52 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 10 go out and we try to be proactive.” This same approach is applied to street and sidewalk maintenance, and budgeting to ensure that the city remains in excellent condition. “We spend some money on the front end to save a lot of money in the future. We’re in a good place to be able to grow, in terms of our infrastructure,” he says. Business Attraction Catering to a Significant Daytime Population Although 27,000 residents call Carrollton home, the city’s daytime population surges to 66,000 due to its role as a regional hub. Serving a retail trade area of about 125,000 people, drawing from East Alabama, Haralson County, Heard County, and surrounding areas, the city is working to attract new businesses, with a particular focus on enhancing its downtown core with diverse dining and retail establishments. Mayor Cason admits, “COVID has impacted the retail markets because of online purchases. It’s really hard to get retail brick-and-mortar stores to locate now. But I think with the subdivision we just passed, hopefully, we’re going to bring some of those retail opportunities.”
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