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Although

residents zooming by the Fulton Industrial Boulevard exit on Interstate

20 may not realize it, the road is home to several of the top industrial

businesses in the county.

In fact,

said Patrick Stafford, executive director of the Fulton Industrial Business

Association, the eight-mile stretch of Fulton Industrial is the largest

contiguous industrial area east of the Mississippi.

Stafford

said nearly 1,000 businesses with 30,000 employees are on the stretch

of road in South Fulton County and his association is working heavily

to promote the area and make it better for the employees who call it

home.

"Right

now, there's not a real fine dining establishment near us. If a business

is entertaining somebody from out of town, they have to go somewhere

else," he said.

The business

association director would like to see more services provided for the

businesses, including mid-level hotels and something as simple as a

Kinko's.

As part of

getting his message out, Stafford recently made several budget requests

to the Fulton County Commission during its budget hearings.

Among the

items Stafford requested were:

Increase

the effort to assist the police and sheriff's department to patrol the

area.

Secure a

method for emptying the trash receptacles placed by Fulton County along

Fulton Industrial Boulevard.

Assist with

the purchase or condemnation of vacant or blighted lots along the corridor

and turn them into mini-parks or picnic areas.

Keep up

the support for the proposed MARTA rail service to Fulton Industrial.

Stafford

said the industries on the corridor provide a huge amount of Fulton

County's tax base and he wants to ensure the businesses have their interests

represented on the commission.

He also disputed

the myth that only industrial companies are located on the street.

"We

have a lot of knowledge-based high tech companies in this area,"

he said.

As more companies

discover the busy industrial complex, the news can only be good for

South Fulton County.

"People

want to live close to where they work and more people will discover

the benefits of South Fulton," he said.

For information

on the association, phone 404-691-3422 or visit www.fibaatlanta.com .