August Monthly Meeting
Several projects were updated at the recent Mingo County Redevelopment Authority meeting on August 23rd, 2017, including the Refresh Appalachia Agriculture project at the 22 Mine Road Industrial park site.
Executive Director Leasha Johnson told the Board of Directors that were present, which included Paul Pinson, Andy Dillon and Terry Sammons, along with Dr. Dino Beckett who joined by conference call, that the site now has 200 chickens and 60 hogs. They are also raising goats.
New Williamson Mayor Charlie Hatfield also attended the meeting, which was held at the Redevelopment Authority's office in East Williamson
The group recently incubated and raised 100 chickens at the former mountaintop removal location. They also processed several chickens and were able to sell those.
The agriculture project is also growing certain crops to go along with the farm animals.
Johnson also updated the board on the proposed Aquaponics project that will be located at Kermit.
"We have made significant progress and several permits have been approved," Johnson said. She said bid openings would be coming soon on some of the infrastructure projects and other work that will be done on the site. She said it would also be a good training facility for the job work program.
There is also a potential buyer for the wood products plant located at the Harless Industrial Park. Johnson said a company had contacted Mohawk Flooring about the facility, which was closed a few months ago. Some equipment would stay at the plant.
H & E Parts terminated its lease at the industrial park and relocated to the old Tic Toc Tire location along U.S. 119.
There was a request from the Lenore Beagle Club about holding a national event at the industrial park. The group said such events bring in hundreds of dog owners and breeders and would help boost the local economy.
In other updates at the MCRA meeting:
The DMV lease will be renewed.
The Ambassador Christian School lease was renewed and the private school will pay the utilities.
There will be a partnership with the RCBI Appalachian Hatchery.
The MCRA was contacted by a national organization about having a huge UTV event in Mingo County.
A utilities update on the Air Transportation Park.
And an update on the Twisted Gun golf course was presented.
