The Monticello Economic Development Commission met at noon on Wednesday, March 6, for their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. With a quorum present, the commissioners approved the minutes from the previous meeting.
Chairman, Bennie Ryburn, III, gave an update on sales tax collection for the city of Monticello stating that the city collected $274,161 which was an increase of $16,850 from the same period in 2023. Drew County collected $586,877 which was a $32,500 increase from last year. Ryburn added that lottery sales fell to $396,000, which was the first time this number has fallen below $400,000 in recent memory. Unemployment for the county is 4.1 percent, and the labor force is currently 7,528 with 7,216 of those employed.
Nita McDaniel, MEDC Director, reported that prospect No. 602 has had no activity to update.
Prospect No. 0110 has continued to be active. Their timeline for deciding on a location has continually been moved forward, and they are expected to make a final decision sometime in May. McDaniel said that she is doing everything possible at this time to sway them to pick Drew County. She added that at this point, she feels that there won’t be a lot of dialogue until it is closer to time for them to make a decision.
Prospect No. 516 has several projects that they are currently working on. If they are successful with one of these, they are going to come back and inquire about the building they previously viewed on their visit. The company likes the site and the building, and they believe their investors will feel the same.
McDaniel added that she is still trying to lock down a contractor to complete the mural project on the Jordan Drive overpass.
Scogin Drive utility work is currently underway on Old Warren Road. Mayor Jason Akers added that the project is progressing as expected.
McDaniel said that in their February meeting, the Intermodal Authority mostly discussed Prospect No. 0110, and the spending of excess grant funds tied to the intermodal site. The Authority decided to hold off on making a decision until the prospect decided on the site. At that time they would discuss how the $108,000 could be most beneficial and best serve the prospect’s needs.
McDaniel also said that she is currently awaiting invoices from SeArk on their expansion project. She will get them to the city as soon as she receives them so that the reimbursements can be allocated.
McDaniel added that communication with Alleguard continues regarding their on-the-job training program.
“We are making every effort to take care of our existing industries, as well as recruiting new ones,” McDaniel said.
Scott Barrilleaux, President of Baptist Health Medical Center-Drew County gave an update to the commission. He said that over the past five years, February has been the slowest month for deliveries, but this February the hospital delivered 47 babies. Barrilleaux added that for the past three to four months they have not delivered less than 36 babies per month. He noted that there are 46 deliveries scheduled in March and that it is possible that another seven to ten unscheduled births could come in through the ER. March has the potential to be a 50-delivery month for the hospital.
Mayor Akers stated that the city is wrapping up two relatively large infrastructure projects. The first is finishing the aerator work at the West Plant. The second is finishing the restoration of the Conrad Street water tower. This project has been slowed by the weather, but he hopes to see it finished by week's end.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned until the next meeting on Wednesday, April 3.
