Welcome to Cartersville
by Morgan Scroggs
Cartersville offers a blend of pastoral
beauty, metropolitan sensibilities and historical charm. According to
their website, Blue Ridge Country Magazine even recognized them as
one out of 16 of the most friendly towns.
With a population of nearly 20,000 in
23.5 square miles, the city sits comfortably in the foothills of the
Appalachian mountains in northern Georgia and has been built up by
its residents into a metropolitan arm of the Atlanta area.
Following a mantra of “be charmed, be
prosperous, belong,” it is no wonder that Cartersville serves as
the county seat of Bartow, engaging residents and visitors alike with
its vibrant yet bucolic lifestyle and community.
Cartersville's mayor, Matt Santini –
who has been mayor since 2008 – says he loves his job. He enjoys
solving people's problems in the community, respecting their time and
diverse personalities to make sure they get what they need.
Helping an introverted resident solve a
trash collection issue without having to make the resident wait
through an entire city council meeting may seem simple, he explains,
but “having the opportunity to connect people to the right
resources,” says Santini, “that's very rewarding.”
“My job is really to sell the city,
make people feel good about living here, and certainly keep policies
in place that make it good to work here.”
Cartersville has historically employed
its residents through manufacturing industries such as Vulcan
Materials and Chemical Products, but has expanded and diversified. It
now boasts companies such as Shaw Industries, Anheuser-Busch, Trinity
Rail Operations, Goodyear, and Unilever.
When considering how to attract
industries to Cartersville, Santini says he looks for companies
interested in investing in the community. “We want a good neighbor
too,” he says. Santini's approach to inviting new industries
focuses on the company's desire to be part of Cartersville.
In terms of community partners,
Anheuser-Busch is at the top of the list. “They provide a lot of
jobs,” says Santini, “are a great utility customer … they pay
school taxes, and they carry a heavy load for the city of
Cartersville.” Santini also describes them as a good corporate
citizen. “It's an organization that shows a lot of leadership.
They're always giving back and trying to identify ways to help the
community.”
Shaw Industries and Toyo Tire have also
been invested in the community. “Some people were skeptical when
[Toyo Tires] decided to move here, a little bit because of the
location, but they've been a great corporate citizen,” said
Santini, “They've gone out of their way to be a part of the
community … We're very fortunate to have a lot of industries that
are not only good customers, but also good citizens.”
Aspirations in the community are
diverse. “Everybody desires to live in a place that is safe, where
– if you have children – they can get a good education,” says
Santini, “a place that is clean, well taken care of – where they
can walk outside, talk to their neighbor, and not have any real
concerns. They want to get up, go to work and enjoy their job, and
come home at night and enjoy their family.”
According to the 2011 citizen survey,
perceptions of the residents in the community are generally good.
They feel safe, think it is a good location to raise a family, and
enjoy the green space and environment Cartersville offers in contrast
to urban life. “We score pretty well,” says Santini humbly, “...
it's not because I'm the mayor. We've always had good leadership.”
From the administration, to previous councils and mayors, Santini
believes it's the people that work in the city – that care about it
– that have made it so prosperous.
The city council, comprised of the
mayor and six council members, works with several departments to keep
the city running smoothly. They foster input from the community with
two open council meetings per month, working primarily in the city
council chambers. “Informally,” jokes Santini, “the community
gathers wherever there is food served.” The chamber of commerce
also actively invests in the community, holding a governmental
affairs meeting every Monday. A number of committees allow
involvement from the community as a whole to voice concerns and drive
policy, including committees for the Cartersville school board.
Civic groups often meet and gather at
the Clarence Brown conference center, which also serves as a Georgia
local welcome center. Other informal gathering places include some of
Cartersville's restaurants, the downtown depot, and a private
residence Santini referred to as a cabin where mostly males in the
community go to have breakfast, mingle, and talk about the city.
Santini says he tries to lay low,
although once a month in the county, he'll attend breakfasts with
locals. “The Quality Inn used to be the place for every civic
organization to meet … a lot of prominent people used to eat
breakfast there,” he said. The Cartersville country club still
serves as a place where, according to its website, “business
is handled, friendships are formed and special family events are
celebrated.” Rotary clubs, Kiwanis clubs and more also serve as
informal and formal civic gatherings.
Other boards and
commissions serve as trusted organizations in the community outside
of the government itself. “I rely on a lot of different people,
depending on the situation,” says Santini. Shaw plant manager James
Jarrett, explains Santini, is an “intellectual leader, business
leader, and on some levels, a spiritual leader.” Other people that
play important roles include Melinda Lemon, head of the joint
development authority, and Ellen Archer who heads the convention and
visitor's bureau. Community leaders also include Patty Eagar who runs
the children's shelter Advocates for Children, and Gordon Gilley who
heads the Boys and Girls Club of Cartersville. “They're almost too
numerous to name,” Santini says.
Charles Fluellen, who
worked for the county, says Santini, was also a strong community
voice. Fluellen was a pastor at Glory Harvester Church who passed
away earlier this year. “Almost everywhere you turn,” says
Santini, “there's somewhere you can turn to get help, expertise, or
input – trusted information, valuable information – on whatever
topic.”
In terms of value,
residents hold heritage, leisure, work, and family in high regard.
“One of the challenges in governing versus legislating is to find
that balance … “ he says, “there are some people that are
passionate about historic preservation, there are some people
passionate about recreation … there are different segments of the
population that have different passions and you have to try to
address all those things in a reasonable fashion.”
The passionate residents
of Cartersville help grow and strengthen the city. Santini says
anytime people are active, involved and invested in the community –
which many Cartersville residents are – then the city becomes more
robust.
The community continues to
grow, historically built up from a mining community, evolving into a
manufacturing community, which later allowed the carpet industry to
grow. Cartersville also boasts a rich Native American history,
particularly in the Etowah Indian mounds and the Booth Western
history museum. The downtown area also has many historic buildings
which have been preserved by private investors.
Santini characterizes the
community as a whole with entrepreneurial spirits, rugged
individualism, and determination. “We've attracted, fortunately,
people who have been determined to come here and make something
happen.” Ernest Cochran of City Motors, Santini explains, ended up
broken down in his car with his toolbox. Cochran later created an
auto repair shop and dealership, making Cartersville his home for
nearly 60 years.
“If you look at people
like that … ” says Santini, “it probably mirrors what went on
throughout the history of Cartersville – people just either liked
it here or ended up here through no fault of their own and have
decided to make an investment and make it happen.”
“We're big enough for
20,000 people, but everybody kind of knows each other for the most
part …” he says, describing a community iconic of the 1950s where
home owners walk out onto their porches to wave at the person
dropping off packages. “I think that speaks to the reason why
people might be attracted to [the city]. We're tight-knit, but we're
a welcoming community as well.”
Santini believes the city
is seen positively, particularly by visitors to the downtown area. “I
think you'll find that there are very few people who come up here
just once.”
He feels proud that the
city has staked a reputation for being different from Atlanta, but
still close enough that those interested in dining, sightseeing, and
shopping can be comfortable and charmed by Cartersville's enticing
blend of historical, natural, and modern interests. “Once they come
here once,” he says, “they're coming back for more.”
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