By By BILL CRIST – Publisher
Brewton was recently named to the Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) program, one of eight cities chosen for the pilot program.
As a result, Brewton will receive assistance in designing a plan to make it more competitive in attracting industry.
On a local level, Brewton Mayor Ted Jennings said the application process began shortly after Gov. Bob Riley took office.
According to a press release announcing the participants, the ACE program is a comprehensive approach toward developing smaller communities throughout Alabama. Members of a collaborative partnership have joined together to provide a variety of services to the communities in order to create growth and opportunity for sustainability.
During the three-step process, each community will receive extensive technical assistance and a documented plan of action with specific goals and strategies for success. Communities will be guided through phases of development, including creating an inventory of each community's assets, establishing an ongoing leadership program, identifying a local, non-profit ACE coordinator and forming a strategic plan to address comprehensive planning, commercial business development, education enhancement, infrastructure, health and human services and general quality of life and recreation issues.
The seven other towns named to the program are Monroeville, Demopolis, Wetumpka, Valley, Guin, Haleyville and Guntersville.
In addition to Alabama Power, ACE partners include Alabama Association of Regional Councils, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Development Office, Alabama Historical Commission, Alabama Southern Rural Access Program, Auburn University's Economic Development Institute, Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, Reading Alabama, Tennessee Valley Authority, Truman Pierce Institute, University of Alabama's Center for Economic Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Regions Financial Corp.