COFMROM THME COMMEISSIONNER TS
6 » Comments from the Commissioner
Great People Make a
Great Community
UNION COUNTY HISTORY
In the late 1820s, a gold strike in
nearby Dahlonega set off a gold
rush, but it eventually ran dry
and many fortune hunters
moved on. Those who stayed
carved Union County from
Cherokee territory during the
Georgia Land Lottery of 1832.
Blairsville, the County seat,
was incorporated in 1835 and
remains the only incorporated
town in Union County.
After the first two County
courthouses burned down, they
were replaced in 1899 by the
red brick building that now sits
in the Town Square. The first
paved road was completed in
1926. In 1937, the Chattahoochee
National Forest became Union
County’s “green treasure.” And
in the late 1940s, the Nottely
River was dammed, leading to
the creation of pristine Lake
Nottely. Today, locals and
newcomers alike enjoy the
area’s rich history and natural
beauty!
COUNTY DESIGNATIONS:
• Appalachian Trail Community
• Camera-Ready Community
• Entrepreneur Friendly
• Georgia Work-Ready
Community
• Upper Hiwassee Highlands
American Viticultural Area
TOWNS are Blairsville (the
County seat) and Suches
(unincorporated).
TOTAL AREA = 322.55 square
miles of land and 6.47 square
miles of water (329.02 square
miles total).
Commissioner Lamar Paris is a very
visible figure in Blairsville-Union
County, having served as the sole Union
County Commissioner for 16 years and
counting. As someone born and raised in
the area, Commissioner Paris continually
works to improve his hometown for the
better. We caught up with him to get his
thoughts on what makes Blairsville-
Union County so special.
“First and foremost, we have a
great community because we have
great people,” explains the Commissioner.
“When newcomers move here,
they love what they find and want to
be part of it — they don’t want to make
it exactly like the place
they just came from.”
PROGRESS IS PART
OF A VIBRANT
COMMUNITY
Blairsville-Union
County enjoys steady
and manageable population
growth —
“Even with all
the services
and amenities
of a larger city,
Blairsville is at
heart a small
approximately 1.5
percent a year — so
municipal services are
not overwhelmed as they can be in
more booming areas. But at the same
time, growth is strong enough to provide
town.”
good employment opportunities.
“The strong economy has been good
for us,” notes the Commissioner.
“There are more jobs than we’ve ever
had. Some of our local industries are
actually having a hard time finding
enough employees.” Businesses are
also making
the decision
to relocate
to Blairsville.
“What we
hear from
those businesses
is
that moving
to a rural
Commissioner
area doesn’t
Lamar Paris
impact their production. Our
advanced internet infrastructure
gives them speeds that match Atlanta,
and with reliable air freight, UPS and
FedEx available, they don’t miss a
beat.”
SMART SPENDING
KEEPS THE BUDGET
BALANCED
Commissioner Paris is
justifiably proud of the
County’s legacy of conservative
fiscal management.
“We’re careful
about what we spend
and always look for the
best value, so our
finances are solid. We also have an
incredible group of employees working
for the County.” With a $15 million
operating budget and an additional
$3.5 million in funds coming in each
year from a Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax, the County is able to
properly maintain its bridges, roads
and fire stations (Union County is one
Continued on page 8