Mayor, Coughlin Share Enthusiasm About The City’s Future
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Yalobusha County Economic Development District CEO Kagan Coughlin shared information about projects underway in the city and county during the Chamber reception.
WATER VALLEY – Water Valley Mayor Tommy Reynolds and Yalobusha County Economic Development Director CEO Kagan Coughlin tag-teamed the State of the City address during the annual Chamber of Commerce reception on April 30. Both men shared obvious enthusiasm for the future of the city during the big night. They also provided details about ongoing work for infrastructure improvements.
“There is a lot going on in the Valley, a lot of good things. That is because people kept the hope of the Valley alive,” Reynolds noted.
“This town is going in a positive direction, it is going to grow. It is a great place to live, a great place to be.”
Reynolds’ provided a list of priorities for city improvements and a brief overview of progress since he was elected in February.
“We have some work to do on the electric grid,” Reynolds said, citing grid resiliency as his top priority list. “It is not the electric department’s fault, they work long and hard and we appreciate it.”
Reynolds said that the selection of the city by Tennessee Valley Authority into the Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program. The program will allow the city to leverage grants already received by the electric department for additional matching dollars.
Reynolds said work continues on the installation of transformers that will provide backup power for the city.
“The transformers, one on Solero property, and one on hospital property will be backup for the whole town on a short-term basis,” he told the crowd.
Other potential projects on the mayor’s list cited during the reception includes a grant-funded electric charging station for electric vehicles; a small solar farm that would provide electricity for the city, saving the electric department $30,000 annually; and securing funding to run fiber in the city for high-speed broadband internet.
Coughlin shared excitement about work in the W.C. Gardiner Industrial Park including an 18-month project to secure funding for a new access road off of Hwy. 7. Over a million dollars in funding has been allocated for the road including state funding, grants and $75,000 from Yalobusha County and $75,000 from the City of Water Valley.
“Our industrial park should be a money-generating resource for our community. We have 116 acres of prime land on the highway with utilities already in place,” Coughlin said.
Coughlin opened his remarks by noting how fast time has passed since he and his wife moved to Water Valley.
“Our children are driving by me on Main Street,” Coughlin said. “And the BTC is turning 14.”
Coughlin also shared how people in the community have impacted him.
“This town has been a guiding light of who I would like to be. There have been people in this since I got here who have inspired me to be more like them. Particularly since Sunday morning, it makes you realize what makes the place where you live are the people,” Coughlin said as he noted the death of Bob Tyler two days earlier.
“Today, I am trying to fill, to the best of my ability, shoes that are huge. Coach Tyler filled this role for 15 years,” he added.
“Bob Tyler was a friend of this town,” Mayor Reynolds added. “He was a friend of every one of us. He was what the Bible calls an edifier.”
Water Valley Mayor Tommy Reynolds provided an overview of projects he is working on since taking office in February. His comments came during the annual Chamber reception.
