Development Authority reports 38 projects, $41 million in local investment and workforce gains
Summary
Miss Ivy, representing the Stephens County Development Authority, told commissioners the authority handled 38 named projects, reported $41 million in investment by existing industry, and cited Project Pharma as an upcoming employer expected to hire office and clerical staff next year.
Miss Ivy presented the Stephens County Development Authority’s annual update, saying the authority handled 38 named projects this year, completed 18 state RFIs and hosted nine site visits. She reported that existing industries generated more than $41 million in investment and that the authority worked to market county-owned property and pad-ready sites in the industrial park.
Miss Ivy highlighted one active prospect, described in the transcript as "Project Pharma" (Vaison Pharmaceutical), noting the company has installed a sterile metal building inside an existing shell and that "they hope to start hiring some office, some clerical positions as early as October this year." She also said the authority closed out a Georgia grant that improved sewage infrastructure on a 132-acre lot, making the site more marketable.
On housing and workforce initiatives, Miss Ivy said the authority is working on a rural workforce housing initiative matched by $125,000 from the county; she reported pre-construction work underway and expected completion by the end of November, with initial apartment leasing anticipated in April 2026. She also provided permit counts for the last 12 months (181 single-family residential permits, 49 mobile-home permits, 164 multifamily permits) and said the authority sold 50 acres for residential development that will yield apartments and townhomes.
Miss Ivy credited partnerships with Georgia Department of Economic Development, WorkSource Georgia, local schools and Georgia Power’s grant support for industry tours and workforce programs that led to hires from student training programs. Commissioners asked about rent scales for a new PUD; Miss Ivy said rents tied to the rural workforce housing grant cannot exceed the community average set by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
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