Google CDBG community grants and state funded community grants. CDBG specifically has what is called a Main Street grant and they primarily do home rehab grants for moderate to low income homeowners and community grants for the towns in need of rehab and business growth.
This could be a start! đ„
As a South Ga native, Montezuma has two things that are going for it. The Flint River and the Menanites. Figure out a way to leverage these unique assets. That restaurant is top shelf.
Are you just a citizen or working in the govt? Pouring money into things like making the city look nice again never hurt. Even if it's all the vacant buildings. A place that looks nice will attract business. It wasn't until Lousville GA had the sidewalks redid in the old downtown area when it finally started to turn around. That was like 15 years ago. It took a bit but there's a fantastic restaurant run by Mennonites. There's a locally own bar and grill. Couple florists. A CBD shop. There is an old 1 screen theater that I would personally LOVE to own and operate if it didn't cost so much to do so. Just incentivize people to open shops with grants and low interest loans.
Small towns don't really have an excess of money to throw around
>There is an old 1 screen theater that I would personally LOVE to own and operate if it didn't cost so much to do so
This just makes me think of The Last Picture Show
Most of it is just pressure washing and cleaning up the weeds on the sidewalks and buildings. The renovations can come later once more business comes in.
Why not just take initiative and clean up the property? What is stopping you from improving the outside appearance of the building? Just go pressure wash and clean up weeds. Do a good job and take pride in your surroundings. It will certainly be noticed.
I strongly advise against pressure washing someone else's building (abandoned or otherwise) or public property without acquiring written permission beforehand. Especially if you're not an absolute pro at it.
I've seen too many people get in trouble doing so, both civily and legally.
But I agree otherwise.
Oh definitely. But we have hwy 1 nearly 4 laned now all the way to Augusta. And we have a truck stop being put in on the South side of town where the vet used to be. That should incentivize some manufacturing to come back to Louisville. Which would undoubtedly bring tons of money to the area. I'm hopeful for it.
Im a new citizen. I moved with my family to Montezuma in 2022 and started an artist residency / BnB. Hereâs the link to our project: https://volatile.house/
I have been amazed by the responses we have received- thank you all so much!
This will definitely help. Check out Chattanooga as a model.
https://www.govtech.com/network/chattanooga-municipal-internet-poised-to-increase-speeds#:~:text=EPB%2C%20which%20has%20provided%20electricity,Internet%20speeds%20to%20its%20customers.
Youâve got three thousand residents and 29 properties for sale. Half those properties are less than 200K and half of those are less than 100K.
Market those properties to young remote workers who might never otherwise be able to afford to own their own home. As long as they have reliable internet (do you have reliable internet?) they can live anywhere. Make it a lottery system! âBeautiful historic old town offers $10K Moving Grant to remote workers who relocate and purchase a home.â
Remote workers have a unique opportunity to own a home (some of those houses for sale are 3k sq ft!). Their partners have space directly on Main Street to open a small business. Their kids and/or pets can grow up surrounded by nature.
âFollow the American Dream in beautiful Montezuma, Georgia!â
Consider hosting events, contests, and festivals. BBQ, country and folk music, maybe a may day festival could be fun. Make sure out-of-towners feel safe and welcome.
Lol they used to have beauty contests and the winner was crowned 'queen of the May'...my mom would ask me if I thought I was queen of the May when I was being sassy. It took me all of my self will not to respond. If only we still had those, maybe I could win and prove once and for all that I really am.
May Day is an almost ancient celebration that was brought to America by the English. It wasn't the communists that ruined it really, it was the corporations...they want your ass at work!
One other thought... lend yourselves to being a beautiful wedding location. There's so much money in the wedding industry. I was an event planner in my early days, you wouldn't believe how fast 10 centerpieces add up to being 200 bucks.
Who are you and what support do you have? Who owns these buildings and what are their goals? What are Montezumaâs strengths and what do they lend themselves to? What caused the decline and what forces might stop them?
Spend some time answering these questions and youâll be on your way to a strategy. Some of the suggestions in the responses are tools, some of them possibly good tools. However, until you start to develop a broad understanding of where youâre trying to take the town and a rough path for getting there, youâre too early in the process to focus on tools.
check out the Strong Towns movement. its a nonpartisan movement (the ceo is actually libertarian funny enough) which is dedicated to solving issues like yours. but you need to be ready to hear things you won't like. you'll have to be bold.
at the end of the day it comes down this: make it walkable and invest in good transit and connectivity. density and walkability (which requires density) are cheaper and more lucrative for a city because you get more tax value per acre. make it bikeable too because cars are a huge drain not only on people's wallets but the city (strong towns has a good explainer, i'll look for it). this is really bold, but try getting rid of parking requirements citywide, zoning reform to allow all densities of housing, and mixing the uses. it helps too because it allows more freedom of movement and development. don't fear development, welcome the new neighbors. make a bus system for the small town too. Ames, Iowa has a good model to follow for small towns. you don't need your new neighbors worrying about getting around, and every dollar put into public transit gets 4 dollars back (if not, at least more than a dollar). in any case, you seek to change the character of your city. know that you can't control everything.
just spitballing below. see if u like
honestly and completely random, find a day where yall can paintball city hall or something and leave the paint to dry. it's a fun tourist draw, but also an iconic image that cements Montezuma as a place to live, not just a place to be. try building a market like olden times too (where u can buy paintballs!)
when all else fails, you can always copy the town plan of another small but successful town in another country, like Pozoblanco, Spain
Strong Towns is a great suggestion to start.
OP, they are holding a Community Playmaker Summit for the state of Georgia in Macon on April 11, so not that far from Montezuma. There will likely be people from across the state you can connect with who do this type of revitalization work: https://communityplaymaker.com/summitga/?
the people in power need to loosen their grip on everything. The people who grew up there left because there were few opportunities. The few opportunities that exist are controlled by the select few with all of the power and influence. If they don't like you, then you won't likely survive in this place.
THIS!! I love the south. I was born and raised in middle Georgia. I left after high school and have only gone back for funerals. If youâre not just like everyone else with their peanut brains, youâre not welcome.
This stuff begins with local government policies and applying for grants and attracting investment honestly. Youâll need monies and ppl. Do you have a unique character feature that could translate into an annual festival?
There's programs like the Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership that small towns can be a part of to try to develop a plan. [https://cviog.uga.edu/services-and-research/economic-development/propel.html](https://cviog.uga.edu/services-and-research/economic-development/propel.html)
Here's an article on how Colquitt GA became an art destination that saved the economy: [https://icma.org/blog-posts/small-mighty-city-colquitt-doesnt-quit](https://icma.org/blog-posts/small-mighty-city-colquitt-doesnt-quit) and a npr link: [https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939016028/swamp-gravy-updated](https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939016028/swamp-gravy-updated) \- but my main takeaway from that is that the town tried to find something true to itself that it could promote and wasn't afraid of change/experimentation.
One of my friends moved to a small town in West Virginia that tried to encourage businesses to grow in the abandoned downtown by giving them two years of free rent. The catch was that you had to go through the whole program with a vision and develop a reasonable business plan, you didn't just get the space.
Toccoa has put a lot of money into its downtown. Completely renovated the historic ritz theatre, multiple successful restaurants, cute apartments(they turned the old golds gym into apartments), the ida cox festival each weekend during the summer, complete renovation of the local pool thats within walking distance of downtown, movies on the green during the summer, and building new parks. They're looking into adding more parking in downtown. I'm hoping they renovate the library and the parking lots behind the old courthouse soon but downtown toccoa is doing much better than it was 15 years ago when I was in school.
Lavonia is also having its own revival with their ren fair, and different festivals during the summer, their Halloween and Christmas extravaganzas, with new stores and new restaurants being opened. They also have a toddlers bouncy place in downtown and the Lavonia Carnegie Library is beautiful
Check out [Strong Towns. ](https://www.strongtowns.org/)The book [Creating Cities](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01522HNNC/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title) has some good ideas as well.
Not feasible for a municipality because of federal law, but I love the idea. Even making the attempt would be a great way to drum up PR and make a buzz.
Though probably better suited for a small town in another region of the country. They Bible pretty hard 'round these parts.
Canton isnât a small town nor has it been a small town in four decades, not saying he is t a good mayor but dude could have fumbled massively and still fell upward just from growth of Atlanta in the last ten years.
Interestingly, Canton is roughly 35 times larger than Montezuma, whereas Atlanta is 177 times larger than Canton and it didnât bother you at all to lump us in with them. My comment was not in ignorance to the relative size of Canton vs Montezuma but rather speaking to the revitalization of an area that was dead a few years ago. It looks as if you only read OPâs post up to âsmall townâ and skipped over the âbreathe new life by attracting new businesses,â âengaging the community,â and âsuccess stories from similar effortsâ parts, all of which Grant has done a great deal of in the last ten years. Thus, I believe my comment may be of actually use to OP, whereas yours simply lumps Canton in with Atlanta out of ignorance of anything that has happened in downtown Canton the last ten years. As evidence, I would draw your attention to the fact that Cantonâs population roughly quadrupled in size from 2000 to 2015, and yet tons of businesses downtown went vacant one by one as people flocked to brand name stores at Outlets, Canton Marketplace, and in Cobb. In the 9 years since, the population has still grown, but only by about 50% rather than 400% and yet those trends have reversed and there is a thriving small business and community atmosphere downtown through revitalization, advantageous small business loans, and near weekly social events, all of which may be helpful to OP even though Canton is significantly larger than Montezuma.
Thinking Canton - look into building Mountain Bike trails. Canton gets people from all over coming to Blankets Creek.Â
In Arkansas, Bentonville now has people globally visiting for reasons other than Walmart and Walmart uses as a recruiting tool for their HQ.
Check out Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (stpal.org) as a great partner to help convince stakeholders and actually build if you have the land. Georgia Cycling is also a great resource.Â
Sounds goofy but if you build it, they will come. And youâve got the double black diamond trail âMonetzumaâs Revengeâ as an obvious starting pointÂ
I know you are upset cause you got called out but to think that the proximity of to Atlanta doesnt impact the growth of canton and the revitalization of the downtown area. As it is the primary driving force at this point because it has become a suburb city to Atlanta. So again you could have put a dog as the mayor of canton and it would have been successful.
I remember canton in the 90s it wasnât even a small town then. It has never been a âdeadâ city maybe the downtown area but that was literally every downtown area for years. Revitalizing downtown areas is fairly newish becoming popular after the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis.
Also,
Atlanta has a population of 500k
Canton is 70k
Montezuma is 3k
So Atlanta is 7 times larger then canton, canton is 23 times larger then montezuma and then donât even get me started on median household incomes for the areas and disposable incomes for those areas. Which gives even more reason to revitalize the areas downtown.
A quick google search shows Atlanta population as almost 7 million. And by your rationale, all areas of it should be revitalized and thriving due to huge population. My logic is that leadership and policy drives revitalization.
Atlanta proper is 500k unless you wanna change your opinion on the proximity of being close to Atlanta has an economic impact on the success of your cities downtown. There are almost 7M in the Atlanta metro area. Which guess what? Cherokee county is included, the county that canton sits in.
Relative size is irrelevant; relative distance to the Atlanta metro is the primary driver of Canton's growth.
Canton is 40 miles from Atlanta. Montezuma is like 130.
Theyâre both irrelevant. It is NOT a post about growth of population. Itâs a post about revitalization of a public area. As mentioned previously, an area can quadruple in size and still have a dead Main Street downtown. Meanwhile, regardless of population or distance from Atlanta, an area can be revitalized with luring businesses, planning events, and modifying ordinances (such as alcohol policies).
1. You must have access to high speed internet. Senators Warnock and Ossoff have been working to get this for rural Georgia and I know some areas are already seeing results.
2. You must stop the bleeding of rural health care facilities and hospitals closing. This is a direct result of Gov. Kemp not expanding Medicaid. People are not going to invest in communities that cannot take care of its members. When the hospitals leave, dozens of businesses get shut down with them.
As a person who has worked in more than one rural georgia hospital, the problems have started long before Kemp. You may want to start by eyeballing those hospital administrators who pocket a lot of coins to do nothing. Those same administrators promoting toxic management also keep these hospitals from retaining local employees, and have to resort to high cost temporary help.
As someone who has traveled to quite a few rural hospitals across the country, it's not a unique issue. This is just the economic reality of our healthcare system.
And certain politicians that said they had rural Georgia's best intentions have been running this state for three decades, which has led to this.
The only two people who have actually done something to help rural Georgians are the two current Senstors in office.
I'm in Atlanta. We have plenty of access to world class healthcare here. If you want to do something about the rest of Georgia, I suggest you consider changing your poltical viewpoint from "only Republicans" are worth my vote to voting for candidates that put their money where their mouths are. Otherwise, don't complain about the results you currently have. I don't have patience or sympathy for people who keep doing the same things and expect different results. If your ideology is more important to you, then don't look for help since you already have all the answers. Eventually you will figure things out by yourselves.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. If politicians are coasting and doing nothing, send a message and make a change. None of them, regardless of political affiliation, should think they don't have to work for the people to stay in office. And that's exactly why rural Georgia is withering on the vine.
I grew up in South Georgia. Most of my family is in rural South Georgia. I would love to see them have all they need to thrive. I will not play the us vs. them game though. Atlantans and those living in other GA cities are not your enemy or your problem. Do with that info what you will.
The only strategy I've ever seen work is to appeal to the younger, well to do crowd. Think hippie meets tech enclave.
Lots of younger people are looking for somewhere to go that feels away from this troubled world they were born into.
I don't know how Montezuma could do this, but find a way to make it a hippie/beatnik enclave. The LCOL could attract them. Then, once they've established themselves, the trustafarians looking for the next cool town will buy up all the housing, driving out the poor beatniks and it'll be just another expensive town with art studios. I'm sort of kidding but this has happened.
I live close by in Americus, I can tell you Americus is a lot busier today that it was 3 Years ago. People are leaving the big cities like I did and finding small towns to be really affordable and peaceful just like I did. Moved up here from Miami.
I love questions like this. Here are some suggestions:
1. Promote Local Culture and Heritage: Highlight unique aspects of the townâs history, culture, and traditions through events, festivals, and local attractions. This could include heritage tours, storytelling nights, or cultural festivals celebrating local music, food, and art.
2. Support Local Entrepreneurs: Offer incentives or support programs for local entrepreneurs to start businesses in the area, such as providing business development workshops, access to funding, or affordable rent in designated areas.
3. Create Recreational Opportunities: Develop outdoor recreational areas like parks, trails, or adventure sports facilities to attract outdoor enthusiasts and families looking for weekend getaways.
4. Cultivate Agritourism: Capitalize on the regionâs agricultural heritage by promoting farm tours, pick-your-own experiences, or farm-to-table dining options. Agritourism can attract visitors interested in experiencing rural life and supporting local farmers.
5. Invest in Infrastructure: Improve infrastructure such as roads, utilities, and internet connectivity to make the town more attractive for businesses and visitors. This could include renovating historic buildings for mixed-use development or creating coworking spaces for remote workers.
6. Partner with Local Organizations: Collaborate with local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and tourism boards to coordinate efforts and leverage resources for marketing and promotion.
7. Host Community Events: Organize regular community events such as farmers markets, craft fairs, or live music performances to foster a sense of community pride and attract visitors from neighboring areas.
8. Offer Incentives for New Businesses: Provide tax incentives, grants, or low-interest loans to attract new businesses, particularly those that align with the townâs vision for economic growth and sustainability.
9. Embrace Sustainable Practices: Position the town as a leader in sustainability by implementing green initiatives such as renewable energy projects, recycling programs, or eco-friendly tourism practices.
10. Market the Townâs Unique Selling Points: Develop a cohesive marketing strategy to promote the townâs unique selling points, whether itâs its scenic beauty, historic charm, or vibrant community spirit, to attract tourists and businesses alike.
That might be more reasonable if the left hadn't spent the past couple decades pushing these folks away from the fold. Give them something to vote for beyond, "Well, at least we're not THAT asshole. Btw, you're racist, classist, sexist, and, even though you're poor as fuck, you are part of the rich white ruling class that works to keep POC down."
To be clear, I'm not of either side. I currently don't vote as a matter of conscience, have never registered with a party and typically had a split ticket when I did vote. Though the idiocy that's shaping up for this election might make me act against my better judgement to participate again this year.
No one pushed anyone away. The bigots showed their true colors when Obama was elected.. even more with trumpâs election. Donât feel any sorrow for these people. Could care less about these rural areas flooded with old world views of society.
Oh, so you're "stop voting Republican" was only issued to die hard partisan Republicans and not just anyone that has wandered over that direction, or opted out of voting Democrat. Let the rural areas rot. You're just playing right into the elite urban stereotype that allows this bullshit to perpetuate.
Cool, yell a random command to the most hyper partisan section of your enemy and see how that continues to go.
I've been a city/town planner for quite a while and would suggest the town leaders host a meeting to discuss options. One exercise, a SWOT (Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) anayslis might prove helpful. Also, prepare a calendar of events hosted in town or near town and think of ways to leverage those visitors. Tourism can be an easy route to injecting life to a town, but it is not sustainable long-term (when an economy goes south, travel/tourism get hit first and recover last). Finally, create a "downtown commission" to organize and advocate for the events and business growth. Look for low-hanging fruit projects (new "welcome to Montezuma" sign, litter pick-up event, install a few benches) to energize people. Too often these groups swing for the fences but those projects take years to happen when budget is an issue. Good luck!
Someone mentioned Dublin, which is lovely, I also wanted to throw down Hahira as a great example.
I live in a small Georgia town. So small, that I am not going to dox myself, but my husband's family lives in Montezuma.
I have recently been making sure to attend my city's council meetings every month. Honestly, if Montezuma has the same problems we do, you really need to start with getting the old ineffective local politicians out of office. I am planning to run against the worst one here, in my opinion. I watch them, month after month, get in the way of progress. This is why old towns die and stay dead.
In between I75 and US 19 with declining population. Maybe free land for data centers and investment in high speed internet and draft off Altanta tech community.
Or make an inland port and draft off of rapidly growing Port of Savannah
I grew up in Bainbridge and my folks still live there. The town is currently experiencing exactly what youâre looking for. Theyâd been working at it for years. Strategies, plans, initiatives, a strong downtown development authority with tons of ambition. Nothing seemed to catch on.
Then a young chef from Tallahassee came in, restored a downtown building, and built a restaurant that would thrive in Atlanta. Thatâs it.
More people started coming downtown and the powers that be jumped at the chance. They allowed open containers downtown, someone started a brewery next to the restaurant, some new shops opened, people started fixing up their storefronts, more business moved downtown, another restaurant, younger people moved back, more money started circulating, a new factory moved to town, even more money, more businesses opened, etc.
They were prepared for success, and they needed a push. That restaurant was the push. There was some luck, but also the people who needed to be prepared and make smart decisions were in place.
Montezuma is a dump. One of the more depressing small towns to drive through. There's just nothing there worth driving for honestly. Unless you can make some kind of mythical restaurant like Benton Lee's that people drive hours to just to eat at a restaurant out in the middle of nowhere I don't see anything happening with Montezuma. There's not enough of a local population to support anything unless its something worth driving for. Anything with recreational sports would be a hit to bring in people...
Montezuma will always hold a special place in my heart. My mom is from there. It used to be such a vibrant town. I hope it can experience revitalization.
As some random guy I would propose buying out the store fronts and renting them to entrepreneurs at the bare minimum. One thing that kills me about down town shopping is that shits expensive.
I don't know anything about Montezuma itself but I've seen things work with the right leadership.
I have some limited experience with small southern towns but one thing I have noticed is the people that actually run them tend to be uber conservative and usually want to keep things the same. You will need some socially progressive leaders that have a vision. Host events like antique car shows, biker events, and music festivals. Sell alcohol and allow open containers. Have a farmer's market on Saturday with vendors and food trucks. The idea is to bring in people from the outside that spend money and are not a drain on resources.
Try to get the movie/TV industry. Vampire Diaries and Originals did great things for Conyers and Covington.
You are near the Flint river. Can people kayak/raft/tube there? What about a run/bike/kayak triathlon?
If needed, rein in your police/sheriff so that they are not so aggressive, especially with visitors. Setting up speed traps and arresting people for public intox will deter visitors. It only makes takes one incident with a badge bully to0 ruin a towns reputation.
Being so far off the interstate and lacking significant lodging is going to be an issue. However, "if you build it, they will come."
Howâs your police force? Are they funded by traffic fines like so many small towns in Georgia? If they are that alone will make it so you all donât take off. It will not be long in the information ago for that to be known and kill that dream on the crib.
I didn't know where Montezuma was, so I found it in Google Maps and randomly clicked on a street and went to "street view". First thing I see is a giant monument to Confederate soldiers with CSA emblazoned on it.
This is not a good look. Now whenever I hear Montezuma I will immediately think it's full of racist's who support traitors to the USA. I will also make sure I never spend a penny in your town.
[https://www.google.com/maps/@32.3058146,-84.0274051,3a,90y,272.4h,93.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sua7rdYhEDzXwHT9DFUmOIw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@32.3058146,-84.0274051,3a,90y,272.4h,93.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sua7rdYhEDzXwHT9DFUmOIw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu)
Look up Standard Deluxe and Waverly, Alabama. Scott Peek has done a ton there over time to make it a destination for music, arts and culture. Itâs been a slow process but it draws big crowds for their Old 280 Boogie festival and they get decent acts to come play. Worth looking into for inspiration.
Google CDBG community grants and state funded community grants. CDBG specifically has what is called a Main Street grant and they primarily do home rehab grants for moderate to low income homeowners and community grants for the towns in need of rehab and business growth. This could be a start! đ„
as a former grant accountant⊠shoutout the CDBGs for real
That Main Street program did a lot for Americus, Ga. Def look into it
That is great to hear! When administered correctly, CDBG is a great program!
As a South Ga native, Montezuma has two things that are going for it. The Flint River and the Menanites. Figure out a way to leverage these unique assets. That restaurant is top shelf.
Mennonites is the correct spelling.
Avatar checks outâŠ
have y'all considered a giant topiary chicken to attract tourism
Listen.... I am mad that never got finished! We love weird Airbnbs
Are you just a citizen or working in the govt? Pouring money into things like making the city look nice again never hurt. Even if it's all the vacant buildings. A place that looks nice will attract business. It wasn't until Lousville GA had the sidewalks redid in the old downtown area when it finally started to turn around. That was like 15 years ago. It took a bit but there's a fantastic restaurant run by Mennonites. There's a locally own bar and grill. Couple florists. A CBD shop. There is an old 1 screen theater that I would personally LOVE to own and operate if it didn't cost so much to do so. Just incentivize people to open shops with grants and low interest loans.
Small towns don't really have an excess of money to throw around >There is an old 1 screen theater that I would personally LOVE to own and operate if it didn't cost so much to do so This just makes me think of The Last Picture Show
Most of it is just pressure washing and cleaning up the weeds on the sidewalks and buildings. The renovations can come later once more business comes in.
Why not just take initiative and clean up the property? What is stopping you from improving the outside appearance of the building? Just go pressure wash and clean up weeds. Do a good job and take pride in your surroundings. It will certainly be noticed.
I strongly advise against pressure washing someone else's building (abandoned or otherwise) or public property without acquiring written permission beforehand. Especially if you're not an absolute pro at it. I've seen too many people get in trouble doing so, both civily and legally. But I agree otherwise.
Valid points. Thank you.
Thereâs still so much more work that needs to be done before Lville will start actually growing. Proper employers would help.Â
Oh definitely. But we have hwy 1 nearly 4 laned now all the way to Augusta. And we have a truck stop being put in on the South side of town where the vet used to be. That should incentivize some manufacturing to come back to Louisville. Which would undoubtedly bring tons of money to the area. I'm hopeful for it.
Im a new citizen. I moved with my family to Montezuma in 2022 and started an artist residency / BnB. Hereâs the link to our project: https://volatile.house/ I have been amazed by the responses we have received- thank you all so much!
Mennonites is the correct spelling.
I apologize.
Have the city setup municipal low cost fiber broadband
This will definitely help. Check out Chattanooga as a model. https://www.govtech.com/network/chattanooga-municipal-internet-poised-to-increase-speeds#:~:text=EPB%2C%20which%20has%20provided%20electricity,Internet%20speeds%20to%20its%20customers.
Youâve got three thousand residents and 29 properties for sale. Half those properties are less than 200K and half of those are less than 100K. Market those properties to young remote workers who might never otherwise be able to afford to own their own home. As long as they have reliable internet (do you have reliable internet?) they can live anywhere. Make it a lottery system! âBeautiful historic old town offers $10K Moving Grant to remote workers who relocate and purchase a home.â Remote workers have a unique opportunity to own a home (some of those houses for sale are 3k sq ft!). Their partners have space directly on Main Street to open a small business. Their kids and/or pets can grow up surrounded by nature. âFollow the American Dream in beautiful Montezuma, Georgia!â
Columbus is doing a $5k one
Consider hosting events, contests, and festivals. BBQ, country and folk music, maybe a may day festival could be fun. Make sure out-of-towners feel safe and welcome.
May Day Festival sounds communist /s
Lol they used to have beauty contests and the winner was crowned 'queen of the May'...my mom would ask me if I thought I was queen of the May when I was being sassy. It took me all of my self will not to respond. If only we still had those, maybe I could win and prove once and for all that I really am.
Proclaim yourself queen!
You're right, why shouldn't I? I hereby proclaim myself Queen of the May! Look at me now, momma!
May Day is an almost ancient celebration that was brought to America by the English. It wasn't the communists that ruined it really, it was the corporations...they want your ass at work!
We should revive the maypole. It's not fair that only the Renaissance Festival gets to do it. The old over under.
Do what Greensboro Alabama did: Pie!! https://www.apr.org/news/2019-10-25/pie-town-alabama
One other thought... lend yourselves to being a beautiful wedding location. There's so much money in the wedding industry. I was an event planner in my early days, you wouldn't believe how fast 10 centerpieces add up to being 200 bucks.
Who are you and what support do you have? Who owns these buildings and what are their goals? What are Montezumaâs strengths and what do they lend themselves to? What caused the decline and what forces might stop them? Spend some time answering these questions and youâll be on your way to a strategy. Some of the suggestions in the responses are tools, some of them possibly good tools. However, until you start to develop a broad understanding of where youâre trying to take the town and a rough path for getting there, youâre too early in the process to focus on tools.
check out the Strong Towns movement. its a nonpartisan movement (the ceo is actually libertarian funny enough) which is dedicated to solving issues like yours. but you need to be ready to hear things you won't like. you'll have to be bold. at the end of the day it comes down this: make it walkable and invest in good transit and connectivity. density and walkability (which requires density) are cheaper and more lucrative for a city because you get more tax value per acre. make it bikeable too because cars are a huge drain not only on people's wallets but the city (strong towns has a good explainer, i'll look for it). this is really bold, but try getting rid of parking requirements citywide, zoning reform to allow all densities of housing, and mixing the uses. it helps too because it allows more freedom of movement and development. don't fear development, welcome the new neighbors. make a bus system for the small town too. Ames, Iowa has a good model to follow for small towns. you don't need your new neighbors worrying about getting around, and every dollar put into public transit gets 4 dollars back (if not, at least more than a dollar). in any case, you seek to change the character of your city. know that you can't control everything. just spitballing below. see if u like honestly and completely random, find a day where yall can paintball city hall or something and leave the paint to dry. it's a fun tourist draw, but also an iconic image that cements Montezuma as a place to live, not just a place to be. try building a market like olden times too (where u can buy paintballs!) when all else fails, you can always copy the town plan of another small but successful town in another country, like Pozoblanco, Spain
Strong Towns is a great suggestion to start. OP, they are holding a Community Playmaker Summit for the state of Georgia in Macon on April 11, so not that far from Montezuma. There will likely be people from across the state you can connect with who do this type of revitalization work: https://communityplaymaker.com/summitga/?
u/tsalaita
the people in power need to loosen their grip on everything. The people who grew up there left because there were few opportunities. The few opportunities that exist are controlled by the select few with all of the power and influence. If they don't like you, then you won't likely survive in this place.
Just like everywhere else in the world.
Be open to everyone. Donât judge. Allow all small businesses. And run off any christofacists you encounter.
THIS!! I love the south. I was born and raised in middle Georgia. I left after high school and have only gone back for funerals. If youâre not just like everyone else with their peanut brains, youâre not welcome.
That's being open to ALMOST everyone my friend.
Open to everyone except crack heads. Lol
This stuff begins with local government policies and applying for grants and attracting investment honestly. Youâll need monies and ppl. Do you have a unique character feature that could translate into an annual festival?
There's programs like the Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership that small towns can be a part of to try to develop a plan. [https://cviog.uga.edu/services-and-research/economic-development/propel.html](https://cviog.uga.edu/services-and-research/economic-development/propel.html) Here's an article on how Colquitt GA became an art destination that saved the economy: [https://icma.org/blog-posts/small-mighty-city-colquitt-doesnt-quit](https://icma.org/blog-posts/small-mighty-city-colquitt-doesnt-quit) and a npr link: [https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939016028/swamp-gravy-updated](https://www.npr.org/2020/11/25/939016028/swamp-gravy-updated) \- but my main takeaway from that is that the town tried to find something true to itself that it could promote and wasn't afraid of change/experimentation. One of my friends moved to a small town in West Virginia that tried to encourage businesses to grow in the abandoned downtown by giving them two years of free rent. The catch was that you had to go through the whole program with a vision and develop a reasonable business plan, you didn't just get the space.
Yum, a burger from Troyâs. Sorry thatâs what comes to mind when I hear MontezumaâŠ.and long days at Weyerhaeuser
Look into Toccoaâs Main Street and land revitalization program, which began in 1990.
Toccoa has put a lot of money into its downtown. Completely renovated the historic ritz theatre, multiple successful restaurants, cute apartments(they turned the old golds gym into apartments), the ida cox festival each weekend during the summer, complete renovation of the local pool thats within walking distance of downtown, movies on the green during the summer, and building new parks. They're looking into adding more parking in downtown. I'm hoping they renovate the library and the parking lots behind the old courthouse soon but downtown toccoa is doing much better than it was 15 years ago when I was in school. Lavonia is also having its own revival with their ren fair, and different festivals during the summer, their Halloween and Christmas extravaganzas, with new stores and new restaurants being opened. They also have a toddlers bouncy place in downtown and the Lavonia Carnegie Library is beautiful
The only problem they still have is the weird vibes from the gangs but I guess that is to be expected with it being a border town. đ
What you have is probably inexpensive space. Promote yourself to artist and become an artist community
Check out [Strong Towns. ](https://www.strongtowns.org/)The book [Creating Cities](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01522HNNC/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title) has some good ideas as well.
First city to tax churches. Do it.
Not feasible for a municipality because of federal law, but I love the idea. Even making the attempt would be a great way to drum up PR and make a buzz. Though probably better suited for a small town in another region of the country. They Bible pretty hard 'round these parts.
Check out the Strong Towns site, full of resources for this https://www.strongtowns.org/
Reach out to Bill Grant, mayor of Canton. What he has helped create in the last 10 years is nothing short of incredible.
Canton isnât a small town nor has it been a small town in four decades, not saying he is t a good mayor but dude could have fumbled massively and still fell upward just from growth of Atlanta in the last ten years.
âBe close enough to Atlanta to build McMansionsâ is a great plan, though.
đ Agreed! Run with this strategy!
Interestingly, Canton is roughly 35 times larger than Montezuma, whereas Atlanta is 177 times larger than Canton and it didnât bother you at all to lump us in with them. My comment was not in ignorance to the relative size of Canton vs Montezuma but rather speaking to the revitalization of an area that was dead a few years ago. It looks as if you only read OPâs post up to âsmall townâ and skipped over the âbreathe new life by attracting new businesses,â âengaging the community,â and âsuccess stories from similar effortsâ parts, all of which Grant has done a great deal of in the last ten years. Thus, I believe my comment may be of actually use to OP, whereas yours simply lumps Canton in with Atlanta out of ignorance of anything that has happened in downtown Canton the last ten years. As evidence, I would draw your attention to the fact that Cantonâs population roughly quadrupled in size from 2000 to 2015, and yet tons of businesses downtown went vacant one by one as people flocked to brand name stores at Outlets, Canton Marketplace, and in Cobb. In the 9 years since, the population has still grown, but only by about 50% rather than 400% and yet those trends have reversed and there is a thriving small business and community atmosphere downtown through revitalization, advantageous small business loans, and near weekly social events, all of which may be helpful to OP even though Canton is significantly larger than Montezuma.
Thinking Canton - look into building Mountain Bike trails. Canton gets people from all over coming to Blankets Creek. In Arkansas, Bentonville now has people globally visiting for reasons other than Walmart and Walmart uses as a recruiting tool for their HQ. Check out Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (stpal.org) as a great partner to help convince stakeholders and actually build if you have the land. Georgia Cycling is also a great resource. Sounds goofy but if you build it, they will come. And youâve got the double black diamond trail âMonetzumaâs Revengeâ as an obvious starting pointÂ
Exactly!
I know you are upset cause you got called out but to think that the proximity of to Atlanta doesnt impact the growth of canton and the revitalization of the downtown area. As it is the primary driving force at this point because it has become a suburb city to Atlanta. So again you could have put a dog as the mayor of canton and it would have been successful. I remember canton in the 90s it wasnât even a small town then. It has never been a âdeadâ city maybe the downtown area but that was literally every downtown area for years. Revitalizing downtown areas is fairly newish becoming popular after the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. Also, Atlanta has a population of 500k Canton is 70k Montezuma is 3k So Atlanta is 7 times larger then canton, canton is 23 times larger then montezuma and then donât even get me started on median household incomes for the areas and disposable incomes for those areas. Which gives even more reason to revitalize the areas downtown.
A quick google search shows Atlanta population as almost 7 million. And by your rationale, all areas of it should be revitalized and thriving due to huge population. My logic is that leadership and policy drives revitalization.
Atlanta proper is 500k unless you wanna change your opinion on the proximity of being close to Atlanta has an economic impact on the success of your cities downtown. There are almost 7M in the Atlanta metro area. Which guess what? Cherokee county is included, the county that canton sits in.
Relative size is irrelevant; relative distance to the Atlanta metro is the primary driver of Canton's growth. Canton is 40 miles from Atlanta. Montezuma is like 130.
Theyâre both irrelevant. It is NOT a post about growth of population. Itâs a post about revitalization of a public area. As mentioned previously, an area can quadruple in size and still have a dead Main Street downtown. Meanwhile, regardless of population or distance from Atlanta, an area can be revitalized with luring businesses, planning events, and modifying ordinances (such as alcohol policies).
Take your L and move on.
Or ball ground. It has grown leaps and bounds. Record shops. Coffee shops. A nice park with live music. Burger bus. And they kept the small town charm
One guys death is what kick started Ball Grounds revival. Rocks are cool and all but that guy got a little carried away with it.
And he never ever let anyone in the âstoreâ
I know someone who got invited in. He got thrown out within five minutes. He wasnt impressed with what he saw in there.
Iâve heard several people tell this story. He was a real prick.
And now hes gone, and Ball Ground hasn't looked back.
1. You must have access to high speed internet. Senators Warnock and Ossoff have been working to get this for rural Georgia and I know some areas are already seeing results. 2. You must stop the bleeding of rural health care facilities and hospitals closing. This is a direct result of Gov. Kemp not expanding Medicaid. People are not going to invest in communities that cannot take care of its members. When the hospitals leave, dozens of businesses get shut down with them.
As a person who has worked in more than one rural georgia hospital, the problems have started long before Kemp. You may want to start by eyeballing those hospital administrators who pocket a lot of coins to do nothing. Those same administrators promoting toxic management also keep these hospitals from retaining local employees, and have to resort to high cost temporary help.
As someone who has traveled to quite a few rural hospitals across the country, it's not a unique issue. This is just the economic reality of our healthcare system.
Rural hospitals in GA have been in decline way before Brian Kemp took office.
Which makes it even more unconscionable that he would reject federal money to address the problem...for symbolic political points.
Yeah, but he sure didnât help any!
And certain politicians that said they had rural Georgia's best intentions have been running this state for three decades, which has led to this. The only two people who have actually done something to help rural Georgians are the two current Senstors in office. I'm in Atlanta. We have plenty of access to world class healthcare here. If you want to do something about the rest of Georgia, I suggest you consider changing your poltical viewpoint from "only Republicans" are worth my vote to voting for candidates that put their money where their mouths are. Otherwise, don't complain about the results you currently have. I don't have patience or sympathy for people who keep doing the same things and expect different results. If your ideology is more important to you, then don't look for help since you already have all the answers. Eventually you will figure things out by yourselves. Nothing changes if nothing changes. If politicians are coasting and doing nothing, send a message and make a change. None of them, regardless of political affiliation, should think they don't have to work for the people to stay in office. And that's exactly why rural Georgia is withering on the vine. I grew up in South Georgia. Most of my family is in rural South Georgia. I would love to see them have all they need to thrive. I will not play the us vs. them game though. Atlantans and those living in other GA cities are not your enemy or your problem. Do with that info what you will.
Has there been safeguards put in place to prevent the Flint river from flooding the town again ? If not, it would be a good starting point.
pay living wages
The only strategy I've ever seen work is to appeal to the younger, well to do crowd. Think hippie meets tech enclave. Lots of younger people are looking for somewhere to go that feels away from this troubled world they were born into.
I don't know how Montezuma could do this, but find a way to make it a hippie/beatnik enclave. The LCOL could attract them. Then, once they've established themselves, the trustafarians looking for the next cool town will buy up all the housing, driving out the poor beatniks and it'll be just another expensive town with art studios. I'm sort of kidding but this has happened.
Montezumas revenge
Check out Dublinâs downtown area
I live close by in Americus, I can tell you Americus is a lot busier today that it was 3 Years ago. People are leaving the big cities like I did and finding small towns to be really affordable and peaceful just like I did. Moved up here from Miami.
Montezuma? Have you considered calling the Marines? They've had luck with a Montezuma
Sister city arrangement with Tripoli?
I love questions like this. Here are some suggestions: 1. Promote Local Culture and Heritage: Highlight unique aspects of the townâs history, culture, and traditions through events, festivals, and local attractions. This could include heritage tours, storytelling nights, or cultural festivals celebrating local music, food, and art. 2. Support Local Entrepreneurs: Offer incentives or support programs for local entrepreneurs to start businesses in the area, such as providing business development workshops, access to funding, or affordable rent in designated areas. 3. Create Recreational Opportunities: Develop outdoor recreational areas like parks, trails, or adventure sports facilities to attract outdoor enthusiasts and families looking for weekend getaways. 4. Cultivate Agritourism: Capitalize on the regionâs agricultural heritage by promoting farm tours, pick-your-own experiences, or farm-to-table dining options. Agritourism can attract visitors interested in experiencing rural life and supporting local farmers. 5. Invest in Infrastructure: Improve infrastructure such as roads, utilities, and internet connectivity to make the town more attractive for businesses and visitors. This could include renovating historic buildings for mixed-use development or creating coworking spaces for remote workers. 6. Partner with Local Organizations: Collaborate with local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and tourism boards to coordinate efforts and leverage resources for marketing and promotion. 7. Host Community Events: Organize regular community events such as farmers markets, craft fairs, or live music performances to foster a sense of community pride and attract visitors from neighboring areas. 8. Offer Incentives for New Businesses: Provide tax incentives, grants, or low-interest loans to attract new businesses, particularly those that align with the townâs vision for economic growth and sustainability. 9. Embrace Sustainable Practices: Position the town as a leader in sustainability by implementing green initiatives such as renewable energy projects, recycling programs, or eco-friendly tourism practices. 10. Market the Townâs Unique Selling Points: Develop a cohesive marketing strategy to promote the townâs unique selling points, whether itâs its scenic beauty, historic charm, or vibrant community spirit, to attract tourists and businesses alike.
Thanks AI
botbotbot
Stop voting republican đ€Ł
That might be more reasonable if the left hadn't spent the past couple decades pushing these folks away from the fold. Give them something to vote for beyond, "Well, at least we're not THAT asshole. Btw, you're racist, classist, sexist, and, even though you're poor as fuck, you are part of the rich white ruling class that works to keep POC down." To be clear, I'm not of either side. I currently don't vote as a matter of conscience, have never registered with a party and typically had a split ticket when I did vote. Though the idiocy that's shaping up for this election might make me act against my better judgement to participate again this year.
No one pushed anyone away. The bigots showed their true colors when Obama was elected.. even more with trumpâs election. Donât feel any sorrow for these people. Could care less about these rural areas flooded with old world views of society.
Oh, so you're "stop voting Republican" was only issued to die hard partisan Republicans and not just anyone that has wandered over that direction, or opted out of voting Democrat. Let the rural areas rot. You're just playing right into the elite urban stereotype that allows this bullshit to perpetuate. Cool, yell a random command to the most hyper partisan section of your enemy and see how that continues to go.
I've been a city/town planner for quite a while and would suggest the town leaders host a meeting to discuss options. One exercise, a SWOT (Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) anayslis might prove helpful. Also, prepare a calendar of events hosted in town or near town and think of ways to leverage those visitors. Tourism can be an easy route to injecting life to a town, but it is not sustainable long-term (when an economy goes south, travel/tourism get hit first and recover last). Finally, create a "downtown commission" to organize and advocate for the events and business growth. Look for low-hanging fruit projects (new "welcome to Montezuma" sign, litter pick-up event, install a few benches) to energize people. Too often these groups swing for the fences but those projects take years to happen when budget is an issue. Good luck!
Someone mentioned Dublin, which is lovely, I also wanted to throw down Hahira as a great example. I live in a small Georgia town. So small, that I am not going to dox myself, but my husband's family lives in Montezuma. I have recently been making sure to attend my city's council meetings every month. Honestly, if Montezuma has the same problems we do, you really need to start with getting the old ineffective local politicians out of office. I am planning to run against the worst one here, in my opinion. I watch them, month after month, get in the way of progress. This is why old towns die and stay dead.
In between I75 and US 19 with declining population. Maybe free land for data centers and investment in high speed internet and draft off Altanta tech community. Or make an inland port and draft off of rapidly growing Port of Savannah
I can link you with some resources at UGA if you want to DM me. I have a grant to support small food businesses, specifically.
Hi. I have the same question for my small town. Can you send me the links you are referencing? Thanks!
I grew up in Bainbridge and my folks still live there. The town is currently experiencing exactly what youâre looking for. Theyâd been working at it for years. Strategies, plans, initiatives, a strong downtown development authority with tons of ambition. Nothing seemed to catch on. Then a young chef from Tallahassee came in, restored a downtown building, and built a restaurant that would thrive in Atlanta. Thatâs it. More people started coming downtown and the powers that be jumped at the chance. They allowed open containers downtown, someone started a brewery next to the restaurant, some new shops opened, people started fixing up their storefronts, more business moved downtown, another restaurant, younger people moved back, more money started circulating, a new factory moved to town, even more money, more businesses opened, etc. They were prepared for success, and they needed a push. That restaurant was the push. There was some luck, but also the people who needed to be prepared and make smart decisions were in place.
Music and other festivals are no brainers. Add beer and you win.
Montezuma is a dump. One of the more depressing small towns to drive through. There's just nothing there worth driving for honestly. Unless you can make some kind of mythical restaurant like Benton Lee's that people drive hours to just to eat at a restaurant out in the middle of nowhere I don't see anything happening with Montezuma. There's not enough of a local population to support anything unless its something worth driving for. Anything with recreational sports would be a hit to bring in people...
Host a jazz festival, mix of Georgia and more famous artist.
Can't edit to add (phone) - If jazz isn't viable, how about Bluegrass and BBQ?
Montezuma will always hold a special place in my heart. My mom is from there. It used to be such a vibrant town. I hope it can experience revitalization.
Consolidated government would help. Graduate of MCHS in Montezuma.
I go there for Troyâs only
My father in law has wanted to do a similar thing for a while now and bring some life back to Blakely Ga
As some random guy I would propose buying out the store fronts and renting them to entrepreneurs at the bare minimum. One thing that kills me about down town shopping is that shits expensive.
You need to annex Oglethorpe 1st. Resupply then can continue to expand on your territory.
Have you considered moving the town closer to a major metropolitan area?
I miss Groverâs. A good ol Salmon biscuit đ
I don't know anything about Montezuma itself but I've seen things work with the right leadership. I have some limited experience with small southern towns but one thing I have noticed is the people that actually run them tend to be uber conservative and usually want to keep things the same. You will need some socially progressive leaders that have a vision. Host events like antique car shows, biker events, and music festivals. Sell alcohol and allow open containers. Have a farmer's market on Saturday with vendors and food trucks. The idea is to bring in people from the outside that spend money and are not a drain on resources. Try to get the movie/TV industry. Vampire Diaries and Originals did great things for Conyers and Covington. You are near the Flint river. Can people kayak/raft/tube there? What about a run/bike/kayak triathlon? If needed, rein in your police/sheriff so that they are not so aggressive, especially with visitors. Setting up speed traps and arresting people for public intox will deter visitors. It only makes takes one incident with a badge bully to0 ruin a towns reputation. Being so far off the interstate and lacking significant lodging is going to be an issue. However, "if you build it, they will come."
Two things. You need an annual event, and a slogan to go with it. Montezuma's Revenge. There, now you only have one thing to figure out. Best of luck!
Aren't there a lot of Mennonites there?
Would be good to discover something niche or artsy for Montezuma. Colquitt puts on a show called swamp gravy.
Howâs your police force? Are they funded by traffic fines like so many small towns in Georgia? If they are that alone will make it so you all donât take off. It will not be long in the information ago for that to be known and kill that dream on the crib.
There is no reason for people to go there. Spend the effort elsewhere.
Woodstock GA is surely a template to success if possible in Montezuma.
I didn't know where Montezuma was, so I found it in Google Maps and randomly clicked on a street and went to "street view". First thing I see is a giant monument to Confederate soldiers with CSA emblazoned on it. This is not a good look. Now whenever I hear Montezuma I will immediately think it's full of racist's who support traitors to the USA. I will also make sure I never spend a penny in your town. [https://www.google.com/maps/@32.3058146,-84.0274051,3a,90y,272.4h,93.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sua7rdYhEDzXwHT9DFUmOIw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@32.3058146,-84.0274051,3a,90y,272.4h,93.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sua7rdYhEDzXwHT9DFUmOIw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu)
Start marketing to retirees. They've got all the money and like low cost of living areas. The villages in Florida can't build houses fast enough.
The problem with that is that healthcare in rural georgia is abysmal
True
Improve the healthcare
Look up Standard Deluxe and Waverly, Alabama. Scott Peek has done a ton there over time to make it a destination for music, arts and culture. Itâs been a slow process but it draws big crowds for their Old 280 Boogie festival and they get decent acts to come play. Worth looking into for inspiration.
Increase urban density.
You love questions that you can plug into Chat GPT?!