It took five days for Iain Vasey to drive from Oregon to the Golden Triangle.
Less than 90 minutes into his tenure as the Golden Triangle Development LINK’s new CEO, still recovering from the long drive, he was introducing himself to the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors with a commitment to “hit the ground running.”
“I owe you all an apology for bringing terribly cold weather with me down from the north,” Vasey joked Monday morning during the supervisors’ meeting at the courthouse, referring to this week’s sudden cold snap.
The LINK hired Vasey in February to replace longtime CEO Joe Max Higgins, who was fired amid allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct and speech. He will help lead industrial recruitment efforts in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties.
Vasey boasts more than 30 years of economic development experience in Texas, Louisiana and most recently Oregon, helping recruit almost $60 billion in capital investment over that span.
Trip Hairston, board of supervisors president, said he is excited to see how Vasey’s expertise helps get the CINCO Megasite project on Highway 82 across the finish line. The county has invested heavily in preparing the 1,500-acre site for a future industrial tenant.
“We have $25 million tied up in a Megasite,” Hairston said. “… It is the utmost priority of this board. So, anything you can do, all that you can do and all your efforts are much appreciated in getting our tenant and getting that up and running.”
While the Golden Triangle works with the Tennessee Valley Authority to certify its industrial Megasites, Vasey said his background in commercial real estate development helped him work with similar programs for three Megasites in Texas. Those sites brought in a $10 billion ExxonMobil project, a $3 billion Steel Dynamics plant and a $500 million Tesla lithium processing facility, he said.
“I’m familiar with the program and the priority and importance of delivering on these projects,” Vasey said.
Agracel buying warehouse
Supervisors on Monday approved moving forward with allowing Agracel to purchase a warehouse building on Charleigh Ford Road across from Stark Aerospace.
The county built the facility in 2016 and has leased it to Agracel since, County Administrator Jay Fisher said. Agracel sublets it for industrial warehousing and distribution.
Per the contract, Agracel has the option to purchase the facility 10 years into the lease, which the company is seeking to exercise, Fisher said. The county borrowed more than $5.3 million for construction and used Agracel’s lease payments to service the debt.
To complete the purchase, Agracel owes the county roughly $2.6 million, the remainder of the debt, according to the contract terms.
Fisher said the sale should be complete in June.
Other business
In other business, the board:
■ accepted the donation of a surplus ambulance, valued at $7,500, from Central Emergency Medical Services to the sheriff’s office, which will convert it to a SWAT operations vehicle;
■ approved reducing the county’s match amount from $10,000 to $7,500 for a Mississippi Humanities Council America250 Legacy Grant that will help fund a museum for Alva Temple and the Tuskegee Airmen at the Columbus-Lowndes Airport;
■ promoted interim fire services coordinator Jim Robbins to the permanent role; and
■ authorized giving 60 days’ to Court Solutions that the county will not renew its contract for software in justice court and will instead contract with another provider.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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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 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
