Regional economic development staff offer training, outreach to Pickens County development authority – Citizen Portal AI

Report on Pickens County Development Authority Meeting: Aligning Local Economic Strategy with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Fostering Partnerships for Sustainable Economic Growth

A meeting of the Pickens County Development Authority focused on strategies to advance local economic development, with discussions underscoring a commitment to principles outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key topics included capacity building, industry retention, and collaborative governance, reflecting a multi-faceted approach to achieving sustainable economic outcomes for the community.

Proposed Capacity Building and Strategic Partnerships (SDG 17)

New regional economic development manager, Eric McDonald, accompanied by colleague George Power, presented an offer of support to the Authority, directly aligning with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. This collaboration aims to strengthen the institution’s capacity to promote sustainable economic growth.

• Training and Support: The regional team offered comprehensive training services to enhance the Authority’s effectiveness. These services are designed to build local expertise in critical areas for sustainable development.
• Offered Programs Include:
  1. Board Governance
  2. Leadership Development
  3. Retail Sector Strategies
• Commitment to Success: Mr. McDonald affirmed his team’s commitment to providing necessary resources and specialists to ensure the Authority is equipped to foster an environment conducive to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

State-Level Focus on Sustainable Industrialization and Industry Retention (SDG 9)

Lori Dowdy, referencing the Georgia Department of Economic Development, highlighted the state’s strategic priority of supporting existing industries. This focus is crucial for promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization as outlined in SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

• Retention as a Core Strategy: The emphasis on helping established businesses grow is a sustainable approach that secures existing jobs and strengthens the local economic base, contributing directly to the targets of SDG 8.
• Advocacy and Support: The department serves as a vital conduit for local businesses, escalating concerns such as federal tariffs to higher levels of government. This function helps create a stable and predictable policy environment necessary for long-term investment and sustainable industrial health.

Local Strategy for Resilient Communities and Economic Stability (SDG 11)

A consensus emerged among Authority members and visitors regarding the strategic importance of proactive engagement with existing local industries. This approach is fundamental to building resilient and sustainable communities, a key objective of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

• Proactive Industry Visits: The group recognized annual visits to established employers as a critical tool for identifying and resolving local challenges before they lead to relocation, thereby preserving the community’s economic fabric.
• Cost-Effective Sustainability: It was agreed that retaining and supporting existing employers is a more resource-efficient and sustainable economic development strategy than focusing solely on recruiting new firms. This practice ensures long-term stability and growth from within the community.

Conclusion and Next Steps

While no formal action was taken on the training offers, the meeting established a clear pathway for future collaboration. The proposed partnerships and strategies discussed are strongly aligned with achieving sustainable development, particularly SDGs 8, 9, 11, and 17. Contact information was exchanged for follow-up, indicating a continued commitment to pursuing these goals for the benefit of Pickens County.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article’s central theme is local economic development, focusing on business growth, industry retention, and support for local employers.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The discussion on retaining existing industries and helping them grow relates to strengthening the local industrial base.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The collaboration between regional and county-level authorities to strengthen the local economy contributes to making the community more resilient and sustainable.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The article highlights the partnership between regional and local development authorities and the role of the state as a conduit between businesses and higher levels of government.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
  
  Explanation: The entire article focuses on the activities of the Pickens County Development Authority and regional managers to support local businesses. The emphasis on “helping existing businesses grow,” “industry retention,” and conducting “annual existing‑industry visits” are direct examples of development-oriented policies aimed at supporting established employers, which are often small and medium-sized enterprises.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

• Target 9.3: Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises… to financial services… and their integration into value chains and markets.
  
  Explanation: While not mentioning financial services, the article describes providing crucial support services. The Georgia Department of Economic Development acts as a “resource and a conduit” for concerns like federal tariffs, helping local industries navigate broader economic challenges and remain integrated. This support system is vital for the stability and growth of local industrial enterprises.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning.
  
  Explanation: The article describes a clear example of this target in action. Eric McDonald, a “regional economic development manager,” is offering support and training to the “Pickens County Development Authority.” This interaction represents the strengthening of development planning and cooperation between regional and local levels to foster local economic success.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
  
  Explanation: The meeting described is a manifestation of a public-public partnership between a regional economic development team and a local county authority. Furthermore, Lori Dowdy’s description of the state department acting as a “conduit” between local companies and the governor or federal officials illustrates a multi-level governmental partnership designed to support the private sector.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Implied Indicator for Target 8.3: Rate of existing business retention.
  
  Explanation: The article explicitly states that “industry retention” is a key focus and that visits are conducted to “identify local problems before companies relocate.” This implies that tracking the number or percentage of businesses that remain in the county is a key measure of the development authority’s success.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Implied Indicator for Target 11.a: Number of training and support sessions provided by regional entities to local authorities.
  
  Explanation: The offer from the regional team to “provide ‘off the shelf’ programs on board governance, leadership and retail” and to “facilitate sessions” that count as “annual training” suggests that the number and type of these collaborative sessions can be used as an indicator to measure the strength and effectiveness of regional-local development planning.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Implied Indicator for Target 17.17: Number of business concerns escalated to state or federal officials.
  
  Explanation: The article mentions that the state department can “listen to you, and we can take those concerns to the governor.” Tracking the number of times the department acts as this “conduit” for issues like “federal tariff duties” would serve as an indicator of this multi-level partnership in action.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: citizenportal.ai