The 2008 Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) were announced and Claire Crawford and Cooper Kennard, both of Starkvile, were honored in the 18 under Youth category for volunteer serevice to the community. The Ledger has the story.

Courtesy Ben Bounds, GSDP

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4/21/08

The Cotton District Arts Festival & Taste of Starkville 2008 drew a record crowd totaling somewhere in the ballpark of 17,000 (unofficial) this past Saturday, April 19.

The Cotton District Arts Festival, Starkville CVB, Starkville Restaurant Association and Y’All Magazine work together to coordinate the Taste of Starkville, Sweet Tea Challenge and Server Race. This year’s winners are as follows:

Taste of Starkville:

Best of the Taste of Starkville – Harvey’s with their steak on a stick
Best Fair Food – the Veranda for their turkey leg
Longest Line – Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern
Best Presentation – BIN 612 with the Italian Burger
Most Likely to Need a Napkin – Rock Bottom Ribs
Most Southern – Barnhills with their fried catfish
Best Burger – Trace Grill
Best for a Sweet Tooth – Bops
Best on a Hot Day – Sno Biz
Most Kid Friendly – Chill Factor Creations – Cotton Candy

Sweet Tea Challenge:

Best Restaurant – Rock Bottom
Best Individual – Ross Williams, Starkville resident
Most Unique – Shaherazad’s
Winners in the “Best” categories won Y’All magazine prizes and a rocking chair from Woodland Furniture

Server Race:

With a time of 2 minutes and 20 seconds, team VERANDA won. They reclaimed the traveling trophy after winning the first competition in 2004. Harvey’s restaurant has won it the past three years, but was defeated by the Veranda by just a few seconds.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.starkville.org

http://www.starkvillearts.org

The Dispatch reports on the progress of the Cooley Building project and the possibility that the 1% tax bill will be relaunched in the Senate.

Hopefully this project will get off the ground. It’s time for MSU, the City, the County and GSDP to prove they can work together (for a change) toward a project that will benefit everyone. Scuttlebut is that the retail side will be first class, propelling Starkville forward in retail development.

In some ways, Thornell’s resignation makes a bad day. It signals that the plan in place wasn’t working.

In some ways, it brings a sense of optimism. A change in leadership (at GSDP, at MSU, at the two local school systems) may signal a new dynamic in city and county leadership. With a new Board of Supes and changes in municipal elected officials due in the next year or so, have we reached a tipping point of sorts?

David Thornell was always cordial and polite and seemed to be a nice guy. Best of luck to him.

It’s always difficult to see an employment separation in such a public manner. But at the end of the process, I believe Starkville and Oktibbeha County will be poised for it’s best days yet.

Update: Dispatch story on resignation.

From a reader–

April 17th, 2008

Starkville, MS-For Immediate Release: For more info: Call 323-3322
Thornell Resigns as CEO of Partnership

The Greater Starkville Development Partnership Board of Directors accepted today the resignation of David Thornell, who has served as President and CEO of the organization since its inception in April, 2001. The Partnership consists of three member agencies, which are the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority. As such, the organization receives both public and private funding from almost 400 members.

During Thornell’s tenure, Starkville and Oktibbeha County have experienced significant growth on a variety of fronts, including a 161% increase in the value of construction permits issued in the City, led by a 250% increase in the number of residential units built, comparing 2007 to 2002 levels. The Ad Valorem tax collections in the City have risen by 41% since 2002, and the 2% Food and Beverage Tax collections have increased by over 26% over the past 5 years. Sales Taxes collected in Starkville have grown by 30% due to many new retail and service businesses that have opened in the community in recent years. As for manufacturing jobs and governmental establishment growth (not including MSU), the Mississippi Development Authority credits the County with 58 new or expanded businesses since 2001. These businesses created 1,840 new jobs and invested over $321 million in their local facilities.

Thornell informed the Board that he will be entering the field of commercial real estate back in his home state of Alabama, where he purchased a home last December. In the near-term, he will also be acting as a paid consultant for Castle Properties, a Columbus-based development company with active projects in Starkville, Columbus and Tupelo. Thornell stated that, “I feel that this new direction will offer the best option for my family as we look forward to opening another chapter of our lives. I am very proud of the accomplishments we can claim in the past, but I am also certain that Starkville-Oktibbeha County will continue to grow under someone new who can bring a fresh perspective. I thank everyone who has supported me and this Partnership in our success. I will count it as a wonderful experience for the rest of my life.”

Partnership Board Chairman Terry Kemp said that, “on behalf of the Board, we are glad to have had the opportunity to work with David in creating and implementing this new team approach to community and economic development for our County. We could not have done it without his knowledge, his dedication and hard work to bring us to where we are today. We wish him and his family the very best in the future.”
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