The City of Statesboro and the Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia will host the second of three stakeholder meetings for the Statesboro Comprehensive Plan next Wednesday. The meeting will take place in the civic room at the Honey Bowen Building (51 Max Lockwood Drive, Statesboro, GA 30458) on January 10 at 4:00 p.m.
Comprehensive planning is an important tool for promoting strong and healthy communities in the state of Georgia. Comprehensive plans are centered around a vision and a set of goals that express a desired future that is achievable within a set time frame through policies and work plans. Comprehensive planning is also a requirement by the state of Georgia to maintain Qualified Local Government Status (QLG) as specified by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Maintaining this status allows for access to a special package of financial resources to aid in implementing the comprehensive plan. Without QLG status, municipalities cannot participate in grant funding opportunities such as Community Development Block Grants and Community Home Improvement Grants, as well as financing through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.
The Statesboro Comprehensive Plan Stakeholder Committee consists of key individuals or groups in the community that have specific, invested interests in the development of the comprehensive plan. The members of the committee must be diverse and representative of the community and include landowners, businesses, nonprofits, special interest groups, and other key individuals. Members of the stakeholder group include:
- Jennifer Davis – Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce
- Alexander Smith – Action Pact
- Benjy Thompson – Bulloch County Development Authority
- Alan Gross – Business Innovation Group/Georgia Southern
- Bishop Larry Jones – Whitesville Full Gospel Baptist Church
- Mildred Wilson – Statesboro-Bulloch Land Bank Authority
- Dustin Branum – Georgia Department of Transportation
- Elena McClendon – Mainstreet Statesboro
- Allen Muldrew – Downtown Statesboro Development Authority
Members of the public are invited to attend the stakeholder meeting and share their ideas and vision for Statesboro’s future. The tentative agenda for this meeting will include a public comment session, a follow-up on the city’s goals outlined in the first meeting, and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.
The third and final meeting for the Statesboro Comprehensive Plan update will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at Statesboro First United Methodist Church (101 South Main Street, Statesboro, GA 30458.)
