V. Hugh Lewis
Jefferson Jimplecute
Two businesses in Jefferson received grants from JEDCO during Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken, to be located at the former Sonic on US59, will receive $15,000 grant, with a requirement to maintain six employees over a three year period, and a $58,100 3.5% loan payable over seven years.
David and Sofia Neely have been in discussions with JEDCO since November.
Queen Horse Bedding is the other recipient of JEDCO lands so they can expand their operations in Jefferson. Their grant is for $196,290 for 13.086 acres of land from JEDCO. They have a requirement of having 10 additional employees at a rate of $15 per hour, over a five year period.
Queen also intends to seek financing for the expansion from JEDCO.
A formal contract is in the works on the deal and will be available at the next meeting. Currently, the Queen properties are outside the city limits, but JEDCO vice president and secretary Raymond Sanders said the board intends to have the area annexed.
Duke DeWare presented three items to JEDCO at the beginning of the meeting.
First, DeWare encouraged JEDCO to use funding to have the city limits formally surveyed. He said that he had been unable to locate a formal survey, and after talking with Johnnie Ingram, the appraisal district, county clerk, and the city, feels that one has either not been done or not been done in a long time. DeWare indicated this is a critical item in ensuring property taxes are current, as well as the ability to better market the city for development.
Secondly, DeWare suggested the flood plain in the county needed to be formally defined, again to assist with development, as well as to keep FEMA maps updated.
Lastly, DeWare said he had been working with the attorney in San Antonio JEDCO hired to pursue annexation of land on the south side of the city. He said a proposal should be ready for City Council to annex the property owned by Harold Nix at next week’s Council meeting.
In other business, JEDCO approved
• Financial statements for December 2022 and January 2023, showing a fund balance of $1,530.741.09 as of January 31
• Minutes from the January meeting
JEDCO also held an executive session to discuss possible land acquisition, but no action was taken after the closed session.
The group meets again on March 14.