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Around this Georgia city
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Did you notice all the big piles of large trash items on your neighbor’s lawn last week? Thanks to Richmond Hill’s Public Works Department, operated OMI, it should all be gone. This large trash pickup initiative was the kick off to our celebration of Georgia Cities Week.

Hold the phone - what does Georgia Cities Week have to do with business? It has plenty to do with business according to the Deputy Commissioner of Georgia Economic Development Heidi Green. She was the keynote speaker at the Monday morning breakfast held at Magnolia Manor. Heidi has canvassed the globe alerting businesses at home and abroad about the wealth of opportunity in Georgia for new and relocating businesses. While typical factors such as workforce availability and conducive tax structures are imperative, Heidi acknowledged that intangible things often put one location over another. "A lot of times," said Heidi, "it has to do with the quality of life."

Our business community has a great deal to do with our quality of life. Mayor Davis acknowledged this idea at the Business Expo on Friday night and again at Monday’s breakfast. "The only way the city can be very successful is to have a very successful business community," the Mayor said.

Speaking of the Business Expo - if you didn’t go, you missed a fantastic time. In the "Best Booth" contest, Comeback Barbeque took third runner up, Tim and Dave’s Nursery came in second and A+ Construction won the grand prize complete with $1000 ad package from Comcast. Comeback Barbeque also took the "People’s Choice" cook off award while Busy B won "Best Chicken" and Smoking Pig nailed down "Best Barbeque." I would call that some serious quality of life boosters.

However, our local businesses are always reaching into the community to help where needed. The Coastal Tree Foundation is hosting the Root Ball Saturday night at The Speir-Brogdon Building. This fundraiser occurs every other year with 100 percent of the proceeds going towards planting and maintains trees. The Foundation has worked hard to construct a tree ordinance that has been adopted by the county. It establishes a minimum tree canopy of 40 percent per acre. The city is working on adopting one of their own.

This year, local businesses Comcast, Bryan Bank, Coastal Electric, Tim and Dave’s Nursery, Plantation Lumber, ReMax Accent and others have answered the call to promote this cause. Why? Because they understand this is another "quality of life" issue. Foundation President Wendy Bolton states it plainly, "It is real easy to take for granted the social, economical and environmental impact of trees, but it is there."

By the way, did you notice any names in the above list that have been mentioned before? Not only in this article, but also in countless "helping in the community" events of the past? Of course you did. Local businesses understand that success and failure do not occur strictly in their doorway. It happens in their community. When one succeeds, it votes well for the rest of us. When one falters, well, the rules don’t change.

I am appreciative all those who work in this community, both in their professions and out, to create a great quality of life. And I would love to hear what you think about it.

 

April Groves covers all things business for the Bryan County News. You can send thoughts, press releases, tips and questions you’d like answered to agroves@bryancountynews.net.

 

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