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October 8, 2009

Chatsworth, Eton candidates tout growth, diversification

By Charles Oliver

CHATSWORTH — Candidates for City Council and Eton stressed the need to grow and diversify the economy Thursday night at a forum hosted by the Murray County Democratic Party.

Four candidates for three seats spoke to about 20 people at the meeting at the Murray County Senior Center. City elections are nonpartisan.

Wayne Graves, the sole candidate for Chatsworth City Council Post 2, noted that in the next 40 years the population of Murray County is forecast to grow 50 percent.

“We’ve got to plan 40 years ahead for water, for streets or we will be in the same situation Atlanta is now,” he said.

“We can work with our state and federal representatives to consider a dam on the Conasauga River near Calhoun, Dalton and Chatsworth. It would attract more businesses, more industry, more tourism,” he said. “That’s one thing we should be doing because it takes so long to get a dam built.”

Celeste Martin and Michael Ray, who will face incumbent Margaret Adams for Chatsworth City Council Post 1, also spoke about preparing for the future.

“I would like to see a greater online presence for our community on the Internet, so that people can see what we have to offer here and we can market ourselves a little better to the rest of the world,” she said.

Martin also said she would work to get younger people more involved in the community.

Ray said that if Chatsworth cannot diversify its economy it could become a “ghost town.”

He also said that he would like to see a program to educate people about how their sales taxes support local services.

“People don’t realize when you spend money in your community how far it goes, what jobs it provides,” he said.

He said that if people realize how important those taxes are to their community they might be more likely to buy locally.

Donna Hogan, who faces incumbent Steve Shaw for Eton City Council Post 2, said she wanted to help that city grow.

“I just want to be a part of that,” she said.

Murray County resident Marion Whiteside who attended the meeting said she appreciated all of the candidates who came to speak.

“I admire each one who spoke and presented their ideas,” she said.

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