A viable hospital, a strong education system, county progress, road construction challenges – members of the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors heard about these and other topics last week.
Gary Poquette talked about Blue Ridge Medical Center, Shannon Dillard talked about Fannin schools and the University of North Georgia, Jamie Hensley and Erick Youngberg discussed county operations, and Terry Arp discussed the City of McCaysville. Throughout each of these presentations, Chamber President Christie Gribble talked of partnerships and their importance to the community.
Hospital a viable organization all should be using
Poquette stepped into the role of chief executive officer (CEO) at Blue Ridge Medical Center in August 2024. He spoke of his 40-year career, much of which has been devoted to saving hospitals in financial trouble.
Of Blue Ridge Medical Center, formerly Fannin Regional Hospital, he said, “this (hospital) has a lot more going for it than most of the hospitals I’ve taken on.”
“My job is to turn the hospital around,” Poquette said.
Part of that effort includes a $15.8 million USDA loan that will go to paying off the purchase of the hospital from Quorum Health, capital equipment purchases and improvements, and working capital.
Two major improvements Poquette is seeking to make are bringing an Orthopedic surgeon and General Surgeon who can do “scopes” to the hospital.
While the proximity of competition in Blairsville and Ellijay concern Poquette, as does the hospital’s financial background, he said the message that must be conveyed about Blue Ridge Medical Center is, “This is a viable organization that you folks should be using.”
Fannin schools have long list of successes
Fannin County School Superintendent Shannon Dillard shared multiple scholastic accomplishments of the school system and its students. Just a few of those included:
•2024 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) improved in almost all areas over 2023 scores. This is a tool Georgia uses to determine how well students are prepared for college and careers;
•All elementary schools were on the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) Literacy Leader Schools List;
•The high school and middle school were on the DOE Math Leaders Schools List; and,
•231 Fannin County High School (FCHS) students completed pathways at the end of 2024. FCHS offers nine clusters and 17 pathways.
The school system has 461 employees, 265 certified personnel and 196 classified. All staff have received raises and all the system’s salary scales are on par with the Pioneer Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) average.
School safety continues to be enhanced with layers of protection for students district wide and at individual schools.
Over 80 employers are participating in the Work Based Learning program, just one exhibit of the importance the community places on education, Dillard said.
The school superintendent also spoke to some criticism the system sometimes receives over the perceived emphasis on its extracurricular activities, specifically sports.
Dillard explained that extracurricular and curricular activities are proven to significantly improve student behavior and motivation while meeting students’ unique needs. The activities contribute to increased graduation rates, especially among at-risk students.
UNG Blue Ridge continues to grow, expand
Sandy Ott reported that enrollment at the University of North Georgia (UNG) Blue Ridge Campus hit an all-time high of 242 students last fall. That achievement brought the campus back tow where pre-COVID enrollment had been forecast.
Ott, executive director of the campus, talked about the strong dual enrollment program with area high schools. There are currently 66 FCHS students enrolled at the campus.
She was joined by Dillard in expressing the importance of this program to the students and community as well.
Gribble also spoke of the various programs ongoing between the schools and the Chamber.
“What an outstanding job our local school system does preparing students,” Ott said. She said 147 incoming freshmen had a 3.0 grade point average and of these 70 were HOPE scholars and 12 were Zell Miller Scholars.
And the community steps up to support the UNG campus, Ott said. She said 29 students recently received scholarships ranging from $300 to $1,500 that were specifically designated for the local campus.
The campus and its offerings are growing.
The David E. Ralston Hall is expected to be finished by the end of February and open this summer.
The Hall includes a community room that can seat 250 people banquet style or 400 auditorium style.
Elementary and Special Education programs are expanding and beginning in the Fall of 2026 a four-year bachelors degree in nursing will be offered.
The PEAKS program has also been expanded.
Fannin County moves forward in many ways
Fannin County Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley gave a history of progress and how the county continues to move forward in areas such as public safety.
He used an example of a Public Works Department work truck being so worn out a bungee cord held its door shut – one of the first experiences he had after first being elected.
Now, trucks and other work out equipment at the department has been replaced, and numerous pieces of new equipment added.
The Public Works Department is responsible for 500 miles of county roads, and he talked of employees’ efforts to maintain those roads.
For instance, Hensley said during the recent snow storm the county was down to four snow plows after the main plow “went down the first day.”
Meanwhile, Public Works employees worked 12 hour shifts, even through Friday, Saturday and into Sunday to clear roads. “They take a lot of pride in what they do,” Hensley said.
He talked of improvements in Public Safety, pointing to the new fire station in Epworth and the new station being constructed in Mineral Bluff. The Mineral Bluff station will be a manned ambulance/fire station.
Improvements to the fire department include two, 2,000 gallon tankers and one 4,000 gallon tanker, enabling firefighters to have enough water in remote locations.
Numerous pieces of equipment for the sheriff’s department and jail have been updated and added.
Land to build a new Animal Control facility is also being sought.
Throughout all the progress, Hensley talked of his “pay as you go” approach, keeping the county from having to go into debt.
Hensley stressed his belief in everyone working together, “unity in community” having been a message he has lived by since first taking office.
“We serve the same people,” he said of all the organizations present as well as those that were not.
Development aims at what Fannin wants
Youngberg, the county’s Economic Development director, said his goal is to develop what we want to fit what we want in bringing businesses into the community.
He pointed to the new housing development, The Grove, as a success story that brings affordable housing into the county.
The Development Authority’s mission is to “Support Fannin County (and) don’t change Fannin County from the community it is today,” Youngberg said.
Arp says bridge work will bring challenges to McCaysville
Arp, only weeks into his term as mayor, said his job is to “give everybody that works (in McCaysville) the things they need to be successful.”
He praised the city employees as hard working and dedicated.
Arp called the upcoming replacement project for the “new bridge,” also known as the concrete bridge, a “huge challenge” for the city. Officials are still awaiting the Georgia Department of Transportation’s plan.
Arp said the city is hoping to increase the output of the city’s water plant, which is capable of two million gallons a day but is only permitted for one million gallons.
He thanked Hensley for working with the city in the effort.