JECDB approves survey and Environmental Impact study

By Charlotte Underwood 

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The Joint Economic Community Development Board (JECDB) met last week and approved a transfer of $25,000 to the Industrial Development Board to cover the costs of a property survey and for the preparation of a Phase One Environmental Impact study on property adjoining Collins Industrial Park. 

At the meeting, Caryville Mayor Bobby Stooksbury advised the board that negotiations on the sale of 49 acres in the Industrial park are ongoing. The name of the corporation negotiating to purchase the property from Caryville is not yet publicly released.

Stooksbury told the board he hopes they will be successfully completed within the next two weeks. Once completed, a public announcement about the new business will be made. 

Jay Willoughby brought it to the attention of the board that with the sale of this property Caryville only has five acres left at the Collins Park. 

The board was advised that the Industrial Development Board (IDB) and Mike Malicote, who owns the large track of land adjoining Collins Industrial Park, had reached an agreement that Malicote would transfer an initial track of property to the IDB for the purpose of industrial use. This would allow the IDB to seek grant dollars for site development and provide sites for industrial prospects.

In other business, the board was informed of how grant dollars were recently distributed by the Campbell County Enhancement fund which has received contributions from JECDB for several years.

Campbell County Mayor Jack Lynch responded to a student tuition funding request by the Caryville TCAT EMT program, assuring the board that “County funding was in place to cover qualified students.”

The board was informed that the Industrial Development Board had recently sent a check for $1,680,000.00 to Gold Creek Foods. This money was a pass thru industrial incentive grant from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. This grant resulted from the $15 million of capital investment and the 200 plus jobs that were created last year at Gold Creek Foods’ Caryville Plant. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/13/2023-6AM)