OKTIBBEHA COUNTY – Recent staff turnover at the Golden Triangle Development LINK has Oktibbeha County, Starkville and Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority reconsidering their contracts with the organization.
During a regular meeting Monday, the board of supervisors passed a resolution to serve the LINK a two-year notice letter that could end the county’s contract in 2028.
“With the recent turnover that has happened over the last several months at the LINK, we just wanted to make sure we were in a position in case we needed to decide not to continue with the LINK,” said Marvell Howard, District 3 supervisor and board president.
The LINK holds $500,000 contracts with Oktibbeha, Lowndes and Clay counties for economic development. Oktibbeha County holds agreements with Starkville, The Greater Starkville Development Partnership and OCEDA to pay a portion of the $500,000 value in exchange for access to LINK’s services.
Starkville contributes $50,000, and OCEDA contributes $250,000 while the Partnership and the county each contribute $100,000.
The LINK contracts are on three-year rolling renewal terms that require a two-year notice for termination, LINK CEO Meryl Fisackerly told The Dispatch.
Speaking to The Dispatch about the notice, Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill echoed supervisors’ concerns about the recent turnover.
Joe Max Higgins, former LINK CEO, was fired from the position in August 2025, kicking off a nationwide search that ended in Iain Vasey’s hiring in February. Vasey’s tenure was cut short in May when he stepped down from the role. Fisackerly, who previously served as the LINK’s chief operating officer and interim CEO, was then hired for the position.
Spruill previously characterized the LINK Executive Committee’s decisions since Higgins’ firing as a series of “premature behaviors,” a stance she stood by on Tuesday.
“I think (serving notice) is an appropriate thing to do based on the fact that this is an extremely important organization, that it is a regional organization, some of the decisions – and I believe I’ve said this – have been somewhat precipitous,” Spruill told The Dispatch on Tuesday. “I think we need to look at the structure of the organization, and I think a two-year notice period is too long.”
Fisackerly confirmed the LINK received the formal notice from Oktibbeha County on Tuesday afternoon, though she said it made clear the county intends to “work collaboratively during this notice period to establish a service framework that meets our service expectations and budgetary parameters.”
In response, Fisackerly said the LINK plans to meet with supervisors in July to nail down what those expectations and parameters may entail.
“Industrial recruitment, economic development, we know what we are doing. We know what we are charged with doing in the contracts,” Fisackerly said. “Just kind of evaluating that and maybe formalizing more of a strategic plan – I could see something like that being the conversation. … We are not going to have a knee jerk reaction.”
Howard told The Dispatch on Tuesday the board has yet to discuss what those expectations could entail.
“I think it’s just the board making sure that we have options at the end of the contract date,” he said. “I think that’s pretty much all it was … just a good business move.”
Higgins on the horizon
The supervisors’ resolution, which passed 4-1, was proposed by District 5 Supervisor Joe Williams and seconded by District 4 Supervisor Pattie Little following an executive session discussion. District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer casted the lone dissenting vote.
Trainer told The Dispatch he feels the LINK has already exceeded the county’s expectations and said he intends to continue voting to maintain the county’s contract with the organization.
“If we divide and go away from LINK, then we won’t have any type of residual (economic) impact,” Trainer said.
Higgins started his own economic consulting firm, 2EQLAST, in September 2025. At the time, he told The Dispatch he is currently under a non-compete clause with the LINK that prevents him from doing business in the Golden Triangle until January 2027. This means at the end of the notice period, 2EQLAST could be free to compete for the LINK’s clients.
Both Howard and Spruill said the choice to serve notice is unrelated to the impending end of Higgins non-compete clause. In a text to The Dispatch, Howard added he is confident in Fisackerly’s leadership.
Fisackerly told The Dispatch she is not concerned about the end of Higgins non-compete clause.
“Look, I know how to do my job. I know how to do my job well,” Fisackerly said. “… There are some outside factors that are not going to get in my way of focusing on what I’m charged with doing, and that is recruiting business and industry to this region.”
As for turnover at the LINK, Fisackerly said the decisions are highly sensitive and can’t be made public.
“If that is their response to that, I would also challenge them to look at the LINK and understand the LINK is a lot bigger than just one person,” she said.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 30 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
