Clint Taylor, project manager for economic development at Georgia Power, addressed more than 70 Bowdon residents Tuesday night about how to boost the city’s ailing economy.

“Have you ever heard of cave people?” Taylor asked the group. “I define cave people as ‘citizens against virtually everything.’”

The discussion was an initiative by Carroll Tomorrow in conjunction with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce to involve key Bowdon leaders in an open conversation about the city’s future.

“It was important for us to see which way the leadership in the community believed Bowdon should go,” Daniel Jackson, president and chief executive of Carroll Tomorrow, said.

City Council members began discussing Bowdon’s economic future after they received confirmation that the Carlisle Tire and Wheel plant would not be rebuilt following a fire.

“The major reason for having this meeting is that we don’t take losing very well,” Mayor Jim Watts said. “We were not happy about the outcome of the tire plant so we decided to do something about it.”

Taylor opened the discussion with the question, “How do outsiders perceive Bowdon?” The audience then discussed the question in focus groups and presented different answers.

Some groups discussed positive aspects of Bowdon such as a friendly community or an interesting downtown while others brought up concerns, including empty storefronts and a poor transportation system.

Taylor then asked the groups to identify unique aspects of Bowdon. Many of the groups mentioned the city’s independent water supply, well-known recreation department and prime location near Atlanta.

The final step in the small group discussions was creating a wish list for the city’s future. The items presented ranged from a five-star hotel complete with a spa and golf course to a four-lane road going directly to I-20.

A general theme during the meeting, however, centered on making Bowdon a tourist destination.

Different members discussed the necessity of filling empty buildings in the downtown area, cleaning up the entrance to the city and providing a place for visitors to stay.

“Our goal for the meeting was not to come up with an immediate plan of action, but it was to see what the people of Bowdon want,” Jackson said. “We needed to know what they were willing to commit their time and resources to.”

Jackson, along with other staff members of Carroll Tomorrow, will take the lists from each focus group and identify common goals. Using Taylor as a resource, Jackson said he hopes to come up with achievable goals for Bowdon.

“We want the people to design their future,” he said. “We are just a bridge or conduit to help them get there.”

The major concern for both the chamber and the city was how and where to get appropriate resources for economic growth, so Jackson invited Corinne Thornton of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to attend the discussion.

“We cover 10 counties in West Georgia and our goal is to help grow communities,” Thornton said. “We have financially assisted numerous downtown projects and were also involved in trying to keep the Carlisle Tire plant in Bowdon.”

Jackson hopes to host another meeting once he and his committee identify realistic goals for Bowdown’s economic growth. He said he is also looking forward to having similar discussions in other parts of Carroll County.