(Conyers, GA) - Taking a page from the spirit and work of the 1960s, Rockdale County Commission Chairman and County CEO Richard Oden urged the leaders gathered for the 2015 State of the County Breakfast, “do not hesitate to take a seat at the table, let your voice be heard.”

The well-attended March 5 address was the first for the new breakfast meeting format, where attendees paid $25 to enter. The event was organized by the Council for Quality Growth  and the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and hosted at Springfield Baptist Church. 

Opening remarks given by David Roper of Four A International also emphasized the importance of teamwork, using the Atlanta Hawks as an example.  “They’re not winning because of a star person, because of one or two people. They’re winning because every person matters… I would suggest our opportunity in Rockdale County, let’s play like a team. Let’s hustle more than anyone and show we want more wins.”

In the address, Oden spoke of fulfilling Rockdale’s “destiny and legacy of greatness” and outlined the accomplishments of Rockdale County government services and agencies in 2014.

Among the highlights, Oden described a growing biking and walking trail system, increased tourism at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, more visitors at Black Shoals park in north Rockdale, the community service and volunteer agencies that help keep Rockdale clean. 

He mentioned projects made possible by the penny sales tax known as the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, such as the county’s new public safety radio system and two new towers built on Union Church Road and Miller Bottom Road and 21 miles of repaved roads. 

Rebuilding neighborhoods and community investment was another theme of the accomplishments of 2014, including a CHIP grant from the Ga. Department of Community Affairs that helped eight families, a grant to look at the Fieldstone and Country Walk neighborhoods in the Salem Road corridor, and Rockdale’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program being named as in the top 1 percent of NSP programs in the country.

Towards the end, Oden briefly described his vision of having a performing arts center in Rockdale and a “state of the art business incubators which will support a multifaceted business complex which will support on light manufacturing, advanced technology, bioscience and biomedical companies.”

He added, “The government is not solely responsible for meeting these goals. We need everyone to have a seat at the table to help us make these goals.”

“Rockdale County’s history has set for us a destiny of greatness,” he continued. “A destiny derived from the celebration of diversity and perseveration of unity. A destiny that will enable us to build a solid foundation of vibrancy and financial growth… Together we will fulfill the destiny and legacy of greatness that is Rockdale County.”

Sponsors for the event include Cigna Healthcare, Georgia Power, Gas South, Conyers Crossroads, Four A International, LLC, ABC Compounding, Malon D. Mimms Company, Resurgens Risk Management.

To see video of the March 5 breakfast and address, click here or go to http://www.rockdalenews.com/section/123/article/21871/