𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡

Elmore County leaders gathered Thursday for the Elmore County Economic Development Authority’s 2026 Unity Breakfast, focusing on the projects, partnerships and investments shaping the county’s future.

The panel discussion, facilitated by Doug Amos and Jim Byard, brought together Elmore County Commission Chairman Bart Mercer, Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis, Elmore County Public Schools Superintendent Richard Dennis and Millbrook City Council President Michael Gay to discuss growth and its impact on communities across the county.

With Elmore County continuing to attract new residents and development, Mercer said the focus must remain on making sure growth benefits the people and businesses already invested in the community.

“We want to make sure that people that have invested in our community, whether they have homes or businesses, have more reasons to stay in Elmore County than they do to leave,” Mercer said.

That means continuing to invest in the infrastructure and amenities needed to support a growing population while preserving the quality of life that has helped make Elmore County an attractive place to live.

Those investments are also creating opportunities beyond individual communities. Sports facilities across the county, for example, are drawing tournaments and visitors who support local hotels, restaurants and businesses while giving local families access to recreational opportunities.

Dennis said those facilities also provide valuable opportunities for students.

“When you start looking at all the athletic facilities, all the schools, we have people coming in from all over the region,” Dennis said. “We have the opportunity to host all types of athletic events year-round, and it’s exciting to see what’s taking place.”

The county’s investment in education extends beyond athletics, with career and technical programs, JROTC and other opportunities giving students more ways to develop skills and prepare for their future.

The new JROTC obstacle course at Stanhope Elmore High School is one example, providing students with a specialized training facility while creating the potential to host regional competitions.

For Willis, Wetumpka’s continued development demonstrates what can happen when local governments and community partners work toward shared goals.

“A lot of the success is in the partnerships and being able to do the things that we have done,” Willis said. “We would not have done it by ourselves.”

Wetumpka’s downtown revitalization and continued investment around its sports complex have helped create places for residents to gather while attracting new businesses, visitors and investment.

Gay emphasized that local governments have a responsibility to meet residents’ needs while working with community partners to create the economic opportunities that help make those investments possible.

“We represent our citizens and work to meet their needs. At the same time, we work with our partners to create the economic opportunities that help pay for those services and investments,” Gay said. “It’s a partnership. As Mayor Al Kelley has said, when we all work together, including our elected representatives, everybody wins, and that leads to great things for our community.”

The Unity Breakfast also featured the unveiling of ECEDA’s upcoming Explore Elmore tourism campaign, which will highlight communities, outdoor recreation and attractions throughout the county ahead of its public launch in 2027.

Together, the discussion and new tourism initiative reflected a broader focus on building a county where economic opportunity and quality of life continue to grow alongside one another.

As Elmore County prepares for its next chapter, the message from local leaders was clear: continued progress depends on collaboration and investments that create lasting opportunities for the students, families, businesses and communities that call the county home.