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Twin Rivers seeks to promote 2 counties Chip Harrigan of Grove Hill is chairman of the six-member board of directors of Twin Rivers Economic Development Partnership. Other members include Nancy Gibson, Earlrae Nealey and Kelvin Hill of Choctaw County and Buddy Bedwell, Paul Parham and Harrigan of Clarke County. There is also a Leadership Team composed of citizens from the two counties. Harrigan showed a chart that showed flat and declining population figures for the two counties since 1900. Too many young people leave the county and never return and that trend must be reversed and the way to do that is with good jobs and a better quality of life, he offered. Harrigan explained that he sees the organization as a "clearing house" to promote the two county region. He said Twin Rivers wants to work with everyone in the region who also seeks development and improvements and isn't trying to compete or overlap with others. Twin Rivers wants to serve as a marketing and recruitment agency for new businesses and industries, to retain and expand existing businesses and industries and to promote public policy and be an advocate for the region. Twin Rivers is being built as a public/private sector partnership. It has an estimated annual budget of $300,000 or $1.5 million over a five-year period. To date, $1,089,000 in commitments has been received and Harrigan said plans are to hire a full time director/developer. "This is an opportunity to make a difference," Butler Mayor Ben Smith said at the beginning of the program. " It is time to make a difference. We have a duty to step forward," he added.
For more information call 888-256-537 or e-mail: twinriversepd@ gmail.com.
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