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Jackson/DeKalb Counties Industrial
Development Authority Members Meet
Members of the Jackson/DeKalb Counties Industrial Development
Authority (IDA) held their inaugural meeting at Northeast
Alabama Community College on January 13. The Authority,
established by an act of the Alabama Legislature, has the
responsibility of marketing and developing the Northeast Alabama
Technology Park on the Campbell property near NACC and other
sites suitable for economic development near the college.
The Technology Park consists of 732 acres that adjoin NACC. “The
owners of this property would like to see it developed in such a
way that it is economically beneficial to the area, while at the
same time utilizing and enhancing the resources of Northeast
Alabama Community College,” stated Dr. David Campbell, NACC
President and Chair of the IDA. “Consequently, the owners have
signed an option with both Jackson County Economic Development
Authority and DeKalb County Economic Development Authority to
develop, market, and sell the property for appropriate
industrial use.” The IDA was created to help in this process by
creating an entity for both counties to work together.
The Authority board consists of Dr. Campbell, NACC President and
Chair of the Authority; Mike Simpson, CEO of the Sand Mountain
Electric Co-op; Jim Blevins, President/ CEO of First Jackson
Bank; Fred Johnson, Executive Vice President and General
Manager, Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative; Jim Green,
Jackson County businessman; Ricky Harcrow, Chair of the DeKalb
County Commission; Chip Kerby, DeKalb County businessman; Dr. John
Anderson, Chair of the DeKalb County Economic Development
Authority and Rainsville dentist; and Rudder Williams, Jackson
County civic leader and chair of the Northeast Alabama Community
College Advisory Board. Serving as ex officio members of the IDA
are Dus Rogers, President/CEO of the Jackson County Economic
Development Authority; Jerry Hammon, General Manager of the
Waterworks Board of Dutton and Section; and Jimmy Durham,
Executive Director of the DeKalb County Economic Development
Authority.
Members of the Authority were named to the board by virtue of
their positions, or by appointments made by the DeKalb and
Jackson County Commissions or the Jackson and DeKalb legislative
delegations.
At the inaugural meeting, IDA members voted to proceed with
efforts to provide initial site development for the Technology
Park through matching Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) funds.
The Authority also heard from Craig Linhoss, TVA Economic
Development. Linhoss spoke to the IDA on how to secure primary
status through the TVA data center site certification program.
Rogers and Durham stated that they would like to see the
Technology Park eventually achieve Alabama Advantage site
status, which means that the property has completed the due
diligence and planning to be “shovel ready” for development.
“This is one of those projects where the important elements for
development come together,” Durham stated in a presentation
about the site’s potential. Durham showed sketches prepared by
TVA staff of how the site might be developed.
“We at the college are very much appreciative of the efforts by
Mr. Rogers, Mr. Durham, and the IDA Board members in donating
their time and great talents to this project,” Campbell stated.
“We also thank the Campbell estate, owners of the property, for
so generously working with the college and the IDA to help
advance our area economically.”
Dus Rogers said, “This is a very positive step in forming a
regional IDA to help promote our area to attract businesses and
create jobs in Northeast Alabama. This is a bold move and shows
that we are progressive and willing to work together to bring
jobs to our area. This effort has been underway for three years
and we are excited to see the cooperation between counties.
There are no other two- county IDAs in Alabama and our elected
leadership was very progressive in supporting this effort. We
have a great workforce in the vicinity of Northeast Alabama
Community College and the workforce training programs are a
great tool for our area.”
The inaugural meeting of the Jackson/DeKalb
Industrial Development Authority included (L-R) Craig Lindhoss,
TVA Economic Development, and board members Jimmy Durham
(ex-officio), Fred Johnson, Jim Blevins, Mike Simpson, Jerry
Hammon, Dus Rogers (ex-officio), Dr. David Campbell, Dr. John
Anderson, Jim Green, and Ricky Harcrow.
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