News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Upper Cumberland received encouraging updates during the state’s Economic Development Conference in Chattanooga last week.
Highlands Economic Development Coordinator Matt Billings said the conference provided updates from state officials on where the economy stands. Billing said Putnam County and the region are in a good position.
“The growth we’re kinda seeing kind of in the western and southern parts of the county residentially, people are coming here,” Billings said. “There seems to be a good opportunity for growth, kind of spring boarding off the growth that we’ve seen in recent years with the industrial expansion and companies moving here so that’s always good to see.”
Billings said the conference also touched on ground fill remediation, broadband and child care. Billings said that Highland Economic Partnership are exploring more ways in delivering high paying jobs to citizens.
“We’re positioned in a good spot right now,” Billings said. “Always working on the workforce development piece of that so making sure that we have the kind of jobs to accommodate the new industry coming into the region.”
Billings said that one of the initiatives that was especially talked about at the conference was that concerning child care.
“It’s something that everyone is talking about right now and it’s something that we need in the region and really throughout the state,” Billings said. “So that’s kind of why it was part of the programming at the governors conference. Kind of just looking at best practices and how to get that and expand it.”
Billings said there are several plans in place to further the business expansion that Tennessee has been experiencing. Billings said that what gives him his encouragement is the many different economic part in the region working well together.
