Ellijay Looks Into the Future
Better Hometown Ellijay held a public meeting to discuss the future of downtown Ellijay.

The room was full of local citizens interested in the future of downtown Ellijay. Mr. Paul Kreager made a presentation on the creation of a Downtown Development Authority and gave examples of the effect this could have on the community.
Mr. Kreager, EDFP is the owner of The Heart of Town, Inc. He does training and consulting for Downtown Development Authorities across the state of Georgia. He is also on the staff of UGA in the Small Business Development Center as an Entrepreneur Development Specialist. Mayor Al Hoyle and some of Ellijay’s city council members were in attendance as Kreager explained how a DDA is created and the functionality of the DDA.

The presentation began with some downtown nostalgia. Kreager created pictures in many minds with his “remember when” there was a Saturday morning trip to town, a hardware store, movie theatre, a candy store, and barber shop. It took most of us back to memories of how it was a family event to make that Saturday trip and enjoy such things as a afternoon matinee, get an ice cream, get new shoes or a hair cut, or just sit on a bench around the town square and wave to your neighbors. Kreager expressed the opinion that now was the time to act in creating a DDA. We are entering 2012 and the next thing you know it will be 2015.

What does that mean? Well downtown Ellijay is what it is today. If citizens and business owners don’t take action in the development of the area and how it will look – someone else will. As I wondered what this meant and what is this man trying to say – my mind wondered to the famous scenes in the movie “Back to the Future.” Does anyone remember Hill Valley? When Marty went back to the 50’s and we see a thriving downtown and when Marty returns to the 80’s we see a much different downtown. The movie theatre is showing XXX movies and storefronts are boarded up with trash scattered in the streets. 2011 – Wonder what Hill Valley looks like now?

The DDA has to be commissioned by the Ellijay city council. The council would vote and then send a one page document to the Department of Community Affairs allowing the incorporation of the DDA. The DDA can borrow money and apply for grants however the city is not responsible for any DDA debt. It cannot enforce eminent domain.

As Kreager commented the DDA should stand behind city council not in front. This would be like an advisory committee to the city council. For instance they could perform studies and evaluate ideas to determine the best use of properties for the council. The DDA would consist of seven members, three of the seven members need to be residents of the city, four need to be residents of the county with a business interest or property located in the city, and one could be from outside of the county if they have a significant business interest in the city.

Better Hometown Ellijay is currently conducting a survey with the people who attended the presentation and plans to present the results to Ellijay City Council. If you would like more information on the DDA contact BHE Chairwomen Paige Green or BHE Manager Mona Lowe at 706-635-4711 ext.5.

Learn from the past, live in the present and plan for the future. Don’t let downtown Ellijay turn into “Hill Valley”. DDA can be just the answer to the future of downtown Ellijay. Our town, Our Choice, Our Mission.