Renick reports on progress

Marshall County is growing with new industry and warehousing projects in the cities and at the large Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park in the north of the county.

Bill Renick, director of the Industrial Development Authority, reported on progress on several projects at the February 5 meeting of the board of supervisors.

He said new expansion at Thomas & Betts in Byhalia will include some road improvements in the area to carry truck traffic.

One more project could push the county to the $50 million mark, then Marshall would qualify for an economic package to put toward improving infrastructure that will attract more industry and commercial growth.

One party is interested in putting in some spec buildings at Chickasaw Trails, which would be a boon to the already growing manufacturing and warehousing businesses in that area, he said.

After Renick, consultant Gary Anderson spent a few minutes updating supervisors on the current legislative session. He said the session is shaping up to be a tight year for appropriation bills - that he expects the Legislature to be hit with lots of requests for bond bills. Deadline for submission of bond bills is March 12.

Supervisor George Zinn III asked Anderson where the voter reform proposal might go in this session.

“The House does not have the appetite to make all these changes everybody wants,” he said. “I think this year will be a learning year for the Legislature.”

denied an appeal from Roy Hill with Apostolic Tabernacle Church to locate in a subdivision, saying there was insufficient acreage for it (two acres).
granted a beer license for a business in Barton that had changed names.
approved travel for justice court clerks to attend Mid-Winter Conference in February and for Chuck Thomas to attend Mid-Winter Conference for chancery court clerks in Jackson.
approved claims totalling $349,322 for the last two weeks in January.
authorized the county road department to replace a bridge on Highway 309 in Byhalia. The bridge is located between Highway 178 and the railroad track. Supervisors learned the state would not assume care of the section of 309 through Byhalia until the bridge is fixed.

Supervisor Keith Taylor requested the action, saying the Town of Byhalia was low on funds but safety is paramount.

“Everyday school buses cross that bridge,” he said. “Technically, it is not our responsibility, but safety is the main issue.”

Larry Hall, county administrator, reminded supervisors that power lines would have to be moved from over the bridge.

The board then unanimously approved the bridge replacement contingent upon the Town of Byhalia taking care of the power line situation.

discussed a proposal from Chuck Thomas that $20,000 in chancery clerk fees be spent to refurbish the county administrator’s and supervisor’s offices.


Thursday, February 14, 2008
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