Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

Dougherty County Public Library Community Analysis History According to Lightsey (2009), in 1926, Smithsonian archaeologists discovered Creek Indian flint arrowheads and tools near the eponymous Flint River where the city of Albany, Georgia had been established nearly a century beforehand. Nelson Tift recognized the assets of the area where Native Americans had traded textiles, weapons, and pottery when he founded Albany in 1836: rich soil, temperate climate, abundant wildlife, and pure artesian springs. With plentiful cotton crops, machinery to gin and compress the cotton into bales, and steamboats for transportation, the Flint River became the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico for commerce with Albany, which, by the early 1900s had become the retail, finance, and business center for Southwest Georgia. Newspapers touted the Artesian Citys fifteen fountains of healthas water that acts promptly and freely on the kidneys, corrects stomachic (sic) disorders as if by magic, and has proven a boon to chronic dyspeptics (Lightsey, 2009). The area continued to grow with the addition of railroad service (eventually connecting Albany to the port of Savannah), telegraph lines, improved transportation, and an endowment by a local philanthropist for a hospital that would eventually become the areas second largest employer: Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (Phoebe). A malaria outbreak in the 1930s brought a research team from Emory University to Phoebe to study the hospitals disease control program. Robert Woodruff (heir to the Coca-Cola fortune and a major landowner in an adjoining county), was Emorys primary benefactor. He was also friends with Dwight Eisenhower. Twenty years later, when Eisenhower was deciding the site for a national health center, Woodruff persuaded Ike to locate (what would become) the

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

CDC in Atlanta (and walking distance from Emorys campus) instead of Denver. A polio epidemic in the 1950s would again bring scientists and researchers to Albany to observe Phoebes medical treatments. A certificate of need helped Albany residents receive funding for a second hospital in the 1970s (Palmyra), but Phoebe remains the dominant healthcare provider in Southwest Georgia, attracting an increasing number of physicians while continuing to absorb smaller regional hospitals and clinics in many surrounding counties. A strong association with the Army Air Corps and Marines began in World War II. Albanys flat farmlands, open areas, and climate were ideal for building two airports for yearround training of American, RAF, and French pilots. Turner Field, a Strategic Air Command Air Force base was later home to B-52 aircraft carrying nuclear bombs. Two Nike missile silos are still visible today (one stands in a field), where nuclear warheads were installed during the Cuban missile crisis.

Nike Nuclear Missile Silo Dougherty County What began as a military supply depot became the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB), which survived the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) defense cuts in the 1990s.

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

It is now Albanys number one employer. Three census tracts around the base have been designated as military zones, offering unique business tax incentives. Dougherty Countys low cost of living, climate and MCLB amenities have attracted over 3000 military retirees. Albany was in the spotlight during the 1960s when Martin Luther King, Jr. led demonstrations for civil rights. Over 3000 people were jailed, but there was no widespread violence. Instead, African-Americans registered to vote in record numbers and began boycotting businesses owned by whites. Within 20 years, a black middle class would emerge in Albany and begin exiting to the suburbs alongside their white neighbors. Albany (and Dougherty County) was designated a Metropolitan Statistical Area in the 1980s, signifying its population had reached 100,000. Increased federal funding for road construction (e.g., Georgia 300) was followed by retail chains establishing locations in and around the four-year-old Albany Mall. Significant tax revenue from these new businesses financed major downtown Albany attractions: the Flint RiverQuarium, Thronateeska Heritage Center and Planetarium, River Front Park, Ray Charles Park, Turtle Grove Play Park, and the Civic Center. As the seat of Dougherty County, Albany is home to all branches of the Georgia state government, as well as the administrative offices for both the county and city. Besides the U. S. Postal Service, military recruiting, and Justice Department, the federal government branches in Albany are more region-specific: the Department of Agriculture, Federal Aviation Administration, and Secret Service (former President Jimmy Carter) maintain offices in the area.

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

Population and Demographics The Governors Office of Planning and Budget (OPB, 2010) projects the total population of Dougherty County will remain relatively flat through 2030, increasing only 1.6 percent to approximately 98,000 residents. By 2013 the number of children and students under 19 is expected to decline by 11.4 percent from 2008 levels, but significant increases are expected in the 20 to 34 age groups (15.8 percent) and a 6.3 percent increase in retirees aged 65 and over.

2008 Population by Age Group and Five Year Projection (2013)

25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2008 * (Total Population 93,212) 2013 * (Total Population 91,500) * Estimate

The Albany Economic Development Commission (EDC, 2009) estimates an average 2008 household size of 2.38, which means there are approximately 21,823 people with children in single-parent households: 13,310 are headed by a single mother, and 3,513 are headed by a single father. Two-parent households with children represent only 39 percent (less than 14,000) of this group.

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

Households with Children

(2008 estimate)

Married Couples (39%) 5,868 7,693 Male Head of Household (10%) Female Head of Household (51%) 1,476

According to the U. S. Census (Fact Finder website), the number of people who speak a language other than English in their homes cannot be displayed because the number of the sample cases is too small. Displaying the data would risk disclosing information for individuals, and is reflected in the low percentage Hispanic Ethnicity (1.4) reported in the community (EDC, 2009).

Population by Ethnicity
(2008 estimate)

Not Hispanic or Latino

91,904

Population by Ethnicity Hispanic Ethnicity 1,308

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

Population by Race
(2008 estimate)
Other (2%) 1,979

Black (60%)

56,109 Population by Race

White (38%) 0 10000 20000 30000

35,124 40000 50000 60000

Education

Over 86 percent of adults (over age 25) are projected to have earned a high school diploma in 2008. This is a 12 percent improvement from the 2000 Census which calculated Dougherty County had a 74 percent high school graduation rate. (Authors aside: it would be interesting to see the breakdown of types of Graduate Degrees held by 8.5% of the population, e.g., Ph.D., M.A. or M.S. in Education, Nursing, Business, Engineering, etc.)

Educational Attainment Age 25 + Population

(2008 estimate)
4,730 8,316 3,104 4,844 Grade K-8 (5.6%) Grade 9-12 (8.7%) High School Graduate (30.4%) 4,126 Some College (24.6%) 16,975 Associates Degree (7.4%) Bachelor's Degree (14.9%) 13,703 Graduate Degree (8.5%)

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

Business, Industry, and Employment As reported at the Albany-Dougherty County Economic Development Commissions website (2010), the commissions efforts are focused on the maintenance and expansion in five key industries, two of which correspond with the top employers already in the area: Agricultural Technology and Processing, Logistics and Defense, Manufacturing, Call Center and Data Processing, and Retail. Bleak Census Bureau and EDC statistics imply an uphill battle for these community leaders.

Top Three Employers in Dougherty County Rank 1 Name Marine Corps Logistics Base Abbreviation MCLB Number of Employees 4,700 + Industry Type Military Logistics and Defense Healthcare

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Proctor and Gamble

Phoebe

3,400 +

P&G

1,200 +

Manufacturing

Between 1990 and 2013, Dougherty County is expected to have both an increase in the number of unemployed, as well as a decline in the number employed (EDC, 2009). The sharpest decline was between 2000 and 2008 when a 7.7 percent decrease in the labor force was mirrored in a 19 percent increase in unemployment, as businesses succumbed to economic pressures. Manufacturers such as MacGregor Golf, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Bobs Candies, and Cooper Tire all shuttered their doors, leaving large, empty warehouse and manufacturing buildings tenantless. MacGregor Golfs abrupt departure left Dougherty County with over a $1 million commitment to bondholders. Cooper Tire was Albanys third largest employer, with over 1,400

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

workers (Toledo Business Journal, 2009). The ripple effect of its closing was expected to affect over 700 additional employees working for suppliers and adjunct businesses.

Unemployment Age 16+ 1990 2000 2008 estimate 5,037 2013 estimate 5,067 Percent change 1990-2013 16.3%

Unemployed in labor force Total in labor force

4,357

4,223

44,638

43,162

39,828

39,876

(10.6%)

National retailers also succumbed to the recession, leaving Albany with three empty buildings in a commercially desirable part of town: Circuit City, Office Max, and Havertys Furniture, as reported by WALB-TV News (2009). Local retailers have also felt the pressure of big box competition. Family-owned construction and building supply businesses have faced bankruptcy with Lowes and Home Depot discounting prices. A shift from walk-in to online purchasing has forced local florists (those without an Internet presence) to close: Wal-Mart and Publix both offer inexpensive arrangements. The largest blow to economic redevelopment of downtown Albany came with the closing of the Goodwill Thrift Store, which had lured suburbanites to the area and helped local eateries and nearby retail clothing stores stay in business. Income The median household income in Dougherty County has increased each year since 1990, and the poverty rate has declined from 33 percent to roughly 22 percent. There remain, however,

Community Analysis Holly Stiegel

an estimated 7,877 households (about 18,750 people) living below the $15,000 poverty line (EDC, 2009).

Median Household Income

(* 2008 and 2013 estimates)
$50,000 $45,000 $40,000 $35,000 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $5,000 $0 $43,403 $39,069 $31,147 $23,555 Median Household Income

1990

2000

2008*

2013*

Household Income
(2008 estimate)
7,877 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Up to $15,000 4,892 4,352 5,586 6,276 3,304 3,037 1,871 $15,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $34,999 $35,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 $100,000 Over to to $150,000 $99,999 $149,999

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Organizations The 2009 Albany Chamber of Commerce lists 247 churches, five religious organizations, and 131other non-profits. Chapters of national organizations include the Audubon Society, Humane Society, Toastmasters, Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, and United Way. A variety of civic clubs offer fellowship and fund-raising programs to improve Dougherty County: Lions Club, Civitan Club, Kiwanis International, Sertoma Club, Rotary Club, Elks Lodge, and Exchange Club. Health-related organizations and support groups include: Alzheimers, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease, Fibromyalgia, Hepatitis C, Leukemia & Lymphoma American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association American Red Cross Easter Seals and March of Dimes Alcoholics Anonymous, Codependents Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous Bereaved Parents

Collegiate alumni clubs are popular for the Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Albany State Rams. Dougherty County is also host to a number of social and welfare service organizations which help people battle addictions, offer safe shelter and counseling to victims of abuse, build new homes, and sell Girl Scout cookies and Boy Scout popcorn.

Opportunities for artistic expression can be found at the Albany Area Arts Council, Albany Chorale, Albany Symphony, Ballet Theatre South, Sunbelt Photo Club, Theatre Albany, and Wheel Around Square Dancing. Veterans of the Viet Nam War, Ex-POWs, and two American Legion Posts offer support and community programs.

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Libraries and Library Service Area The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES website), defines the legal service area population for the Dougherty County Public Library (DCPL) system as matching the Dougherty County boundaries, a 330 square mile area which includes Albany.

Dougherty County Boundaries

As of 2008, there were an estimated 93,212 residents served by five outlets: a Central Library (downtown Albany), and four branches. DCPL does not maintain a bookmobile, nor is it a member of a cooperative service or federation. In addition to the DCPL branches, academic libraries are located at Albany State University, Darton College, and Albany Technical College. Phoebe employs a full-time medical librarian, and Dougherty County maintains a law library, as does the Federal Appeals Court.

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Dougherty County Public Library Locations

Problems, Trends, and Community Needs Although Dougherty County residents have never failed to pass legislation to help fund the library system (a SPLOST one percent tax), the falloff in retail sales and resulting $2 million in lost revenue (Albany Herald, 2010) forced DCPL to cut 40 hours per week over the fivebranch system as of July 5, 2010. The upcoming November election includes a referendum to continue the special local option sales tax for another six years. Three of the library branches have received approval for capital improvements, notably a $5 million update and expansion of the main branch in downtown Albany. As a long-time resident of Albany, Branch Manager Rinthia Walker has observed changes and trends not only in Dougherty County, but in the three-mile service area for her branch. Her patron demographics are representative of Dougherty County statistics. Most of the

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homes in the neighborhood are single family residences which were built in the 1970s when many children walked to school. As the population has aged, children have grown up and moved away, and original residents are in the beginning stages of retirement or needing assisted living facilities. Any children in the neighborhood are usually grandchildren of the original home owners; most area students ride a bus to and from school, and there is no drop-off in the immediate vicinity of the branch. Instead of revitalizing the area with young families, homes are now sold as rental properties. Nearby Section-8 housing has depressed house values. The area has gone from a solid, middle class neighborhood to housing mid- and lower income families. After Cooper Tire closed the demand for computers and Internet access in her branch exploded. When Kia Motors was hiring for their new West Georgia plant, residents flooded Ms. Walkers staff with requests to help them apply online for jobs (only online applications were accepted). While these workers may have used computers in their manufacturing jobs, most had no idea about Internet access and applying for a job online. Weekly unemployment benefits were also filed online, thus saving a trip to the Labor Department. Many of those who could not find immediate employment took advantage of incentives to further their education by taking online classes, however, most of the enrollees have never taken an online class and have turned to library staff for answers: How do I fill out the FAFSA? How do I register for a class? How do I submit my work? While Ms. Walker stresses the importance of customer service at her branch, she admits her staff does not have the time or expertise to give advice; she tells patrons to bring a friend with them to answer any course-related questions. Patrons use online test preparation for school, military, and GACE teacher certification. They also file for bankruptcy and search for the correct federal forms to use for income taxes. Students search the GALILEO databases and get help with homework from tutor.com. Ms.

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Walker has also seen patrons in their cars in the parking lot (before and after hours) using the branchs wifi signal. When asked, many said they had been forced to drop their local Internet provider. Several patrons check out the free DVDs after having had to cut their cable service. Ms. Walker sums up the community needs in one word: Jobs. She also sees the lack of community centers as contributing to delinquency. Centers can be safe havens where students can congregate after school and be supervised in the summer. A large sports park is being renovated in the area but its facilities are for baseball and football; most youths avoid outdoor activities in the hot, humid Albany summers. Ideally, Ms. Walker would have a community center adjoin a library branch so that students could study and socialize in the same safe environment.