ONEGEORGIA AWARDS ANNOUNCED TODAY

Governor Roy Barnes today announced almost $7.5 million in grant and loan awards from the OneGeorgia Authority to sixteen of Georgia’s most economically distressed communities to help create jobs and implement economic development projects. The regularly scheduled OneGeorgia board meeting, which was held at the Georgia Aviation Technical College just outside Eastman, was the third meeting in rural Georgia this year.

Governor Barnes, who chairs the Authority, pointed to the diversity of the projects awarded as a continued trademark of the flexibility of the Equity Program. "I am proud that this program is responding to the diverse economic development needs of rural Georgia. Today, we're making grants for existing business expansion and high-tech incubators, traditional infrastructure and speculative facilities. Through OneGeorgia, we can both nurture existing business and cultivate start-up companies with high growth potential," Barnes said.

Lt. Governor Mark Taylor, Vice-Chairman of the Authority, agreed that the investments made through these projects will return large dividends in the future. “I am proud of these communities’ efforts; and I look forward to seeing the results of their hard work down the road.”

The Equity awards, round one of FY 2003 funding, are designed to assist communities and regions build the necessary infrastructure for economic development. Project awards are given through three competitive rounds annually and are capped at $500,000. Tier 1 and 2 communities and in some cases, Tier 3 communities, are eligible for Authority Assistance. The next Equity application deadline is January 28, 2003.

Equity award recipients include eleven grants totaling $5,452,070 and five loans totaling $1,999,750. Awards announced today included:

Georgia Medical Center Authority- $499,910 grant to assist in the development of a 14,820 SF Life Sciences Incubator to assist biotech entrepreneurs in research and development. Located in one of Georgia’s premier medical research zones and partnering with the Medical College of Georgia, the incubator will offer a complete array of laboratory and office space, specialized equipment, access to campus resources, and business development services and counsel for companies. The project expects to create up to 75 jobs within five years by spinning off entrepreneurial start-up medical companies to Tier 1 and 2 counties located in this economically depressed region.

Warren County Development Authority - $479,650 grant to acquire property and construct infrastructure to develop a 103-acre county industrial park east of Warrenton to promote economic development. Infrastructure would involve a 4,100 LF water line extension to an existing pumping station. The wastewater extension would require a 3,700 LF pipe to an existing pump station.

Waycross, City of - $500,000 grant to construct a 500,000-gallon elevated storage tank to assist an existing industry, Stewart Candy Co, with plans for expansion. The family-owned company has been in business for over 80 years, employing 125 and projects the addition of 40 new jobs over the next two years. The storage tank will also support marketing efforts, enhancing the competitiveness of the area by providing adequate water and fire protection for future development.

Dodge County, Development Authority of - $500,000 loan to assist in expansion of an aviation components manufacturing facility, Heart of Georgia Metal Crafters. The locally owned business with 50 employees proposes to expand operations, creating 80+ new high tech, competitive wage jobs.

Tattnall County Board of Commissioners - $500,000 grant to assist in the construction of a 6,515 SF Technology Center adjacent to Southeastern Technical College in Glennville. The satellite campus of STC is located in the old Glennville Middle School Building dating from the 1920's. The age and construction of the old school do not make it practical to expand or renovate to accommodate a technology center. However, by partnering with the Technical College, the workforce development center will provide trained high-tech faculty, administrative support, computer equipment and software in support of technology training, adult literacy classes, and distance learning capabilities. The technology center is urgently needed in a county where 43% of the population has less than a high school education and as such, has little high-tech training.

Valley Partnership JDA - (Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Stewart, Talbot, & Taylor Counties) -$499,243 grant to assist in the construction of a 19,244 SF Columbus Regional Technology Center, a small business incubator focused on technology innovations. Partnering with Columbus State University, the Center will nurture and assist startup technology companies with high growth potential. The center, with 8 incubator sites, will provide facilities and networking opportunities to startups seeking to establish a market presence in the 7-county Valley Partnership Region.

Douglas, City of - $100,000 loan to assist in the preservation and renovation of the original, unaltered WWII Army Air Corps flight school buildings located adjacent to the Douglas Municipal Airport. The buildings, strategically located on Hwy 441 South, will be available for leasing as professional/commercial office space to the aviation industry, business or various professions. The proposed renovation serves to discourage urban sprawl and promotes growth management while preserving the heritage of the flight-training base.

Brooks, Colquitt, Grady, Mitchell and Thomas Counties, JDA of - $500,000 loan to aid in the purchase and rehabilitation of the historic Hand Trading Company Building, preserving a local treasure for the community while also renovating the facility to support job retention and increase new job opportunities. The Hand Building, dating from 1916 is the most prominent landmark in downtown Pelham. RESA, a restaurant, gift shop, optometrist and a hardware store, providing 44 jobs in the community, currently occupy the building. The renovation of the building is seen as a major component of the community's downtown revitalization efforts. The renovation is expected to create a minimum of 18 new jobs in addition to the 44 currently employed there.

Andersonville, City of - $500,000 grant to purchase an extensive collection of artifacts dating from the 1860's,known collectively as "The Drummer Boy Museum”. The private collection, often the first stop for tourists visiting Andersonville, anchors 10 other tourist-related businesses. Public ownership and maintenance of the collection will enhance the already strong economic impact of tourism to the region. The application received strong support for its historic importance as well as opportunities for regional economic impact through tourism development.

Bleckley - Cochran Industrial Development Authority - $500,000 grant to assist in the purchase of 274 acres of property for use as an industrial park. The county presently has no property to develop and market. The property, identified by Georgia Power through a site development study, has access to rail and is strategically located on US Hwy 23 and 129. The purchase of this property will enhance economic development recruitment opportunities in the area.

Cordele - Crisp County Industrial Development Authority - $500,000 grant to assist in providing water and sewer infrastructure to a 238-acre industrial park. Capitalizing on a strategic location, the park is approximately one mile from the GA Hwy 300 and Interstate Hwy 75 interchange. Improvements include 7600 LF 10-inch sewer main, 15,988 LF of 12-inch water line, fire hydrants, 7,395 LF of 6-inch sewer force main, and sewer pump station.

Grady County Joint Development Authority - $488,750 loan to assist in the construction of a 41,250 SF industrial speculative building on a 10-acre site in the Milestone Industrial Park. The Authority, currently without any available buildings for visiting prospects, plans to aggressively market the availability of the speculative building on a statewide basis in Georgia, working with various state economic development groups, including GDITT and MEAG.

Decatur County Board of Commissioners - $472,510 grant to assist with the construction of an Air Terminal at the Decatur County Regional Airport. The airport and adjoining Industrial Air Park, are seen as cornerstones of economic development in the area, with over 1900 people working at various businesses and industries located in the Park. A modern, up-to-date, well-staffed terminal facility is seen as an important component of their economic development efforts. Two full time jobs will be created.

Johnson County, Development Authority of - $500,000 grant to assist in the purchase of a 96-acre tract of land and provide for the necessary infrastructure to develop the first publicly owned industrial park in Johnson County. The property, identified through a GA Tech Site Selection Study and strategically located on GA Hwy 57, will enable the county to competitively market its location, with access via I-16 to the port in Savannah as well as Macon and Atlanta.

Meriwether County Industrial Development Authority - $411,000 loan to assist in the construction of a 53,000 SF speculative building in the Manchester Industrial Park located in Meriwether County. The county, with a declining agricultural economy and insufficient infrastructure development, has an unemployment rate over 8%. The community plans to aggressively market the facility in hopes of expanding the industrial base and job opportunities in the area.

Bowdon Hospital Authority - $500,000 grant to assist in the construction of a facility in Bowdon to accommodate up to 80 children for the KidsPeace Georgia Residential Program for Children. Market research has revealed that over 300 Georgia children are on waiting lists for specialized residential treatment. The construction of the facility will address an urgent need for Georgia's children as well as create 120 jobs and generate an estimated annual payroll of $4 million in a Tier 2 community. The program will serve male and female youth from ages 13 - 18 years.

The OneGeorgia board also recognized EDGE awards made since the last board meeting. The EDGE (Economic Development, Growth & Enterprise) fund is designed to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants that are being considered as a relocation or expansion site and are competing with another state for the location of the project. Eight EDGE projects totaling $5,225,000 awarded since the August board meeting include:

Grady County Joint Development Authority A $450,000 grant/loan award to purchase a 36,000 square foot building adjacent to Seminole Marine, Inc. for lease to the company. Seminole Marine, a boat manufacturer since 1986, has experienced rapid growth due to success in the mid-level saltwater boat market. Purchase of the adjacent building will provide space to expand operations. Project will preserve over 60 existing jobs and create 40 new jobs within 24 months. Competition for the project was Florida.

Liberty County Industrial Authority - A $1,075,000 grant to be used for construction of a 28,328 SF assembly/distribution facility. The facility will be leased to eMotion Mobility LLC, which will install machinery and equipment with a value of $2,705,000. eMotion Mobility LLC will install electric batteries, motors and other parts into “gliders” or semi-completed cars based on the very successful European MCC smart car. The completed electric cars will be used to launch a mobility program in Atlanta, then in other parts of the nation. eMotion Mobility LLC projects the creation of 84 jobs within five years of operation with a total payroll of $2,000,000 per year projected by its fifth year. The total cost of the project is $4,475,153. Competition for this project was Florida and South Carolina.

Development Authority of Burke County - A $250,000 grant to renovate an existing building in Waynesboro for MeadWestvaco, a Fortune 200 Company. MeadWestvaco manufactures automotive emission control products and will initially create 40 jobs with 100 jobs long term. The company is investing approximately $5,500,000. Competition for this project was Virginia and South Carolina.

Emanuel County Development Authority - A $400,000 grant to construct a new wastewater treatment facility. Crider, a successful poultry processing company started in 1977, has constructed a 23,000 SF facility housing its poultry processing and canning operations in Stillmore. With a private investment of nearly $27 million, the company expects to retain 65 jobs as well as creating an additional 65 jobs. Competition for the project was South Carolina and Alabama.

Americus-Sumter County Payroll Development Authority - A $750,000 grant to purchase a CYSCO 6490 switch to be leased to STI Knowledge for a new service center in Americus. STI Knowledge is an international full-service technology support center providing help desk, call center and knowledge center business solutions, products, and certifications. The entire project, which will create 150 new full-time jobs with over $7 million in capital investment, is driven by the latest communication and computer technology. Competition for the project was Northern Ireland.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority - A $200,000 grant to assist in the construction of a 35,000 SF new manufacturing facility to be leased to American Drill Bushing. American Drill Bushing, a manufacturer of various metal tooling “lift” products, will create 30 jobs within one year and 55 employees within three years. Total project cost exceeds $6 million. Competition for this project was Alabama, Florida and South Carolina.

Development Authority of Polk County - A $400,000 grant to purchase a speculative building located in the Cedartown North Business Park. The speculative building will be leased to J.C.M. Industries, the parent company of Advance Storage. Advance Storage, a manufacturer of material handling systems, is currently staffed with 36 employees and an important component of the area economy. The company produces metal storage racks for warehouse and distribution centers including Wal-Mart. The company commits to retain the 36 existing jobs and create an additional 59 employees by 2005, with an annual payroll of $2.85 million. Total project cost is $1,600,000. Competition for this project was Tennessee.

Thomaston-Upson County Industrial Authority - A $1,700,000 grant to assist in the purchase of the 400,000 square foot Thomaston Mills Lakeside Facility to be leased to Atlantic Paper and Foil Company, Inc. The facility's operations will consist of converting and packaging lines for production of Consumer and Away-from-Home tissue products. Examples include paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, aluminum foil and plastic wrap products. Atlantic Paper forecasts creating 80-100 jobs in 2002-2003 with a payroll $3.8 million. Long-term projections include a total workforce of 360 and a total private investment of over $43 million by 2010. Competition for this project was Kentucky.