NATCHEZ &045; At a public forum Wednesday night, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove issued a call for the public to support his economic development plan &045; and hinted at a major &uot;announcement&uot; in Natchez next week.

Musgrove told those present at Natchez High School’s Steckler Multi-Purpose Center that he will be in town again next week. &uot;There’ll be a major announcement, Š but I can’t tell you what it is,&uot; Musgrove said.

Those words hold promise for a community that has seen the closing of Johns Manville and Ethyl Petroleum plants and the near-shutdown of a Titan Tire plant in recent years.

Earlier in the day, Musgrove also pledged a $25,000 grant to fund a study of the strengths of southwest Mississippi and how it should market those strengths to attract industry. That’s up from $10,000 pledged at the end of last year.

Musgrove made that announcement at a meeting with city and county officials from Adams, Jefferson, Wilkinson, Amite and Franklin counties.

There, Musgrove and Mississippi Development Authority Director Bob Rhorlack pledged to do everything they can to boost the economy of the region, said Natchez Mayor F.L. &uot;Hank&uot; Smith.

Regional officials also used the opportunity to impress on Musgrove and Rhorlack their economic needs. &uot;We’re not asking for a handout &045; we’re just asking for a shot at (new industries),&uot; Smith said.

At the Wednesday night forum, Musgrove told participants he is asking the Legislature to pass a budget that devotes 62 percent of state funding to education during this session.

That would include a $200 million package to help retain university professors. Another component of Musgrove’s plan would give students two extra months of schooling before the regular kindergarten year and two months of classes the following summer.

&uot;That would not be mandatory, but the option (to attend the extra months of school) would be there,&uot; he said.

Educating the state’s future workforce is necessary to attract new industries and retain existing ones, Musgrove said.

He is also asking lawmakers to pass a $20 million bond issue to fund incentives to attract industries &045; a bill called the Rural Economic Development Act.

&uot;If you agree with me on education (funding) and on the Rural Economic Development Act, call or write your legislators and tell them,&uot; Musgrove said. &uot;I can give you their number.&uot;

After Wednesday night’s gathering, Musgrove said the Mississippi Development Authority would have broad latitude in how it used the $20 million in bond proceeds to fund incentives.

&uot;It would give the MDA the greatest degree of flexibility so they’re able to craft an incentive program&uot; to meet each industry’s specific needs, Musgrove said.

To really boost the economy of the state &045; especially rural areas hit hard by plant closings &045;&uot;we’ve got to give breaks to business and industry,&uot; Musgrove said.