HR2087: HR2087 Northwest Georgia Regional Commission; 65th anniversary; recognize

26 LC 112 4216 House Resolution 2087 By: Representatives Dempsey of the 13th, Lumsden of the 12th, Gambill of the 15th, Kelley of the 16th, Momtahan of the 17th, and others A RESOLUTION Commending the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission upon its 65th anniversary; and1 for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, in the late 1950s, two visionary leaders, T. Harley Ha rper and Fred F. Starr,3 traveled the counties of Northwest Georgia promoting the idea of regional cooperation and4 planning; and5 WHEREAS, an area-wide organization was formed at a regional conference at Berry College6 in Rome, Georgia, on May 7, 1959, with more than 400 area busin ess, industrial, and7 political leaders in attendance to discuss common problems and opportunities in the Coosa8 Valley region, with two members representing each of the 12 associated counties; and9 WHEREAS, a reorganization plan was developed under the Georgia General Planning and10 Enabling Act of 1957, and 11 counties joined together to create the Coosa Valley Area11 Planning and Development Commission; and12 WHEREAS, Governor Ernest Vandiver and the Georgia General Assembly agreed to finance13 the commission at $30,000 per year, and each participating county agreed to contribute 2514 cents per capita per annum to supplement the funding; and15 H. R. 2087 - 1 - 26 LC 112 4216 WHEREAS, with legal authority and funding in place, the Coosa Valley Area Planning and16 Development Commission began operation on April 1, 1961, becoming the first multi-county17 organization of its type in Georgia as well as a model for other regions in the state and across18 the country; and19 WHEREAS, the Georgia Planning Act of 1989 changed the organization's name to the Coosa20 Valley Regional Development Center, and other legislative acts amended its responsibilities;21 and22 WHEREAS, the North Georgia Regional Development Center was merged with the Coosa23 Valley Regional Development Center in 2009 to form the Northwes t Georgia Regional24 Commission, which serves Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fann in, Floyd, Gilmer,25 Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties, their26 48 constituent municipalities, and almost one million Georgians; and27 WHEREAS, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission works with f ederal and state28 partners to provide aging, workforce, economic development, com munity planning, GIS29 mapping, small business revolving loan fund, and other services to its members; and30 WHEREAS, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission has exemplif ied regional31 cooperation through intrastate and interstate partnerships and initiatives with its peers in32 Georgia and its neighbors in Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina; and33 WHEREAS, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission continues to fulfill its mission34 statement "to improve the quality of life for every Northwest G eorgia resident, through35 orderly growth, conservation of the region's natural and histor ic resources, and care and36 development of the region's human resources."37 H. R. 2087 - 2 - 26 LC 112 4216 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that38 the members of this body commend the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission for 6539 years of official service to the people and governments of Northwest Georgia, the State of40 Georgia, and its peer organizations in the state and Appalachian Region.41 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized42 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the43 Northwest Georgia Regional Commission.44 H. R. 2087 - 3 -