Murray County, Georgia

Strategic Vision Plan

Located in the western portion of the Chattahoochee National Forest in the Appalachian foothills of Northwest Georgia, Murray County offers beautiful scenery, an abundance of recreational opportunities, and a rich history that attracts residents and tourists alike.

Founded in 1832, Murray County is a place where people are dedicated to community. Events including the Red and Gold Leaf Festival, the Murray County Spring Festival, an Appalachian Wagon Train, and the annual Blackberry Festival, along with Carter’s Lake, Fort Mountain State Park, 34,000 plus acres of wilderness area, and many historic sites provide ample opportunity for entertainment, recreation, and fellowship.

Once primarily agricultural, Murray County’s economy has diversified, now featuring an emphasis on the manufacturing sector with a specialization in the production of carpet. In an attempt to further diversify its economy and become a community-of-choice for businesses and workers, Murray County’s leadership retained Market Street to launch a visioning process with the goal of ensuring that the County is able to grow and thrive in the New Economy.

 

The visioning process has helped Murray County to develop a clear picture of what type of place it “wants to be” and a prioritized set of action areas to achieve this vision. The major components of this six-month visioning process include:

 

Economic and Demographic Snapshot: The snapshot provides a common understanding of the County’s recent trends. This snapshot used official local, state, and national statistical data sources – as available – to conclusively analyze key economic and demographic indicators illustrating what has happened in Murray County and the Dalton, GA metropolitan area in the recent past. Key findings include a relatively large percentage of twenty to thirty-four year olds in the population, average annual wages over $17,000 lower than the national average, strong labor force participation (higher than national and state averages), a relatively less diverse population than the state or nation, and low educational attainment.

Community Assessment (and Community Input process): The community assessment is a detailed look at Murray County’s competitive position to accommodate “visionary” growth and development by analyzing the factors that determine its value as a place to live, work, and do business. Both quantitative and qualitative research was incorporated. Community members and project stakeholders were asked to share their assessments of Murray’s competitiveness and quality of life, as well as their visions’ for its future.

Strategic Vision Plan: The Strategic Vision Plan represents the culmination of all quantitative and qualitative research of the previous phases. It prioritizes development efforts that serve Murray County’s vision and provides goals and action steps needed to optimize local competitiveness and the conditions to achieve that vision. Three major goals were identified:
1. a more friendly, entrepreneurial, diversified economy
2. superior academic accountability and an educated, engaged workforce
3. a successful, sustainable future through a renewed sense of community pride and achievement

 

Implementation Guidelines: Timely and effective implementation is critical to the ultimate success of Murray County’s Strategic Vision Plan. If the Vision Plan represents the “what” that Murray County needs to do, the Implementation Guidelines determine “how” that will be done. The Guidelines enable the community to secure early implementation victories and continue to build momentum for overall activation of the strategy.

 

Murray County has seen already seen some promising changes including educational improvements in the school system, for which Vickie Reed, the County superintendent, was named Educator of the Year by the Georgia Association of Education Leaders. Murray has also attracted Paragon Scientifics Inc. Paragon announced in April 2010 a plan to build a new $147 million plant and create about 120 new jobs in Murray. Murray County plans to officially roll out their new strategy September 14, 2010 and they have named former county manager, Tom Starnes, as the head of their newly created Office of Community and Economic Development. Earlier this summer, in an effort to attract more restaurants to Chatsworth, the city’s residents passed a liquor-by-the-drink referendum by a margin of 195-145. Market Street recommended this referendum as a necessary tool to help attract more restaurants and keep critical expenditures and associated taxes within Murray County.

 

 For more information, please see the project website.