The Fayette

County Development Authority presented its quarterly business development

update to the Fayette County Board of Commissioners last week.

The Strategic

Plan Program of Work Highlights include the Existing Industry Initiative,

the Small Business and Entrepreneur Support, New Business Attraction and

Recruitment, and Quality of Life plans. Charts show that the major layoffs

in fiscal year 2002 were 305.

Fiscal year

2003, which started in July, has seen 125 layoffs.

Existing Industry

contacts in 2002 were 405 and this year's goal is 426. So far, 422 contacts

have been made.

The development

authority has set a goal for FY 2003 in assisting 200 small businesses.

Chris Clark,

authority president and CEO, pointed out that national movie and video

productions in Georgia are on the rise. "While there are numerous

benefits to this 'clean' investment, the greatest is the positive local

impact on small business.

"In FY

2002, the estimated local impact from the movie, 'Sweet Home Alabama,'was

$1.125 million. To date, the movie 'Fighting Temptations' has made a $500,000

impact," Clark said.

Commissioner

A. G. VanLandingham thanked Clark and several members of the authority

board of directors on hand, for their dedication and hard work.

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