Before Tuesday, getting the city of Starkville to join the industrial development game had been sort of like bathing a cat: You can do it, but you’re going to get scratched up a bit.
Tuesday night, the Starkville Board of Aldermen agreed to join the county in its bid to develop a 384-acre site near the intersection of Highway 82 and Highway 389. By a 5-2 vote, the aldermen agreed to match the $7 million pledged earlier by the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors for the purchase of land and development of the necessary infrastructure that will make the site viable for industrial/manufacturing development. 4-County Electric has pledged another $4 million to build a 60 megawatt substation to service the site.
The plan had the support not only of the county, 4-County and the Golden Triangle Development LINK, which put the package together, but also Mississippi State University and the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.
Even so, as the aldermen convened Tuesday evening to take up the matter during its regular board meeting the outcome was not certain. There had been some sentiment in city government to only pony up half of the requested $7 million. Two other potential sites were on the table.
The board’s decision to pursue the more ambitious plan, said Mayor Parker Wiseman, was greatly influenced by the business community, which rallied to support the plan.
It proved to be a hard-fought victory, and there will be some who question the decision. To fund the project, the city and county will raise property taxes.
While the tax increases will take effect soon, it will likely be years before residents see any return on that investment. This is a long-term proposition. It should be viewed as such.
And while there are no guarantees the site will attract the kind of industry/manufacturing that makes the investment a winner, it is an absolute certainty that no substantial industry would come without it. The LINK has proven that providing shovel-ready sites to companies looking for a new home is a winning strategy.
We applaud the city and county for having the vision — and the courage — to make industrial development in Oktibbeha County viable.
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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