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Pellet plant 'a go'; vote on some provisions delayed Jackson Mayor Richard Long reported to the city council, Tuesday, Jan. 8, that the Clarke County Commission had approved $250,000 to support the city's effort to provide support and services to the Highway 177 industrial park, clearing the path for a new wood pellet plant to be located there. Long asked the commission Dec. 10 to contribute the funds. The commission will not have to contribute the funding until the beginning of fiscal year 2009 (October 2008) and can pay the contribution in installments. During the meeting, council members approved a project agreement with DG Pellets I, LLC, which will provide approximately 113 jobs in Jackson. DG Pellets' parent company New Gas Concepts (NGC), Inc. recently constructed a plant in Selma, which combines wood by-products with chemicals to produce a long-burning product, similar to charcoal briquettes, which are sold to European Union electrical utilities and feedstock for power generation. "I would like to thank the county commission for their support of this project," said Long. The city has committed to lease DG 57-1/2 acres in the industrial park and four acres at the Jackson port, provide water, fire protection specifications and sewer to the property line at a value of $400,000, fund site prep up to $1 million, and fund the cost of site prep engineering and grant administration at a value of $200,000. Ad valorem taxes will be abated with the exception of educational taxes. DG will invest $118 million, providing 113 jobs with an average salary of $42,000. They will purchase wood products from area landowners and byproducts from paper mills, sawmills and other manufacturing plants. DG is expected to buy 600,000 tons of chips-a-year at an estimated cost of $18 million benefiting county landowners. The corporation will also build an access road off Highway 177. Other related items up for consideration were continued until the next regular council meeting. Those included lease agreements for the 57-1/2-acre parcel where the plant will be located inside the park and a 4-acre parcel located at the port on the Tombigbee River where the pellets will be barged out. "The company's bonding company wants to review some of the language in those agreements before final approval is made," explained the mayor. New apartment complex to be built A new apartment complex to be located on East Pearl Street was recently approved by the city's planning commission and will be considered at the next council meeting for final approval by the council. Councilman Daron Bolen reported that during the planning commission meeting, residents of that neighborhood voiced support for the plans for the complex, which can be viewed at Jackson City Hall. A public hearing will be conducted at 5:30 p.m., prior to the regular council meeting concerning the matter. In other business: *The city council will conduct a work session, Thursday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m., to consider the hiring of a city recreation director. The measure will be voted on at the Jan. 22 meeting. *Mayor Long announced events planned in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The first will be a prayer breakfast at the National Guard Armory this Saturday, Jan. 12, at 8 a.m. Tickets for the event are $10. The second event will be a parade on Monday, Jan. 21, at 3:45 p.m. *During his comments, Councilman Paul South thanked all those who helped with the Salvation Army's bell ringing campaign during Christmas and those who donated money. "We raised $16,000 in Jackson, which was $6,000 more than last year," he said. He reminded those who may qualify for assistance with utility bills and/or food to visit the local Salvation Army store on Wednesdays to apply. *Councilman Eddie Huggins reported that the first day for the Continuous School Improvement (CSI) program will be Jan. 14. He said a board meeting will be scheduled for the near future and encouraged all council members to attend. *Councilman Eldridge Jackson Jr. reminded citizens that Warren Street is now a dead end street due to the recent opening of the Industrial Road overpass. *Councilman Robert Marks announced that a workday will be conducted at the New Era softball fields this Saturday, Jan. 12. He encouraged all parents of players and other volunteers to participate. He added that signup for the girls' softball program and Little League baseball will be soon. *The city's old mosquito sprayer was declared surplus equipment so that it may be sold, at the request of City Works Director Kevin Woodson. *Astreetlight at 195 York Lane was approved at the recommendation of Police Chief Charles Burge.
(Clarke County Democrat Managing Editor Barry H. Hendrix contributed to this article.)
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