News and information about Starkville and Oktibbeha County
by Richard Corey
Board of Aldermen, Ward 4
I had mixed feelings concerning the luncheon we had regarding economic development in the M-Club building on campus. The University was gracious enough to host the event with several people from the community in attendance. My biggest personal complaint would have to be that it seemed too much like it was patting ourselves on the back. [Read more...]
Coach Croom appeared in Memphis at the Legends dinner this weekend celebrating 50 years of the Liberty Bowl. Funny quote from UCF head coach George O’Leary at the end in regards to Croom’s recent raise and extension.
This isn’t a local story, but I found this story on Msnbc.com very interesting in regards to the future of the printed press. I had someone tell me at the recent Mississippi Press Association that local newspapers that view themselves as news organizations will survive, but those we see themselves as newspapers will not. So many local papers have the mindset that all revenue must run through their terribly expensive presses. That is a sure way to failure.
The Dispatch chronicles the grand opening of the Farmer’s Market. Congrats to Tammy Tyndall and the rest of the organizers on a job well done.
The “Banquet Chicken” post from last week continues to draw attention. The Commercial Dispatch has requested permission to reprint it after WCBI’s Steve Rogers referenced it in a column last week. I thought it was time to talk to Link CEO Joe Max Higgins to get his take on economic development in the Triangle.
Here’s what I learned:
Joe Max is a nice enough guy. A little crude, but a straight shooter. He doesn’t seem to have the rapid hate “for all things Starkville” that he is perceived to have. He’s paid a lot of money to promote Columbus and Lowndes County and has done that very well.
As of today, he has overseen $3.6 billion in new investments into Lowndes County with an increase of 5984 jobs since 2003. He has counted 2000 jobs and $100 million from the new Columbus retail mall which may or may not happen. That still leaves $3.5 billion and almost 4000 jobs created over the past five years. That would be almost equal to building another MSU in Oktibbeha county, but without the edam cheese.
According to Higgins, when the first Lowndes megasite was in the process of being certified, West Point and Starkville were both approached about a cost-share agreement to develop the project. West Point didn’t have the resources and Starkville didn’t have much interest. Two months after the megasite was certified, SeverCorr comes into the picture. The rest has led to the numbers above.
Higgins answers to one board whereas the CEO of the GSDP answers to four. That is one of our major problems. The CEO of the LInk has one master, while the CEO of the Partnership has many. The Link also concentrates on economic development along with running their Chamber while their CVB is a separate organization not under Link control.
The Link has a much, much larger budget to work with than the GSDP. $1.2 million was the number quoted by Higgins with a war chest in reserve of a few million dollars. They have the resources to move quickly and secure deals.
When I brought up the idea of a true regional economic development team, he said his folks might have jumped at the chance 5 years ago. Now, not so much. Why should they dilute their successes when they have had so many wins without Starkville or West Point’s help?
He also said that schools in Lowndes County were getting around $6 million a year in revenues from the new industrial investments. Not only has a job and investment gap been created between them and us, but their schools are better funded because of the wealth being created in the county.
It really is worse than I thought. Columbus has succeeded beyond their wildest dreams with more on the horizon. They are funding their schools, providing good paying jobs and generally running circles around Starkville.
The tenure of Thornell was a disaster. David was probably set up to fail from the start with four boards, little funding, and no freedom to implement a plan.
It is time for the GSDP to reorganize. The CVB needs to be under the control of its own board, but it should maintain offices at the Partnership. The Chamber and OCEDA boards needs to cede control to the GSDP Executive Committee. The Executive Committee needs to be cleaned out of the people who have allowed this to happen.
It is late in the third quarter. We are down by 35 and facing fourth and eleven. I don’t have much faith in our chances to make a first down, much less win the game, at least with our current team and coaches. All the silver cowbells and crystal cups given as appeasements to the gods of economic development aren’t going to help us now. We need a new plan and a new quarterback.
If we do not make systemic changes, the new CEO of the Partnership will likely be another ineffective stuffed shirt.
Courtesy of the Clarion Ledger. This just about says it all. Maybe a new mascot for UM? You have to love the lead up to college football season. Had to share.
The development around the airport has been nothing short of amazing the past 5 years. Much of that success lies with the Link and Joe Max Higgins. Over $1 billion of investment is nothing to sneeze at.
From the SDN article on the new road opening:
“We know that every job that’s been created out there is not filled by a Lowndes County citizen. As we succeed and create jobs, we’re creating opportunities for the counties around us,” said Joe Higgins, the Columbus-Lowndes Development Link’s CEO said Wednesday afternoon.
Higgins has done a great job for his constituents. Where is the rest of the Triangle on this? It isn’t the “Lowndes-Columbus Regional Airport,” but the “Golden Triangle Regional Airport,” equally owned and funded by the all three counties and cities in the Triangle.
The next hire by the GSDP for CEO is one of the most important for this area as any in the past 50 years. Like the pick for MSU president, this one needs to be a grand slam.
By Jogee Lenarduzzi
StarkvilleNow correspondent
The Starkville board of aldermen Tuesday night shot down a request by Michael Kraker to allow residential uses in a business zone.
Kraker wanted to add apartments next to one of his existing apartments on the corner of Highway 182 and North Montgomery, much to the dismay of surrounding neighbors.
Aldermen Matt Cox motioned to deny Kraker’s request and was second by Roy Perkins. All aldermen present except Richard Corey agreed with the motion. Janette Self was not present at the meeting.
Cox denied the request because he felt Kraker had not met three of the five criteria for conditional use of a zone Kraker wanted to make it conditional residential use although it is zoned commercial. These three criteria were land use compatibility, sufficient site size and mitigation techniques.
Neighbors had spoken out against the project, which would include 12 new apartments and 24 additional parking spaces.
Neighbors of the existing apartment complex complained to the Planning and Zoning Commission at their last public meeting about run-off problems, noise issues, indecent exposure, trash, etc.
Although Kraker appeased the Planning and Zoning Commission, he could not convince neighbors of this project’s merits.
The board voted in favor of four other requested zoning alterations that were previously approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The aldermen also approved the much discussed and revised False Alarm Ordinance the updated Administrative Fine Schedule Resolution and the Stop Sign Implementation Policy. Each of these changes was recommended by the Infrastructure Committee.
The Infrastructure Committee suggested revisions to the False Alarm Ordinance to make fines less steep. The ordinance now will not issue a fine until there have been four false alarms. The fine can be waived if the user can prove they are taking steps to fix the false alarms.
Since the False Alarm Ordinance was enacted, false alarms have decreased dramatically, according to the Starkville Police Department. P.C. (Mac) McLaurin made the motion to approve the alterations to the ordinance with the stipulation that if false alarms increased again, the ordinance would be revisited. The motion was second by Cox and passed unanimously. The Stop Sign Implementation Policy simply gives the aldermen the authority to assign or take away stop signs around town. It also allows citizens of a neighborhood to petition to have a stop sign removed or placed in their area.
McLaurin made the motion to approve and was second by Corey. All present voted in favor.
The board then approved the Administrative Fine Schedule Resolution. This set next year’s fine schedule to decrease false alarm fines and increase others such as animal vaccination fines.
The board handled several other matters of mostly routine business and heard about progress and future plans for the Mississippi Horse Park.
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