Congressman Visits With Officials From City, County
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Congressman Bennie Thompson met with city and county officials Friday for a strategy session for continued collaboration between the local entities and federal programs that help fund projects in the county. The congressman is pictured with Water Valley alderperson Bonnie Cox, Brandon Presley and county supervisor Eddie Harris.
WATER VALLEY – City and county leaders held an informal meeting with Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) to express appreciation for his strong support for numerous projects in Yalobusha County and for a brief strategy session for continued collaboration between the local entities and federal agencies.
Topping the list of projects receiving federal aid with support from the congressman is the Gums Crossing bridge replacement project that will exceed $20 million. The U.S. Department of Transportation is funding 80 percent of the construction cost.
“I want to thank you formally in front of this group of people for the work that you helped us with on the Gums Crossing Bridge,” Board of Supervisors President Cayce Washington said in Friday’s meeting in Everest building in Water Valley. “This is a 20-plus million dollar project and there is no way our small county could have done that.”
The bridge on County Road 221 spans the Skuna River on the backwaters of Grenada Lake and has been closed since 2019 after historic flooding caused structural damage. Washington noted that residents in three counties – Grenada, Calhoun and Yalobusha – have been cut off from accessing Yalobusha County without taking a lengthy detour. The bridge is expected to open next month.
Congressman Thompson acknowledged that securing federal funding for the bridge replacement was tricky.
“I can’t tell you how it was done,” he noted with a smile in the upbeat meeting.
Mayor Tommy Reynolds and Brandon Presley also cited Congressman Thompson’s support for broadband funding that ultimately triggered an allocation for over $3 million in funding for broadband deployment in Water Valley.
“These dollars would not be coming to our town if it wasn’t for Congressman Thompson doing the work that he did. He is the only member of our state delegation on the House side that voted for the bill that actually funds this,” Presley said.
Presley had invited the congressman to come to Water Valley, a visit that included Friday’s meeting and a reception at Presley’s residence afterwards.
“We appreciate the work that you have done on this broadband, it is critical,” Mayor Reynolds added.
The mayor also updated Congressman Thompson on a new hurdle (see related story, page A1), explaining MaxxSouth has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the funding for broadband deployment in Water Valley.
“I just wanted to put that one the radar screen because it is egregious,” the mayor said.
Coughlin next cited strong support from multiple federal agencies that helped fund the $4.7 million investment in Everest, Mississippi’s first Rural Education and Innovation Hub. Located in a former garment factory on Central Street, Everest houses Base Camp Coding Academy, Northwest Mississippi Community College, a business incubator and additional space for growth.
The lengthy list of projects benefiting from federal funding mentioned in Friday’s meeting also included a half-million dollar charging station for electric vehicles that will be installed on Main Street, with 80 percent funding coming from Tennessee Valley Authority; a 12 acre micro solar farm in Water Valley incentivized by USDA funding; a million-plus dollars from federal agencies for improvements at the W.C. Gardiner Industrial Park; and smaller USDA grants for equipment and police cruisers.
“If I could pick one thing you will remember about Water Valley today, every program that you helped put in place, there are people here doing whatever it takes to get in those programs and making those dollars go to work effectively in Water Valley,” Yalobusha County Economic Development District Executive Director Kagan Coughlin told Thompson.
Thompson’s Input And A Little Local Lobbying
Congressman Thompson’s advice to attendees centered on long-range planning, strong communication with various federal agencies and monitoring available opportunities.
“You need a plan on how you want this city and county to look five years from now, 10 years from now,” he advised. “So when you make requests, it falls within the plan of what you want to do.”
The meeting also include pleas for assistance as Mayor Reynolds shared the urgent need for investment in the city’s electric grid.
“To keep electricity flowing, we have to anticipate needs. Things wear out,” the mayor explained.
Supervisor Washington cited a backlog of applications submitted to USDA for funding for different projects. Washington explained the county did not seek USDA funding to help with the purchase of four new vehicles for the sheriff’s department.
“Sheriff (Jerimaine) Gooch is running under budget,” Washington noted, added this is a first in many years in the county for the sheriff’s department. “But we were reluctant to apply because we have a backlog (of applications). We would like to help the sheriff because he is doing such a great job managing his resources.”
“I have been an alderman, I have been a mayor. I have been a county supervisor. I know everything you all go through and more. I applaud you for serving,” Thompson said. “I can assure you the federal agencies will not be an impediment to what you are trying to do in this community. You need to let me know when you are applying for something. And if you don’t think you are being treated right, we will try to figure out a path forward.”
