![\"Rivers,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/818c666ee722b398c1a9cb51d5da027e.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWho is the leading the effort?\r\n<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nThe \r\nSteering Committee<\/a> is the usual suspects of the\r\nelected and appointed top local staff of the above organizations,\r\nplus a few.\r\n \r\nI don’t see any mention of Internet speed, but I guess they want it,\r\nbecause the website (much like Lowndes County’s own website)\r\nuses big background images that take many seconds to load\r\nout here on the end of slow “broadband” straws.\r\n \r\nOf course\r\n\r\nthe video<\/a>\r\nemphasizes football (both Lowndes and Valdosta), Moody AFB, and VSU.\r\nIts view of forests appears to be the longleaf pines at VSU,\r\nwhich are the oldest in the county.\r\nAnd it does include tractors with a harrow (not sprayers).\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nPlus it includes good views of Grand Bay WMA; the boardwalk, and the observation tower:\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nThe “Walk on Water” bit I can’t tell whether it’s at\r\n\r\nSplash Island Waterpark<\/a> in\r\nWild Adventures\r\nor\r\n\r\nValdosta Wake Compound<\/a>.\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nI don’t see the Hahira Caboose or train depot or Honeybee anywhere in the video or on the website, but Hahira and all the other local cities as well as\r\nthe surrounding counties and cities in Georgia and Florida please take note\r\nin the FAQ:\r\n \r\n\r\nWhat communities are being looked at for the development of the strategy?\r\n<\/strong>\r\n \r\nThe website says they’re going to hold meetings and there’s a\r\nsurvey<\/a>.\r\nMaybe the survey is already on the website somewhere,\r\nand maybe later I’ll come back to wait through more slow graphic loads\r\nto see if I can find it.\r\n \r\nBut, really, B+ for effort in applying standard corporate SWOT analysis to a community.\r\n \r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"Vision,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/bcb930f439ac339ff523648727c11d6f.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\nBut to be fair, this website and\r\n\r\nthe video<\/a> from the Development Authority\r\norganized by\r\n\r\nVisionFirst<\/a> whom Lowndes County paid $25,000,\r\npresumably matching Valdosta,\r\nalso adopted by\r\n\r\nSGRC<\/a>,\r\ndoes work hard to show a positive vision of the local area.\r\nOops, I forgot the hospital and the Chamber, and, most importantly,\r\nGeorgia Power, listed in the FAQ:\r\n\r\n
\r\nA team of engaged community and business investors spearheaded this\r\neffort to bring forth a far-reaching community plan. Partners in the\r\nstrategy’s development include City of Valdosta, Lowndes County,\r\nGeorgia Power, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority,\r\nValdosta State University, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce\r\nand South Georgia Medical Center. This group of partners have joined\r\ntogether to hire VisionFirst Advisors economic development\r\nconstultatnts focused on location advisory services, economic\r\ndevelopment strategy, organizational management and result-driven\r\nmarketing and communications. VisionFirst has experienced economic\r\ndevelopment at every level both from the perspective of the local\r\ncommunity as well as that of the corporate client.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n![\"Forests,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/81c83adb8a6795f2481d326e071c16b3.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"Fields,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/eb2838a7922ac56344c93b6391d0b7d2.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Fields, Video \r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"Space](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/d83469b36b30c10ff5196f4fd38f6dc8.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Space to Grow, Video \r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n![\"Boardwalk,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2890df050f0943b01b5895ddd14c34e4.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Boardwalk, Grand Bay \r\n<\/p>\r\n![\"Tower,](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/e55e781ab4919fcc493a38ad25fa5c24.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n
Tower, Grand Bay \r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n![\"Walk](\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/47d0caa21d5cca89a1d382162de24553.jpg\")
<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nWhile Valdosta-Lowndes County is the subject of the Community and\r\nEconomic Development Strategy, it is expected that the strategy will\r\nexpand the overall jurisdiction for purposes of an accurate analysis\r\nusing data available from the surrounding region. In order for the\r\nimplementation of the strategy to be successful, it is important to\r\ndevelop specific deliverables for the betterment of our communities\r\nwithin Valdosta-Lowndes while working in conjunction with regional\r\nefforts.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n