Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority Campaign Gets Underway

Decatur, AL, September 05, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority (DDRA) today announced the Partnership for Progress initiative to underwrite a new five-year economic and community development program for Decatur and Morgan County. The Partnership for Progress initiative will provide the DDRA with funding for Decatur area projects including City Center Development, Beautification, Riverfront Development and a new inner-city multi-use project identified as “Decatur Commons”. Many of the projects included in the Redevelopment Authority’s five-year strategy were called for in the Envision Decatur Plan developed jointly by the City of Decatur and the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce. The Partnership for Progress will also provide for the ongoing operations of the DDRA.

The Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority named David Breland and Barrett Shelton to serve as Co-Chairs of the Partnership for Progress Campaign Leadership Council. “This is an exciting time for Decatur and Morgan County and I am pleased to serve in this important initiative,” said Breland. “The Partnership for Progress is a dynamic program that will meet the current and future needs of Decatur’s City Center and provide much needed new jobs, capital investment and expanded payroll for our area. Shelton added, “The Redevelopment Authority and Rick Paler have done an outstanding job during their first three years. This new five-year program that they envision will take our community to the next level. The Partnership for Progress will enable Downtown Decatur to control its own destiny in economic development and position Morgan County to compete more favorably with other communities for new business prospects.”

Joining Breland and Shelton in a leadership role is Wally Terry who agreed to serve as the Campaign General Chairman of the Partnership for Progress. Terry will be joined by corporate and community leaders throughout Morgan County calling on area business and industry to establish a unified effort for the City of Decatur and the DDRA program. When asked about the goals and objectives of the Partnership for Progress, Terry said, “It is time for us to return to the basics. Downtown Decatur provides a wonderful place to live and work. This new initiative will enable us to strengthen and enhance the DDRA’s current projects like signage and streetscapes. And it will underwrite the DDRA’s participation in many exciting new programs like the Fine Arts School and Decatur Commons. Most of all, the Partnership for Progress will encourage all of us, from the private and public sectors, to work together for the good of Downtown Decatur. Ultimately, the Partnership for Progress will help bring new business and industry prospects to Morgan County’s ‘front door’. And that will benefit all of us who live and work here.”

The Partnership for Progress campaign will be implemented in the Decatur / Morgan County area over the next six months. For further information, please contact Allen Williams in the Partnership for Progress campaign office at (256) 353.0075.

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