The Russell County Industrial Development Authority could soon be a thing of the past.
Meeting last Thursday night, the Russell Springs City Council took a first step to change the makeup of the local board.
The local board has been in existence since 1991 when Jamestown, Russell Springs, and the County entered into an agreement to form the Industrial Development Authority. Each of the three local governmental entities appoints two members to the board.
A resolution presented by Mayor Eddie Thomas and adopted by the council last Thursday would allow the Mayors of both towns and the County Judge-Executive to serve on a newly created board as voting members.
The resolution encourages Thomas to explore and investigate necessary changes to the board, and to consult with legal experts, economic development professionals and community stakeholders to analyze the “current functions, structure and effectiveness” of the current board.
The resolution calls for Thomas to report back to the city council no later than July 1st.
The local Industrial Development Authority board, among other things, has been widely credited with the expansion of the Russell County Industrial Park, located just off highway 127, in Russell Springs, and was responsible for attracting and landing both Bruss and Dr. Schneider’s manufacturing plants to Russell Springs.
The council approved the resolution by a 5-1 vote with Councilman Cody Wilson voting against. Before exploring any changes, such a resolution would have to be approved by the Russell County Fiscal Court and the Jamestown City Council.