Budget cuts have led to the merger of the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Centers in Dalton and Rome.

“Tuesday was the last day of operations for the Georgia Highlands College office, and as of this morning, the operations are consolidated and will be up here in Dalton,” Georgia SBDC area director Peter Matthews said Wednesday.

“Instead of eight counties served out of Dalton, we now have 12 counties (including Whitfield and Murray). We’ve taken on Bartow, Floyd, Gordon and Chattooga counties,” he added.

Matthews said the two offices formerly had six staffers serving 14 counties. The combined office will have three people serving 12 counties. Polk and Paulding counties, which were served by the Rome office, were moved into a different service area.

“The people who actually speak with us will not see a whole lot of difference. There will be some longer times waiting to be able to get assistance,” he said. “The community leaders, the organizations we work with, are probably going to be the ones who see it the most.”

Melanie Suggs, executive director of the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority, says the merger will affect local entrepreneurs.

“We at least are somewhat relieved that they are going to be based here,” she said. “But anytime you cut assistance for small businesses that hurts our local entrepreneurs.”

The Georgia SBDC Network provides low cost training and free consulting services, including assistance with business plan development, market analysis and marketing strategies, financial analysis, compliance and legal issues, and preparation of loan submissions for individuals who want to start their own businesses or expand an existing one.

Matthews says the Dalton office, at Dalton State College, assists more than 200 business owners a year. It can be reached at (706) 272-2700.