8-26-15
(Atlanta)- Governor Nathan Deal last week announced that 78 Georgia communities will receive a total of $36.8 million dollars in assistance to help grow their local economies. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded funding to the Community Development Block Grant program, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
“Strong, vibrant communities help attract companies to the state,” said Deal. “The projects funded by this program will enhance the quality of life for Georgians while supporting job growth and economic development. White County was one of the communities on the list of recipients approved for Employment Incentive Program and Redevelopment Fund grant.
White County Community and Economic Development Director Tom O’Bryant said the county, earlier this year, was advised they would receive $358,501 in block grant funds. O’Bryant said this funding will go to make improvements to Carolina Springs Road, which leads to Black Bear Lodge Drug Addiction Treatment Center, which is a road that has a lot traffic and needs attention. He said, “ it will help quite a bit, that road is in a very sensitive area along the creek there, so there s a lot that has to be done, it’s a very narrow corridor, but with the amount of traffic on that road it’s important to try to address it, the safety issue on that road.”
White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner said, these grants assist the county providing services to the county and Black Bear contributes a lot to the county. “ Special shout out to Nlack Bear, cause they’re employing, my understanding is over 200 employees, I believe 205 and 60 percent of those apparently all live in White County. So you look three years ago, this is an employer that didn’t exist in White County and within 2-3 year period now employs over 200, “ said Turner.
The CDBG program supports projects in Georgia’s small and rural communities that create jobs and assist low-to-moderate income residents.
Does this grant have to do with his buddy’s logging the forest?