JDA receives engineering report on Heritage Complex from UGA

Grady County Joint Development Authority members have plenty of information to contemplate as they consider whether to make future investment in the Heritage Industrial Complex or construct a new speculative building in its industrial recruitment efforts.
Engineering students from the University of Georgia, working through the Archway Partnership, have completed an analysis of existing structures at the Heritage complex and necessary site improvements if the facility is modernized and expanded.
Archway Professional Betsy McGriff provided authority members a snap shot of the students’ findings at Tuesday’s authority meeting.
“You certainly have plenty of information to use in your decision making process,” she noted.
JDA Vice Chairman Robbie Burns, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Chairman Charles M. Stafford Tuesday, thanked McGriff and commented, “we have a lot to consider.”
JDA Executive Director Chadd Mathis updated the authority on his efforts to clean up the exterior of the facility and noted the city had done some mowing of overgrowth around the structures at the site, which he said had helped tremendously.
Mathis has also arranged for a dumpster from Taylor Waste to be placed at the complex as the cleanup work continues.
The JDA director also shared information with the authority members concerning the Rural Economic Development Loans and Grant or REDLG program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mathis has suggested the authority contact Grady EMC to discuss applying for another REDLG zero interest loan.
The authority previously obtained a REDLG loan through Grady EMC for the former Higdon Furniture Company project, but that loan was paid off last year.
According to information provided by Mathis, REDLG can be used to establish a revolving loan fund, which is what he would like to pursue with EMC officials.
Vice Chairman Burns said the authority should make contact with EMC officials to solicit their support for obtaining more zero interest money that can be used to create new jobs in the community.
The authority took no action on the matter Tuesday.