GLASGOW — Edmonton city officials are moving ahead with plans to construct a spec building in hopes it will help attract industry to the area, despite the scaling back of production by some area manufacturing companies.
The 65,000 square foot building will be constructed on the city’s industrial site on Ky. 163. The project will be overseen by members of the Edmonton-Metcalfe County Industrial Development Authority.
The city council recently joined forces with the Metcalfe Fiscal Court to officially create the Edmonton-Metcalfe Industrial Development Authority, which is seeking $1.7 million in funding through the Tennessee Valley Authority, the state and a local bank for the project.
Councilwoman Teresa Welsh asked Mayor Howard Garrett on Monday night if it was the right time to go ahead with such a project.
“Well, from what the industrial authority has been told, and this is coming from TVA, if you don’t have anything to show prospective clients, they won’t look at you,” Garrett said.
Welsh pointed out that the city will soon have an empty manufacturing facility on Industrial Drive due to the closing of a factory.
Garrett told her the city has inquired about purchasing the building, but that the company has said it is not interested in selling it.
“We don’t have any buildings to show anyone,” he said.
The council moved ahead with the project by appointing three people to serve on the industrial authority’s board of directors. They were Tommy Nunnally, two years; Mark Linkous, three years; and Joseph Curry, four years.
Until recently only the fiscal court had been making appointments to the organization’s board of directors, but according to an agreement between the city council and the fiscal court, each governing body will now be responsible for appointing three people to sit on the six-member board.
Next, the council adopted a resolution authorizing Garrett to guarantee the indebtedness of the industrial authority for the construction of the spec building.
He explained the resolution was something the TVA has requested.
“TVA has asked for some information from the city,” Garrett said. “They need three years of audits of the city. That’s already been gotten for them. They needed an opinion from the city attorney stating we could guarantee (50 percent of the) debt … and then, also, we needed a resolution guaranteeing the indebtedness of the Edmonton-Metcalfe County Industrial Devel-opment Authority.”
The fiscal court will be responsible for the remaining 50 percent of the debt.
The industrial authority has received a grant for $200,000 to fund infrastructure installation, and a $300,000 grant to cover design and construction costs. Garrett pointed out that the $200,000 grant for infrastructure is not included in the $1.7 million figure.
He also noted that before the industrial authority enters into any loan or finalizes any agreement, there will be a joint meeting of the city council and the fiscal court.
“Once the industrial authority goes to bid and the bids come back in, we will have a joint meeting between city council and fiscal court to show members what is being planned and then the council and fiscal court will know how much money we’re talking about,” Garrett said.
Local News
Council decides to proceed with building
- Local News
-
-
Monroe man had been shot
The man accused of conspiring to kill a Monroe County man in his home, then setting fire to the residence called state police and admitted to the crime, according to testimony given at his preliminary hearing Tuesday in Monroe County District Court.
-
City, county partner to attract jobs
Barren County is joining in the efforts to bring jobs to the county through a Community Development Block grant jointly applied for with the city.
-
Bowers’ efforts helped improve road
Those who knew Sarah Ann Bowers the best say she was the kind of person who never turned down a challenge.
-
Hart man injured in crash
A Munfordville man is in fair condition after a two-vehicle crash in Hart County on Monday.
-
Pot fields found in Monroe County
A large marijuana plot was located Monday about five miles south of Tompkinsville, according to a release by the Kentucky State Police.b
-
Southern States board named
Ralph Dunbar and Jerry Wyatt were elected to the local board at the Southern States annual membership meeting on Aug. 26.
-
Sesquicentennial shows local pride
Metcalfe County’s three-day sesquicentennial celebration got under way Friday afternoon with a welcoming address by local officials.
Keynote speaker was Herb Sparks, an Edmonton attorney, who said Metcalfe County is “populated with the greatest people on the face of the earth.” -
Officials ready for big lake crowds
During the Labor Day weekend, officials at the Barren River Lake State Resort Park expect to see an increased crowd, despite some drawbacks supplied by Mother Nature.
-
Lyons learning to speak with her hands
Kali Lyons has always been the kind of person to use her hands to express herself while talking, so it’s only fitting she would want to learn sign language.
-
Hurt, London vie to be county clerk
Incumbent Joanne London will face former Barren River State Park manager Bobby Lee Hurt in November in the Barren County Court Clerk’s race.
- More Local News Headlines
-
