City awarded for being top rural community

Anyone passing Marianna on Interstate 10 will know that Marianna is USDA’s Florida Rural Community of the Year, thanks to this billboard near the Penn Avenue Interstate 10 interchange.- Mark Skinner/Floridan

By: Morgan Carlson | Jackson County Floridan
Published: January 21, 2011

The “City of Southern Charm” has much to be proud of. On Thursday morning, Marianna was officially awarded a plaque and given the title of Florida Rural Community of the Year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Florida presents the award to one rural community each year that has engaged in significant efforts to improve the quality of life of its citizens.

Rural Development State Director Richard A. Machek presented the award to the city. Machek said the award is “a big deal,” adding “a lot of people would love to have this prestigious award.”

Machek said the City of Marianna has done many things that probably haven’t been noticed by most residents. People just see these things happen and say, “’Wow, we got a new street; wow, we got better water pressure; or wowm what’s that big steel building they’re building,’” Machek observed.

Marianna was chosen for its emphasis on infrastructure and its success in “leveraging funds to maximize funding opportunities,” according to a press release from Florida USDA Rural Development.

Marianna also scored high on economic development projects and community collaboration.

The Marianna Board of City Commissioners received a commemorative plaque reading: “2010 Community Development Award acknowledges the City of Marianna, Florida as the Rural Community of the Year for outstanding achievements in carrying out a comprehensive program of sustainable community and economic development that has resulted in tangible improvements in the quality of life for its residents.”

About a dozen rural communities throughout Florida competed for the award. Marianna submitted an application for the award highlighting the city’s accomplishments. The detailed narrative emphasized recent projects that have enhanced the quality of life in Marianna.

The projects included improvements to roads and sidewalks; airport improvements; downtown revitalization; the purchase of the historic First National Bank building; revitalization of blighted areas; and the construction of Madison Street Park.