State Sen. Billy Hickman discussed $30 million for a Georgia Southern University optometry school and about $5.5 million approved for the university’s Reading and Learning Center before the Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce’s fifth annual State of the Region. The Tuesday event was held at Ogeechee Technical College.
Hickman, who represents Georgia’s 4th Senate District, addressed local developments from the latest legislative session ahead of the gathering.
He identified the two university projects as significant outcomes of that session.
Speakers at the event also examined how the region can manage growth. Bert Brantley, president and CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Coastal Empire is growing faster than other parts of Georgia.
He called for growth that benefits residents, businesses and nonprofits, and said local decisions should account for plans in neighboring communities.
Keynote speaker Kyle Wingfield, president and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, said continued growth will require more investment in local health care and education.
He noted that employers need workers who can access medical care and have the education their jobs require. Wingfield also urged attendees to take concerns about growth seriously, address valid issues and correct misinformation when needed.
Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Torian White described the district’s preparation of students for employment, further education or military service after high school.
He said the work applies to students regardless of their backgrounds and emphasized education’s role in shaping their futures.
The event ended with the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro receiving the chamber’s Community Partner of the Year recognition.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
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