There are arguably two examples of successful economic development park projects in Starkville. Whether they have succeeded through force of will, opportunism, prescience, sheer dumb luck or all of the above isn’t really relevant now. How they came to Starkville probably varies with the one telling the history.
The first industrial park was around our local airport, George M. Bryan Field. It is where we have long benefited from the engaged community support and employment of Phelps-Dodge, Gulf States (Nucor), Flexsteel, Southwire and Clark Beverage Group. And many of us want more of the same.
The airport and surrounding property are a shared venture between the city, county and university. All three were on board to make it happen. The government contribution was to give some of those businesses the land to convince them to come here. It apparently worked.
The next successful project followed about 20 years later and sits out on the east side of the city at the Thad Cochran Research Park. Though it is largely populated with university entities, it is a development that can be counted in the win column for Starkville and Oktibbeha County, as well as MSU.
Fast forward about another 20 years — give or take — and we have our most recent attempt. Cornerstone Park is the project that was envisioned to create an economic development inventory for future businesses.
It hasn’t materialized as the engine-that-could largely because the project wasn’t as well researched as perhaps it should have been. Initially there wasn’t enough water and sewer and power for industry of any size. We are still lacking the wattage component, but it is in the works so perhaps in the near future it too can reach its full economic value.
I don’t think the city or county ever really had a development hired gun charged with identifying viable properties and courting target industries. Now we do.
It has been about 3 years since we got on board with the regional development group. Joe Max Higgins has had a wildly successful run in Lowndes County. He made a conquest in West Point/Clay County and now he is presenting what he believes to be the best option for Starkville/Oktibbeha County.
What do we do with that? We have made an educated choice in participating with a proven producer. Now we support that finding. We have been asking what do we need to do to attract businesses and industry that will contribute positively to our community. The answer we received from our expert is $7 million from the city and the same from the county. Since we are in the county, let’s be clear the cost to the taxpayer in Starkville is cumulative.
It isn’t a matter of blindly abdicating, but it does boil down to two options: following what the doctor recommends or staying the course, which is relying mostly on the university.
This project has some of the issues that Cornerstone Park had, but there is a plan and a timeline to make it ready. The skin in the game will be from the city and the county and utility companies and state agencies. It will make up roughly a $30 million dollar project.
Is it a guaranteed win? Absolutely not. Are there better ways to spend the money? Not necessarily. Are there other productive ways to spend the money? Absolutely.
Let’s do both. Let’s go all in. We can invest in this economic development opportunity as well as our people focused/quality of life needs such as parks and streets. If we want to live in a desirable city, we need to be willing to spend our money to make it so.
We haven’t been willing to do that and have instead prided ourselves on keeping the tax rate low. That decision has been expensive in unintended ways. This one will be expensive; we know it up front. There is more than one type of price we pay for big decisions we make.
We gamble when we invest in the stock market. We gamble when we buy our house or take a new job. We gamble because we believe in the future with all its possibilities.
It is now up to the Board of Aldermen to choose where our possibilities lie. If they won’t make that decision themselves then they should at least offer some bond options for economic development and parks and streets and throw it to the people for a referendum. That should let us see what Starkville believes it should be.
It is time to look in the full length mirror and recognize we need more than just some lipstick.
Lynn Spruill, a former commercial airline pilot, elected official and city administrator owns and manages Spruill Property Management in Starkville. Her email address is [email protected].
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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