By Steve Sanders, countyreporter@laurelleadercall.com
September 25, 2008 11:42 am
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Vern Geddie, Charles Pickering and Harry Bush were among those leading a group of Jones County people interested in combining the approximately seven organizations into one economic development entity after Owen “Deacon” Neatherly retired as the executive director of the Laurel Chamber of Commerce — and they wanted it to be a countywide organization. They and others went on to form the Jones County Economic Development Authority, which is celebrating its 25th annversary this year.
“There were about seven different entities in the county trying to do economic development,” Geddie said. “We decided that if we were ever going to make a change, that would be a good time to do it with a change in the Chamber.”
The people who met had in mind modeling the organization after the Tupelo-Lee County Economic Development program. Several organizational meetings were held, including one at Jones county Junior College with about 40-50 people attending. At another organizational meeting, Pickering was elected chairman, Bush vice chairman and Geddie secretary/treasurer.
From there, the state legislature adopted special legislation to authorize the existence of the EDA and to allow Laurel, Soso, Sandersville and Ellisville, along with the Board of Supervisors, to contribute to the well being of the organization.
“Charles Pickering (a former state senator) was very instrumental in getting that passed,” Geddie said.
“We made one, possibly two, trips to Tupelo to learn about that organization,” Geddie added. “They were very gracious to us, and gave us good ideas about how to form and run our organization. We formed a search committee to look for a president, and it took us a pretty while to get one.”
Later, Pickering served two years, Bush served two years and Geddie served two years.
“In fact, I stayed over a third year,” he said. “We formed another search committee, and brought Mitch Stennett on as president in 1990. All the time, we were working toward trying to enlist industry to move here.”
Geddie said all the previous entities had not done a “very good job” because they were too fragmented.
“There was no more Chamber of Commerce, and what we were doing was all inclusive of Jones county. There had been a lot of dissension between Jones County and Laurel during those early years, and we felt like we needed to put that to rest if we could. I think we did a pretty good job in that respect. It was a big task getting everybody to work together, but I think everybody wanted to. Maybe they were a little fearful to step out because they didn’t know if the community would accept it.”
Seminars were conducted by the state organization.
“That showed us how much more we could get done as an aggressive organization by working together,” Geddie said. “Then it started growing and coming together. I compliment all the elected officials through all the years; they have been very supportive.”
The first property acquired by the EDA was the property now known as Tech Park South in Ellisville off Highway 11 South.
“(Former Mayor) Dick Anderson asked me to talk to them about the property, and we got 500 acres,” Geddie said. “Some of the land also came from Cooke Lewis. That’s when the Southeast Mississippi Industrial park was formed. That organization turned the park over the EDA. That was our start.”
All seven entities eventually turned their property over to the EDA.
“Harry Bush really gave a lot of his time as well as financial support, and continues to do so today,” Geddie said. “The board is very, very active. Every dime we get goes to support Jones County and make it a better place to live, to work and to offer better jobs.”
When the EDA was established in 1983, Geddie said Jones County’s unemployment rate was at least 15 percent. The current rate is five percent.
Over the years, the EDA has helped to retain the Masonite plant in Laurel; helped with the Hudson warehouse at Tech Park South; and helped to grow the poultry industry in Jones County. The EDA helped secure a location for a Wayne Farms feed mill in Erata, and also helped Laurel Machine and Foundry relocate its foundry to the Erata site.
The EDA also purchased 500 acres of land from the Ellisville State School to develop Howard Technology Park.
“The state says it’s the best technology park in the state,” Geddie said. “We need more resident industries there, and it will happen.”
Geddie said the EDA has had its share of ups and downs in its 25-year history.
“Most of it has been very positive,” he said. “Mitch and his staff do an excellent job.”
Geddie is the retired owner of Western Auto in Ellisville.
“I still work there some, and I still enjoy it. I’m very blessed to be in good health to do it.”
He also works at his farm and he and his travel.
“I’ve been on the EDA board for 25 years, and I’ve certainly enjoyed it.”
Stennett said the basis of the EDA“is that the volunteers set the policies and work with elected officials to carry those policies out. Our major successes are the existing businesses. Our volunteers interact with the businesses and try to determine their needs and what will make them more successful. They maintain continuous contact with them for retention and expansion. My volunteers do that well, and they communicate in a timely to find out what our businesses need.”
Board chairmen have been Charles Pickering, Harry Bush, Vern Geddie, Dr. Doug Tillery, Neil Gunn, Larry J. Sumrall, Dr. Douglas Jefcoat, Billy Hyatt, Billy Browning, Stan Burton and Glenn Caves, the current chairman. The first board members were Neil Gunn, Woody Martin, Tommie Pickering, Larry Sumrall, Richard “Dickey” Welborn, Harry Bush Sr., Lamar A. Conerly, Maury Thames, Dick Anderson, Vern Geddie, Jim Robinson, W.D. Upton, Charles Pickering Sr., Jerry Lyon, Winston T. Shows, James W. “Sonny” Smith and Tommy Wright. According to history of the EDA written by Pickering — to be included in the program for tonight’s banquet — Gov. William Winter addressed the first annual banquet meeting.
“Since the consolidation of economic development in Jones County, other areas of the state have taken similar steps to bring their economic development programs under one umbrella,” Pickering wrote. “One of the mistakes we made early on was not creating a chamber of commerce division within the EDA. Since that time, the Jones County Economic Support Group Inc. was chartered, and it is commonly known at the Jones County Chamber of Commerce.”
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