Jones County People Looking Ahead Now (PLAN) is having a breakfast meeting this Saturday and anyone concerned with the future of Gray and Jones County is invited.

The PLAN meeting will begin at 8 a.m. at the Tri-County EMC community room located in the rear of the Tri-County EMC office building on West Clinton Street in Gray. The cost for the breakfast is $5, and those attending are asked to call the Chamber of Commerce office at 986-1123 to make a reservation.

The meeting will be an opportunity to hear committee updates and to find out what new is happening in the community. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Pam Christopher said she will begin notifying members this week via e-mail with a reminder of the specific goals of their respective committees.

Christopher, who also serves as the executive director of the Jones County Development Authority, will also have an update of the Georgia Regional Industrial Park that was recently rezoned by the Jones County Board of Commissioners. The rezoning of the park was one of the goals of the PLAN Economic Committee and was supported by committee members with letters to the editor. Committee members also attended the rezoning meeting and voiced their support of the park.

The 2007 PLAN retreat was held at Little Ocmulgee State Park in McRae April 5-7 under the leadership of Bob Moon and coordinated by Christopher.

Approximately 40 Jones Countians attended the event, which was facilitated by Billy Parrish and Team Georgia facilitators Malisa Thompson, community initiative coordinator; Ron Thompson and David Shellhorse, economic development field service Representatives; Phil Clark, Middle Georgia Regional Development Center senior planner; and Langford Holbrook and Skip Teaster from the Fanning Institute University of Georgia.

PLAN was formed by a steering committee of community leaders in 1997, and, over the past 10 years, helped with the formation of Jones County Family Connections and Operation Early Intervention and the reactivation of the Jones County Development Authority.

Committees from the organization were instrumental in the development of the county’s Gateway, Landscape, Sidewalk, and Buffer ordinances, and PLAN worked with the Middle Georgia Regional Development Center to develop the community’s Comprehensive Plan.

PLAN members initiated applications for ISTEA, and Better Hometown grants and the History and Heritage group began in the grassroots organization. PLAN’s housing committee collected and provided data allowing tax credits necessary for new affordable housing for seniors, and an intensive yearlong study of the county’s water system was a product of the group.