The Lowndes County Industrial Park will double the size of its wastewater treatment facility as the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors gave permission Friday to the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority to secure a loan to fund the project.
The LCIDA plans to borrow $10,673,000 for the project.
Butler Snow attorney Steve Edds said that while state statute requires the supervisors to approve the request for the loan, the county is under no financial obligation.
“The industrial development authority is solely responsible for payment of the loan from the revenues generated from the facility,” Edds told supervisors during Friday’s board meeting.
Water capacity now at the industrial park is 1.2 million gallons, while the average daily use ranges from 200,000 to 400,000 gallons. Increased capacity at the site, county leaders have previously said, would better accommodate future industrial growth.
Edds said the LCIDA will initially borrow the money from a local bank and will advertise for the loan subject to the supervisors’ approval.
“At some time during the term of that loan the (U.S.) Rural Development Authority will say they are at the point where they will go and purchase the loan and enter into a 30-year bond,” Edds said.
Brenda Latham, senior vice president for economic development for the Golden Triangle Development LINK, said work on the expansion should begin soon.
“We’ve already purchased the land,” Latham said. “It’s been cleared and the design work has been done so as soon as this is approved and we get the money we can start on construction.”
The board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution allowing the LCIDA to pursue the loan.
In other business, the board also approved $320,712 for paving and site prep for the pavilion/show ring at the county’s horse park. The 5,000-square foot offices have been completed, but the county is waiting on state funding to complete the pavilion.
The money approved Friday will allow for the dirt work and infrastructure to be completed and ready for construction when that funding, roughly $900,000 is acquired.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.