the city of Decatur and the Eastlake Community for hosting us this year. Learning from other communities is an ideal way to broaden the scope for what is possible for our community even if on a smaller, but similar, scale,” states past Chamber Chair, Evie McNiece, Accounting Solutions Plus. “The relevance of what we learned in Decatur has many parallels with current growth initiatives in Rome and Floyd County.”
This valuable learning experience was made possible the major investors in the Partners In Prosperity initiative: City of Rome, Floyd County, Coosa Valley Credit Union, Pirelli Tire North America, Southeastern Mills, State Mutual Insurance Company, Temple-INLAND, Georgia Power, Harbin Clinic, SunTrust Bank and Wachovia.
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1 Riverside Parkway, Rome GA 30161 * 706-291-7663 * 1-800-234-3154 * Fax 706-232-5755 * www.romega.com
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