|
Re: Phillips County Port
Authority Meets; Discusses Industrial Prospects
and Sales Tax Renewal
|
|
For More Information contact
Martin Chaffin at (870) 338-1418
|
|
|
KALBPAWN
|
|
POWERED BY VSK3
ENTERPRISES
|
|
|
HELENA-WEST HELENA- At its
regular monthly meeting, the Phillips County
Port Authority was updated on the status of the
various industrial prospects interested in the
Helena Harbor and the upcoming campaign to renew
the sales tax that supports the Port Authority,
county government, and all of the
municipalities.
Executive Director Martin Chaffin
opened the meeting with his monthly report. RBE
Arkansas continues to make progress on putting
together its financial package to finance
construction of its proposed $1.8 billion
facility at the Helena Harbor. Chaffin said,
“We are in almost constant contact with Rod
Miller and his potential financiers. It’s a
very complicated deal involving lots of
potential investors. The fact this project is
still alive in this economic climate provides
evidence to support our continued optimism that
this project will come to fruition.”
Chaffin also reported that
Universe LLC, a company that works with scrap
metal, continued to work to lease land at the
harbor for an operation that would ultimately
produce approximately 200 permanent jobs. He
said, “This is a very good prospect that is very
interested in our site and is at the stage where
they are evaluating the best location in the
harbor. They need about 40 acres for their
operation. We are continuing to work with them
to make sure they get the information that they
need.”
Chaffin also reported that
Contract Fabricators from Mississippi had put
their planned expansion on hold until the
economy rebounds. However, the firm remains
interested in the Helena Harbor when the economy
begins to strengthen.
In other business, the Port
Authority Board of Directors, along with County
Judge Don Gentry, discussed the importance of
renewing the current one-cent sales tax to
support the harbor, county, and cities. Gentry
said, “We have an agreement among all the
entities. We plan to have the election in
October. It’s very important that this pass.
If it doesn’t, a lot of people at the county and
Helena-West Helena will be out of a job, and the
county will have to close the jail. If it
fails, the smaller cities might as well shut
their doors.”
Members of the Board agreed that
passage of the tax is essential to avoid a
calamity in local government and a crippling of
economic development efforts.
