During Monday’s Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting, Board members discussed developing an economic development organization dedicated to promoting Pearl River County to attract more businesses to the county.

County Administrator Adrian Lumpkin said the goal of the organization would be similar to how universities hold career fairs to educate parents and students about why students should choose a particular career path.

It’s encouraging to see county leaders put forth efforts to establish an organization dedicated to promoting the economic development of the county that will ultimately benefit its people.

After spending about three months in this area, I absolutely agree with our county leaders’ decision to better the county by advertising its potential to achieve greater things.

I strongly feel that would be best achieved by not only bringing new businesses to town, but also through active participation from those businesses currently operating.

Just recently I had the opportunity to witness the grand opening of Pelican Urgent Care, a new clinic in town. During which I took a tour of the facility and saw the technology they have available to meet the needs of our county’s residents. Additionally, there is a plan in the works to build a new community center dedicated to improving the quality of life for citizens in the area. If the center comes to be, it will include afterschool programs for tutoring along with health, wellness and exercise classes, crafts, lectures, dancing and performing arts.

These are just a couple of the many efforts county leaders intend to put in place to attract more people and perhaps stop so many others from leaving our wonderful county for bigger cities.