Guntersville Is An Alabama Community Of Excellence Basking In A Lake-Effect Glow

By Cary Estes

It is easy to see the appeal of the Guntersville area. All one has to do is look around. Nestled on the edge of a picturesque 69,000-acre lake with lush tree-lined mountains in nearly every direction, Guntersville is a place that puts the “great” in the great outdoors, which is why it is one of the top tourist draws in Alabama.

Since graduating from the Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) pilot program in 2006, Guntersville officials have increased efforts to make the cityscape as attractive as the surrounding landscape. As local merchant Phillip Mosley said, “We wanted to spruce things up, because company is coming.”

So, under the guidance of ACE, the city embarked on a $5 million downtown enhancement project. It was the first of many steps that Guntersville has taken to strengthen its long-term economic prospects through leadership development and strategic planning, using lessons learned from the ACE program.“ACE has been great for us because it’s provided a lot of resources we wouldn’t have otherwise had,” said Guntersville Mayor Leigh Dollar, who was first elected to the position in 2012. “The training opportunities and networking have been invaluable. Guntersville has always been very good with partnerships, but ACE has shown us other ways to partner with people. That’s so important, because it takes everybody working together to make great things happen.”

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