County OKs funding to improve industrial park

The Warren County Commission voted unanimously last week to approve the issue of capital outlay notes, not to exceed $294,875, to fund a bridge and road work at Mt. View Industrial Park designed to open up a large tract of land for further development to potential industry.

The vote was part of a somewhat unusual night of cooperative action by the county?s governing body ? not a single negative vote was cast. Each item presented to commissioners for a vote, whether by voice or roll call, was passed unanimously.

However, the path to the resolution and funding for the industrial park was not without some roadblocks. Earlier in the year, a controversial move to avoid increasing property taxes hinged, in part, on funding improvements to the industrial park with capital outlay notes. This plan ran into a major snag when the state informed county officials that capital outlay notes could only be used to fund improvements on land the county owns.

Since the land had been deeded to the Industrial Development Board (IDB) some time ago, commissioners had to find a method to overcome this situation, eventually opting for what appeared to be the easiest of several solutions. The IDB simply deeded the land required for the road and bridge back to the county, which allowed the use of capital outlay notes to make the improvements.

In addition to the road and bridge, the funds can also be used to install water and sewer lines, along with any other infrastructure deemed necessary to make the land more marketable, as long as these improvements are on county land.

Since the groundwork for the resolution had been established in committee meetings, there was little discussion. However, County Executive John Pelham did point out the county may not use the entire $294,875 approved for the project.

?We may not necessarily be using the full amount,? Pelham said. ?It will be done as the projects are bid. For instance, if we bid a bridge and road, whatever that amount is, we will issue a capital outlay note only for that amount. The original amount was what was presented by the Budget and Finance, and Economic Development committees, but we will only bid out what we need as we need it.?

Though it was suggested some of the funds be used for site preparation on a proposed spec building, Pelham said that would not be possible, due to the limitations on capital outlay notes.

?We will only be doing the bridge work, the road work and the utilities,? Pelham said. ?That is all we will be able to do with capital outlay notes. Some of the other things that were listed, wetlands mitigation and different things, we will not be able to do now because they are not on county property.?

In other business, the commission voted unanimously to approve a tax abatement for the HUD-funded Golden Oaks Apartments project. The system is similar to the one used for McMinnville Housing authority and basically allows the facility to pay taxes on 10 percent of its yearly income. The project will provide 14 units of low-income housing for Warren County senior citizens.

Golden Oaks Apartments will be located off Sparta Street near Warren County Jail.

Commissioners also passed a resolution to amend ambulance service regulations which had already been drawn up and approved in committee. The changes were designed to allow the county some control over independent ambulance services operating in the county.

A last-minute addition to the docket by Commissioner Terry Bell to appoint Kyle Glenn as constable in the 11th District also passed unanimously. This move was generated when no one ran for the office during the recent election, effectively leaving the district without a constable.

As an appointee, Glenn will serve until the next election in 2008, at which point he will have to formally run for the office should he wish to continue as constable.