Civil Municipal Magazine - Nov 2023

52 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 Chattooga also features the Howard Finster Paradise Garden, a folk-art sculpture garden with over 46,000 pieces of art, as well as Jared’s Place, a massive shuttle-based mountain bike park that can average anywhere between two and three hundred customers on a weekend, and luxury glamping at Dunya Camp. The annual Chattooga County Agricultural Fair is also a large agritourism draw during the summer months, complete with livestock competitions and midway attractions. Overall, Chattooga County’s leadership seeks to rethink the way it views the landscape and look at the entire county as an industry, a smart reframe considering the many jobs the county supports. With the combined results from Chattooga’s advances in infrastructure, healthcare, and tourism, Elsberry states that he plans for the county to be an example of how to go about developing a rural region. “When you are a rural county, without access to the interstate, you have to think outside the box when it comes to economic development and getting things done for your citizens. It is a constant struggle, but one we are meeting head on.” Elsberry states. As Chattooga County looks towards the future, it stands as a shining testament to resiliency and forward-thinking leadership. PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Carter & Sloope, Inc. www.cartersloope.com n Chattooga County Schools www.chattooga.k12.ga.us n Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority www.northwestgeorgia.us