In the last few weeks, we have spoken with the mayors of Troup County’s three cities on what happened in 2017 and what they expect to happen in 2018.

Over the course of those interviews, certain words came up again and again. One of those words was growth.

In West Point, the growth of Point University with new dorms is expected to have a major impact on the number of people walking around downtown and by extension downtown businesses.

In Hogansville, a major housing development is expected to bring new life to the city. These new residents will hopefully continue to build on the work that is already being done by the Pioneer group.

In LaGrange, the Great Wolf Resort is expected to open later this year and attract the interest of a variety of retail and dining options to the area that would otherwise be off the table for a city the size of LaGrange.

All three mayors were also excited about the growth of small business in the last year. All three mayors have been business owners for far longer than their terms in office, so these new businesses are no doubt especially poignant for them.

This major growth in the county is exciting, but these small businesses are what make us a community. The owners are our friends, neighbors and fellow congregation members, and we could not be prouder of their success.