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For more than 80 years, the Vinson Institute has worked with public officials throughout Georgia and around the world to improve governance and people's lives. From Georgia's early days as a largely agrarian state with a modest population to its modern-day status as a national and international force in business, industry, and politics with a population of almost 10 million, the Institute has helped government leaders navigate change and forge strong directions for a better Georgia.
In the Spotlight > County Officials Get Lessons on Infrastructure during Metro Mobile Classroom

County Officials Get Lessons on Infrastructure during Metro Mobile Classroom

Posted May 24, 2012
Contact: Courtney Yarbrough, cryarb@uga.edu; 706.542.6221

PhotoA group of thirty-six county officials got an up-close look at the connection between infrastructure and economic development May 17–18 during the 2012 May mobile classroom coordinated by the Vinson Institute and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG).

Participants in the mobile classroom visited a number of important transportation and infrastructure hubs in metro-Atlanta to witness behind-the-scenes how people, freight, and more move around and through the state. The group began their tour in Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where they viewed operations at the world's busiest airport and learned about the challenges faced by the air travel industry.

PhotoAt the next stop, the CSX Railroad Education and Development Institute Campus, participants visited the CSX switching yard, training center, and locomotive simulator. They also heard a talk about how Atlanta and Georgia's history as important centers for train transportation led to the state becoming a major gateway for national and international trade today. The second day of the mobile classroom took the county officials to the Georgia Department of Transportation's (DOT) Transportation Management Facility. DOT representatives reviewed emergency response plans for severe weather events and talked about how the department can work with local governments and help them develop their own plans.

Mobile classrooms are experiential learning opportunities that put local officials on the ground so they can learn firsthand about important issues in the state and how different localities are responding to opportunities and challenges. ACCG and the Vinson Institute have cosponsored six mobile classroom programs since the series began in 2006. Through these programs, county officials have addressed the economic impact of the coastal economy and fisheries, considered the changing demographics of the state, gained a better understanding of community health care initiatives, and more.

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County Officials Observe Economic Development in Action during Mobile Class >>

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