Columbus Mayor Robert Smith’s vision is for the city to be one of hope, choice and opportunity.
He shared that vision, as well as what he considered the city’s successes of 2014 and plans for 2015, with the Columbus Exchange Club Thursday at Lion Hills.
“We visualize Columbus as a viable place to live, work and raise a family,” Smith said.
Smith shared the stage Thursday with John Acker of the Columbus Redevelopment Authority, as they spoke about the city’s growing tax base and the developments that drove that growth.
Smith said that in the 2014 fiscal year the city collected $8.75 million in sales tax — up 152,000 from the previous fiscal year — and $7.783 million from its 41.23 ad valorem tax mills. The value of a city property tax mill, however, fell from $171,000 to $167,000 between those years.
Smith said Columbus added 17 new businesses in 2014, and among those were big-box retailers like Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. This year, he said Columbus would benefit from Cracker Barrel restaurant’s arrival, as well as planned expansions for the Premier Ford and Carl Hogan auto dealerships. This year will also see a new and improved Trotter Convention Center unveiled.
The city’s recent annexation of 1,462 residents and 67 businesses — mostly around Lindbergh Road — will also improve the city’s prospects, he said.
Further, Smith spoke on Thursday about improvements to the police and fire departments — including acquiring five new police cruisers, five used police cruisers and working to get a $1.2 million ladder truck. He also mentioned a $1.4 million grant that will fund a drainage ditch improvement project on 14th Avenue and a planned $200,000 Tennessee Williams-Catfish Alley connector project that a Mississippi Department of Transportation grant will mostly fund.
Acker updated Exchange Club members discussed the city’s Urban Renewal Plan, which he said targets many properties in the city’s Central Business District and now includes the old Lee Middle School. He said Columbus greatly needs more quality residential areas. He also mentioned the redevelopment authority plans to announce plans for some type of project in the next 2-3 months.
Exchange Club President Elizabeth Johnson said club members enjoyed hearing from their guests Thursday.
“We are thrilled about welcoming the mayor as our guest who provided a progress report about the growth of the city and prospects for 2015,” Johnson said. “We were equally excited to learn about the plans of the redevelopment authority.”
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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