environment. Ridley and McDonald discuss the diverse businesses making their mark in the county. “You have a lot of entrepreneurs buying up older downtown spaces and transforming them into salons, shops, and restaurants,” McDonald shares, illustrating how the county is revitalizing its historic areas. This wave of small business investments brings new life to the county’s downtown districts. On the industrial side, the county is experiencing significant growth. “We have a major automotive manufacturer expanding in our community,” McDonald reveals.This expansion is part of a broader trend of industrial development, with companies like door and metal building manufacturers increasing their workforce from 20 to 250 employees and planning to add another 100 jobs. He notes,“Most of our companies are really looking to expand, whether they’re small or large.” The influx of new jobs is remarkable. “Probably in the next year to 24 months, we’re looking at around a thousand new jobs,” McDonald says. This projection includes various industries, from rubber compounding companies adding 30 jobs to a metal distribution company constructing a 400,000-squarefoot facility on a rail-served site in a county-owned industrial park. BUILDING THE FUTURE: INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT Haralson County’s economic growth is fueled by strategic investments in critical infrastructure, ensuring the region is well-equipped to support new and existing businesses. Ridley addresses the county’s previous water supply issues and the solutions. “We’ve had a problem with water in the past, but the Water Authority has a new well coming online that will produce up to a thousand gallons a minute,” he explains. Additionally, Haralson County has secured contracts with neighboring counties to access up to a million gallons of water daily, solidifying the county’s water supply for the foreseeable future. “We’ll be good on water within six to eight months,” he confirms. 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 09
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