Coughlin: We Are Growing Our County’s Economic Toolbox
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Kagan Coughlin has served as the Executive Director of the Yalobusha County Economic Development District since March, 2022.
WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha County Economic Development District (YCEDD) Executive Director Kagan Coughlin provided an overview of economic activity during the last year that includes focus in four primary areas – building relationships, seeking grants, supporting business partners and pursuing new projects.
“We have made progress in all of these categories, growing healthy relationships and opening lines of communications at the federal, state and regional level,” Coughlin told the Herald. “We are making incremental progress on new projects throughout the county.”
Coughlin said new projects include work to land a solar farm outside of Oakland that continues to gain momentum after a renewable energy company secured an option on a large tract of privately owned land in September. Work continues to grow the size of the project, and Renewvia Energy Company secured a lease on 150 acres from the Coffeeville School District in December. The 16th Section school-owned land joins the private tract.
“Not only does this expand the size of the solar project, but the lease will generate significant new revenue directly to the Coffeeville School District,” Coughlin reported. “There are a lots of steps ahead, but this project continues to move forward.”
If the solar project becomes a reality, the company will pay the school $82,500 annually for a 35-year period, according to the lease agreement.
In Water Valley, Coughlin reported that work continues to close the gap on funding needed to construct a new road in the W.C. Gardiner Industrial Park. The proposed road will be one-third of a mile long and cost over one million dollars.
Coughlin stressed the need for the new road to supervisors earlier in the year, explaining that when inquiries are received from businesses looking for potential locations, one of the first questions includes a checkbox asking if there is “an entrance and an exit” allowing through access for tractor trailer trucks.
“We don’t get to check that. That means our location is not considered,” Coughlin said.
The funding acquired for the road includes $100,000 former state representative Tommy Reynolds helped secure during the 2023 Legislative Session for the new road. The City of Water Valley and Yalobusha County also agreed to provided $75,000 each for the million-plus dollar road project. Coughlin said grant funding includes $325,000 from the Delta Regional Authority and $325,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission for the project.
“This means we have a total of $900,000 pledged for the new road. We also submitted grant applications to Mississippi Development Authority and USDA for the remaining funding needed. We hope to hear back on those two applications in early 2024,” Coughlin said.
Coughlin also reported work continues to help boost housing in the county.
“Housing continues to be one of our greatest needs,” Coughlin reported. “Several potential building locations have been identified in each of our communities, and progress is being made to secure these locations and prepare them for housing.”
The locations include the former Oakland School building on Hwy. 51 that is owned by the county. Coughlin said the first step for developing this tract for multi-family dwellings is obtaining approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior to designate this property as a historic site. This designation would allow a developer to utilize tax credits to help fund the investment.
In Coffeeville, Coughlin reported the quest is to find funds to install utilities and road infrastructure for a new neighborhood north of the town, near the city park.
In Water Valley, work is progressing for the City of Water Valley to regain ownership of the former high school property. Located at 1401 North Main Street, the lot was transferred to the North Mississippi Regional Center (NMRC) over two decades ago. NMRC’s plans to build new community homes did not materialize and work has been underway to transfer the property to the city. The city could market the property for residential development.
Coughlin has also worked on numerous grant applications during the last year, securing funds for a variety of projects to help boost infrastructure and often serving as a catalyst for economic development. The list of grants include:
• USDA awarded two REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) grants for two infrastructure projects. The new owners of the Coffeeville Piggly Wiggly store were awarded a $160,000 grant to completely retrofit the grocery building with new lighting, HVAC, food coolers and food prep assistance.
Coughlin explained that the grant is only a portion of the total investment at the grocery store, and the final decision to move forward will be made by the owners.
A second REAP grant is $40,000 for a solar system for the roof on the B.T.C. Old Fashioned Grocery. Coughlin reported the total cost of the project is $100,000 and private investment will fund the remaining $60,000.
• The Yalobusha County Economic Development District was awarded $120,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads 4 All Grant Program. The grant will be utilized to develop a road safety plan for the whole county, including determining why the roads in the county are so dangerous.
“Our roads are 40 percent more dangerous than the Mississippi average. We need to find ways to improve safety and this road safety plan will be our roadmap for pursuing funding in the future,” Coughlin explained.
• Two women-owned businesses received $50,000 Rural Business Development Grants.
• The Delta Regional Authority awarded the City of Water Valley $380,000 to help fund an emergency backup substation in Water Valley.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) awarded $350,000 to the Base Camp Coding Academy Graduate Institute Pilot.
“Projects in the public sector take energy, time, patience, and paperwork,” Coughlin explained. “We’re trying a lot of creative, complicated ideas across the county. Without exception, our county and city leaders have been willing to take these big swings.”
Depending on the location and size of a project, county supervisors, mayors, alderman/woman, YCEDD board members, and business leaders help plan and strategize, attend meetings, provide letters of support, and often pledge matching resources.
In all the YCEDD has brought over $2.3 million dollars in grants into the county, and has over $10 million dollars in additional grant applications submitted, Coughlin reported.
“We are growing our county’s economic toolbox, and building a strong foundation for our future,” Coughlin said.
