By By Paul Keane
Publisher
Echoing sentiments expressed by nearly everyone in attendance, Atmore Mayor Howard Shell told attendees at Tuesday night's 57th Annual Membership Meeting of the Atmore Chamber of Commerce that good things can happen to the area if everyone pitches in.
"Community pride and doing the things that make us proud of our city will take us where we want to go," Shell told the audience. "Each one of us is responsible for stepping forward and doing our part to make our community better."
Shell alluded to the talk and rumors swirling around possible industries coming to Atmore. While admitting that no announcements have been made, he feels like Atmore has put itself in a positive position to at least be looked at seriously as a location for an industry.
"I feel that the 400 acres on the interstate has made us a strong candidate for new industry to come to the area," he said. "We've certainly attracted the attention of the Mobile Register, the Birmingham News and other newspapers and publications.
"I hope the people at those newspapers know what they are talking about because it's all good news for Atmore coming out in the papers."
Shell pointed out that the city has received various grants over the past year to handle neighborhood rehab, building demolitions, communication systems and other projects which were needed in the city. He also said that grants and city money alone won't accomplish what is needed.
"The City can't do it all, the Chamber can't do it all and one business can't do it all," Shell said. "We all have to come together and bring solutions to the table for fixing some of the problems that we have.
"And we all need to take pride in our neighborhoods, our communities and the city as a whole. If we don't take pride in Atmore, how can we go out and solicit new businesses and industries to come to Atmore?"