Mayor Says Snack Food Industry Considering Locating Here; Would Create 750 Jobs
Russell County is believed to be “in the running” for a new industry, one that would employ several hundred people. During Thursday night’s Jamestown Council meeting, Mayor Brooks Bates said a Wisconsin based “snack food company” is considering four locations, including Russell County, for building a new factory which would employ 750 persons at hourly rates of around $13 and the factory would need 1.4 million gallons of water daily for its operations. Bates made the comments about the possible new industry while telling Council members the City will soon have to consider raising its water and sewer rates in order to “satisfy its bonding company and lending agency” as part of the City’s $6.9 million indebtedness for the new water distribution plant. Bates told WJRS NEWS the company is considering locating in the “French Valley Industrial Park” in Russell Springs and is also considering locations in Wayne and McCreary counties for constructing its new facility. The Mayor said the local ability to provide the company with the large volume of water it would require daily is a major advantage.
In other matters at Thursday night’s City Council meeting in Jamestown….
- Several persons were reappointed to various boards. Glenna Bertram was reappointed to the City Cemetery Board….Larry Joe Murray was reappointed to the Natural Gas Board….and Eldridge Richards, Clifton Taylor and Robin Rigney were reappointed to the City’s Ethics Board.
- Mayor Brooks Bates told the City Council that consideration is being given to “outsourcing” garbage pickup in the City. The Mayor said if the City took that route, rates would not increase and city employees currently performing those duties would not be laid-off.
- Bid-totals for four new police cruisers were announced. The police department will be getting three Chevrolets from Franklin Motors for $65,217.00 and one Dodge police car from Freedom Dodge in Lexington at a price of $21,880. Chief Derek Polston said the vehicles have been ordered by the dealerships and are expected to arrive sometime within the next 60 days.
