Mecum says Hall needs to plan for fast-moving future

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Commission Chairman Dick Mecum says he believes the biggest issue facing the county during the new year is planning for a fast moving future.

Mecum commented at Thursday night's commission meeting, previewing his State of the County address he's scheduled to deliver Saturday morning at the Hall Republican Party's Conservative Forum at Denny's Restaurant on Browns Bridge Road.

"That's my thing now," Mecum said. "We're going to have to plan, get our strategic plans together as to what we're going to do, how we're going to address it and where we're going to be in 20 or 30 years. Everything is going to come at us and it's going to come at us rapidly over the next few years. I think right now we need to plan for that and get ready."

Mecum observed that the county is in sound financial shape as 2014 begins, with increasing revenues and spending below the budget.

"We're about five percent under budget through the second quarter and we're about 11 percent over our projected revenues right now but that may change as the year goes on. We're seeing some positive changes, not great, but they're moving in the right direction."

(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/1/269755