Effort aims to boost the local community

GCSU, and its estimated population of 6,041 students, has an estimated $52 million social and economic impact on the Milledgeville community annually, attracting funding for capital projects and a strong student labor market for local businesses. However, even with GCSU’s financial impact on the community comes the harsh reality that Milledgeville, like many town’s in America, is dealing with a struggling economy.

In a study of GCSU’s direct economic impact on Milledgeville, the university was found to have generated an average of $71.3 million for the city in the purchase of goods and services, capital project investments and student spending annually.

A more diverse selection of businesses in downtown Milledgeville has emerged to help draw in additional revenue. However, the projects have not been enough to reverse the economic difficulties and unemployment problems the community is experiencing.

The U.S Census Bureau has played a role in contributing to poverty in the Milledgeville community, according to Veronica Womack, an associate professor of political science. She blames inaccurate census data for much of Milledgeville’s economic difficulty. Residents who inaccurately complete census surveys keep Milledgeville from gaining the government funding it needs, she said.

“The census needs accurate information in order to provide communities with the financial assistance they need,” Womack said. “If the information isn’t being filled out correctly, the community cannot be helped.”

Although no percentages are given, it is believed that a large number of Milledgeville residents consistently falsify census information for personal or other reasons. Womack additionally blames the economic crisis on a poor assessment of human and capital resources.

“There is so much potential here in this region,” Womack said. “It just needs to be tapped into.”

Womack also implied that effort and interest are keys to jump-starting economic success in the area.

Milledgeville has historically been among the poorest Black Belt rural regions of the South. These regions are seen as the least equipped to handle 21st century changes to some, but for others they are “communities for opportunity.”

Womack, having been raised in a Black-Belt county, has started a personal endeavor of assessing Milledgeville’s resources. Along with Yves Rose Saint Dic, assistant director to the Office of Institutional Equity, created the GREEN Project to collaborate community effort among individuals and elected officials in Milledgeville. Since its initial start, it has had over 40 participants from all over the country. It is a big step in Milledgeville’s favor for strengthening capacity, they say.

Saint Dic is a speaker on behalf of the GREEN Project and shares Womack’s enthusiasm for improving the quality of life for Milledgeville residents.

“In this project, we will teach people to do things they don’t necessarily know, like write grants and use land,” Saint Dic said.

The project has gained outside help from officials such as Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., and USDA representative Katherine Ross.

GCSU sophomore Shalisa Ponius said students and staff need to be more concerned with what is going on in the local economy.

“The bad economy greatly affects us because it makes us unable to find jobs and become more independent students,” Ponius said.

It is estimated that the direct impact of GCSU students and staff will be more than $89 million in the years ahead.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 20 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry