$2 million for county awaits signature
Published 12:03am Wednesday, February 8, 2012NATCHEZ — A cash infusion of $2 million for Natchez-Adams County port improvements awaits the signature of Adams County Supervisors’ President Darryl Grennell.
The $2 million grant is part of a larger financial package approved as part of the Elevance project, Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said.
Russ presented the board of supervisors with the necessary paperwork for the grant at the supervisors’ meeting Monday. The funds were in place Feb. 1, and Russ said all that is needed is for the supervisors to sign the necessary paperwork with the Mississippi Development Authority.
“As soon as they execute their side of it, the state will sign it and the funds will become available,” Russ said. “It’s like a contract.”
Grennell said it is likely he will sign the papers this morning, but that he was waiting for County Attorney Scott Slover to review them.
“This has already been approved by the board, so it is just a matter of when (Slover) brings it to me,” Grennell said.
The money will have to be used for physical improvements at the port, specifically to build a liquid loading dock and to provide the necessary mechanical equipment and piping associated with such a project. The money is 100 percent grant, and does not require a match from the county.
The total port improvement package will cost $6.5 million dollars, Russ said. That figure does not include the Government Fleet Road extension project.
“(The package) includes port rail infrastructure improvements to the rails that are owned by the port,” Russ said. “They will be making some upgrades to it to accommodate the types of cars that are necessary — primarily liquid tanker cars.”
The first $2 million of the package will be the grant. MDA Rail Loan will finance another $2 million at 0 percent interest. The rest will be financed by bond.
Elevance is a specialty chemical company. Its location in Adams County is expected to create 300 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs. The company will use the liquid loading dock to ship what it produces — chemical additives that go into a range of everyday items, from personal care products to cleaning supplies — on the Mississippi River.
Russ has previously said Elevance plans to invest $225 million in Adams County.
