Monday was a pretty good day to be a Lowndes County supervisor.
During that meeting, a preliminary report from the county tax assessor’s office shows the value of the county’s general millage will increase by roughly $40,000, which will fatten the county coffers by roughly $1.1 million when the in-lieu payments are deducted.
The growth is attributed to the county’s industrial growth and the expiration of a tax incentive that was part of the deal to bring the Cogentrix electric generating facility to Caledonia.
So, yes, things are looking up in the county.
Not that you would notice it in Crawford, though.
Tonight, supervisor Jeff Smith, will hold a meeting in Crawford to discuss the town’s needs, which are many. Crawford is located in District 4, Smith’s district.
At Monday’s meeting, Smith put a bit of a damper on the general self-congratulatory mood by pointing out that, for all the economic benefits that have come the county’s way, Crawford has seen very little of it. If a rising tide lifts all ships, Crawford is still in dry dock.
Smith said the town’s problems are many, chief among them the general decay of infrastructure. Most notably, the town’s roads are in terrible shape.
If ever there were a time to address those concerns, the time has arrived, Smith contends.
We strongly contend that the issues that confront Crawford should not be viewed as “Crawford’s problem.”
This should not be perceived as some sort of hand-out. The residents of Crawford have as much right as any other community in the county to benefit from the county’s recent prosperity.
Since there is nothing to guarantee that the county will continue to prosper to the degree that it presently enjoys, it seems prudent to promptly address the county’s pressing issues, including those in Crawford.
There can be no justification for omitting any community from the benefits that have come the county’s way.
Yes, Monday was a good day to be a county supervisor.
They have an opportunity to address issues that will have a direct benefit to the county’s residents.
Let’s hope Monday turns out to be as good a day for those residents as it was for the supervisors.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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