Renick reports on IDA

Renick reports on IDA

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

The Marshall County Industrial Development Authority is seeking inter-local agreements between municipal and county governments to develop potential industrial park sites for Toyota suppliers, according to Bill Renick, executive director.

He said industries looking for sites are seeking regional deals where local governments cooperate to provide services (site development and infrastructure).

Several sites already exist that could be attractive for large industrial employers - one in Byhalia and one in Holly Springs with rail access - but Renick anticipates a third site could be located near the West Holly Springs Exit. He said inter-local agreements between IDA, the county and City of Holly Springs would open the way for development of a site there and places elsewhere all along Highway 78, future I-22.

IDA would work with property owners interested in entering agreements with IDA, and planning grant money would be sought by the cooperating government entities and IDA, he said.

Byhalia and Potts Camp could be offered similar inter-local agreements with IDA, he said.

IDA would form a management committee for any new park developed and the cities and county would have representation on the committee, he said.

“The purpose of agreements is to turn everything over to an IDA management committee and the administration of it would be by IDA so you have a single agency to work with prospects,” he said, referencing the successful attraction of Toyota to Blue Springs by the Pontotoc/Union/Lee (PUL) Alliance which incorporated agreements with six municipalities.

“Somebody has got to take the lead if you are going to start up a new industrial park,” he said. “You’ve got to be sending signals out that everybody’s singing off a single sheet of music.”

Supervisors asked how zoning would be involved.

Renick said zoning is a tool in economic development and property would be rezoned by the existing zoning authorities (county or municipalities).

The inter-local agreements will bind local governments that sign on, but not change or supercede any state or local laws in place, he said.

“They (prospects) don’t want to go to three or four places to get an answer,” Renick said. “IDA will go to the three or four places to get the answer for them.”

Renick said for the cities and county to get ready for prospective growth, industrial sites should be selected and the soil testing and environmental impact tests should be done and paid for.

“You’ve got to invest money in that,” he said.

IDA also wants to look at land to buy, too, he said.

Private owners who sign on with IDA pay a 4 percent fee if their land sells, he said. Then IDA invests those fees in utilities and other infrastructure needs, as is done at Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park.

So far, three Toyota assembly plant suppliers have been looking at sites in Marshall County, Renick said.

“We are always going to get that shot, whether we get a project or not, but we have to be prepared,” he said.

Renick reported on IDA activities:

a new small industry is buying land in Chickasaw and will invest about $1 million in land and equipment. IDA will apply for DIP (Mississippi Development Infrastructure Program) funds to extend a road in front to the facility. The industry will employ about 20.
the owners of the WENCO building have agreed to sell it to a metal fabricator company in Holly Springs. The company wants to move into the facility to quickly grow its business.
Toyota suppliers are looking at a site in Holly Springs that could bring 500 new jobs and another in Byhalia that can bring 450 new jobs. The two prospects would serve as regional suppliers to three or four Toyota assembly plants located within a day’s drive of Marshall County.
IDA wants to buy land to provide a direct route from the airport to the West Holly Springs exit. The route would help arrivals and other development in the area.
the engineering contract for I-269 has been let. The first segment of I-269 will pass through Chickasaw Trails and some dirt work will begin in 2008.
Lund Precision Group is installing equipment but is not in full operation in Holly Springs. Total grant dollars to get the facility ready for production is now at $625,000, Renick said.

In other business, the board of supervisors:

signed a resolution to withdraw from the Northeast Mississippi Solid Waste Authority. A prior resolution to withdraw from the authority had not been executed.
learned from engineer Larry Britt that work to replace the first bridge south of Waterford on Old Highway 7 South could begin in June or July. State aid has let the project to contract. The bridge will take longer to complete because engineers found a 31-degree skew in the bridge which requires the bridge to be constructed of poured concrete, he said.
discussed animal control ordinances and due process for seizure of an animal.

County attorney Tacey Clayton Locke, advised the board that she, the justice court clerk, judges, the sheriff and zoning director are all working to solve current complaints and to work out the best way to notify owners of a complaint or seizure.

Locke added that the legal costs to aggressively pursue animal seizures add to the litigation the county already has.

Supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett and George Zinn III called for dealing with the issue of vicious dogs head on.

“I want a ban on pit bulls in Marshall County,” Bennett said. “This dog situation has been going on for a long time. We keep putting it behind the burner. Potts Camp has banned pit bulls.”

“I agree,” said Zinn.

“We’re going to have to fund animal control instead of taking it out of the sheriff’s budget,” Bennett continued. “I would like to prepare folks, come budget time, we’re going to have to be set up for animal control. We have to fund animal registration, shots, all of it, to make it safer for everybody.”
discussed lot cleanup orders including properties at the intersection of Hernando and Red Banks Roads and in District 3.

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