The Dawsonville Downtown Development Authority, or DDA, has partnered with the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government to focus on how best to attract new businesses, support existing businesses and improving the sights and sounds of the downtown area - short and long term.

It sounds exciting, doesn't it?

While it is a project for Dawsonville, it is really a project for all the residents of Dawson County/Dawsonville and we need your input.

The following site: http://survey.pso.uga.edu/surveys/dawsonville is a quick and easy way to give us your thoughts.

As of Jan. 7, there have been 177 responses to the survey, which is a good start, but we would like for as many residents as possible to have a hand in the future of our city.

You can make a difference and we need your input.

If you do not have a computer, you can go to the library, use your smart phone, take the survey to the offices of your local paper/city hall in person or send it by mail. The survey was in this month's water bill for residents of the city.

We will reveal the results of your input at a public meeting in February or March and, with your help, develop a plan of action.

We will not be able to implement everything overnight and the more difficult aspects may take five to 10 years to complete.

In closing, rest assured we are here to help you make a difference about your community and the future of the city of Dawsonville.

Let's make our forefathers proud of what they started.

Join us in looking to the future,

Nick Nicodemus
Chairman, Dawsonville DDA