The invitation is out for Oktibbeha County to join the Columbus-Lowndes Development Link.
Link Executive Director Joe Max Higgins said Monday he would be happy to talk with officials in Starkville about a partnership.
“Starkville is welcome. They’re invited to the table,” he told members of the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau board.
Higgins came to the meeting to share the news that Clay County will now be part of the Link family, an announcement the Link made Friday.
In exchange, the West Point-Clay County Growth Alliance will pay $350,000 each of three years to have the services of a full-time economic developer working on its behalf.
Higgins assured the CVB board that no Columbus city or Lowndes County money will be spent to attract industry to Clay County.
The Link will maintain two accounts to separate the money — one for Clay and one for Lowndes.
“I think that’s the only way we’re going to be able to do it,” Higgins said.
Higgins noted Clay County has the highest unemployment rate in the state.
The county reported 18.6 percent unemployment for November, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Lowndes County’s unemployment rate was 11 percent; Oktibbeha’s was 9.7 percent; Noxubee’s was 14.9 percent.
A major blow to the county was the loss of Bryan Foods meat processing plant in West Point nearly five years ago. The operation comprised 550,000 square feet on 70 acres. When parent company Sara Lee Foods closed the plant, about 1,200 employees lost their jobs.
Jeff Rowell, former executive director of the West Point-Clay County Growth Alliance, said previously it’s difficult to market the site because it was built for a specific purpose.
Rowell left the Alliance’s employ in December.
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