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Commissioners want 'clearer understanding' of combined efforts for economic development The Clarke County Commission is asking that officials with the Twin Rivers Economic Development Partnership and mayors throughout the county appear at the Aug. 13 work session. The commissioners would like clarification on the role of Twin Rivers in conjunction with county and municipal development efforts. County Commissioner Paul Bradford expressed concern in Monday's work session that the county has yet to amend the fiscal 2007 budget to provide $52,000 for Twin Rivers. The commission had earlier approved the funding for the agency, a regional development effort between Clarke and Choctaw Counties. Established in 2006, the agency is seeking $1.5 million to fund a five-year strategic plan for marketing both counties for new jobs and investment. "We're going to owe that pretty soon," Bradford said. "The fiscal year is almost up." The county has spent $131,408 in the current budget for the county's development agency, the Clarke County Economic Development Partnership. Commissioner Patricia DuBose said the Twin Rivers and the county development office were working hand-in-hand on development prospects. "I believe the county will benefit by Twin Rivers being the point of contact and working close with the county development and the municipalities," Commissioner Elma Averett said Monday. "I believe we will realize more benefit in the entire region." When the issue was brought up again in Tuesday's meeting, Bradford was ready to make a motion that Twin Rivers would be the county's "point of contact" for agencies such as the Alabama Development Office, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, Alabama Power, Alabama Electric Cooperative, and Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission. Commissioner DuBose also urged the commission to go ahead and declare Twin Rivers as the key development agency for the county. "We don't need to delay any further," she said. "…We need to go ahead and designate that point of contact today….We've had a meeting of the minds; we've come to an agreement." Commissioner Rhondel Rhone wanted to wait until there was "a clearer understanding" on the role of all the development agencies in the county. Rhone had attended ThyssenKrupp community meeting Monday at Mt. Vernon. "It's going to have a huge impact on Clarke County," he said. Rhone stressed there is going to have to be a major emphasis on infrastructure in the county. "It's not my intent to say that our economic development department can't go out and work projects," Bradford said. "If a private company comes in and contacts them, they don't have to go through Twin Rivers…. (However) if the state has got a project and they want to know something about this area, they should contact Twin Rivers." They would then contact the local agencies, he said. Bradford withdrew his motion until after the Aug. 13 meeting. In other action from this week's commission meetings, Bradford also questioned the cafeteria insurance plan for county employees. The insurance agency that administers the county plan can be changed every two years. The commission will do more research into insurance plans in other counties, Bradford said. • Commissioner Rhone asked that the county look into applying for ICE-T grants for construction of sidewalks in communities such as Whatley. "We couldn't do it in every community," he said, "but it would be something that would help enhance some of these communities." Commissioner DuBose said she would like to see some grant assistance for Coffeeville's proposed walking trail project.
• The commission approved allowing the City of Thomasville to use three of the county's handicapped ballot marking machines for the Aug. 14 vote on the wet/dry referendum. The city is also looking for poll workers who are familiar with the machines, which include expensive memory cards.
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