WOODVILLE &045;&045; Congressman Chip Pickering is spending his summer recess from Congress touring his district, and after Tuesday’s stop in Woodville he’ll have a few more things to work on.

Pickering has represented southwest Mississippi since 2002.

Pickering began the day in Brookhaven, touring the Wal-Mart regional distributions center located there.

There are 19 such distribution centers located in the third congressional district, which employ an estimated 7,500 people.

The Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors, whom Pickering spent part of the afternoon visiting in Woodville, would love to see a 20th center open in their back yard.

&uot;For jobs and economic development, we need a distribution center,&uot; board president Robert Morgan said. &uot;We have assets like a four-lane highway that would be good for a distribution center.&uot;

Improvement in infrastructure was among the chief necessities to luring big business to the region, and Pickering said after the meeting that all parties will have to work together to go in the right direction. He is eager to do his part, he said, adding that progress is being made.

&uot;I think this could be a major health care center, it could be a major transportation and distribution center and a major tourism, educational and retirement center,&uot; Pickering said, referring to the entire southwestern Mississippi region. &uot;We need to build on the natural strengths of the community; we need greater unity of leadership.&uot;

Pickering said that he sees himself as someone who can coordinate local, regional and state officials.

&uot;We need economic planning on a regional basis,&uot; he said.

&uot;We need infrastructure on a regional basis and then we will invest together on a state and federal level.&uot;

On a local level, Wilkinson County needs a new jail, board members said. And they need for Head Start to be reauthorized.

The Wilkinson County Board of Supervisors pointed to its dwindling tax base, saying that not only can’t it afford a new jail, but it will have to borrow to pay the premium for the liability insurance it needs because of the dilapidated current facility. Pickering said he understands the situation.

&uot;This has been a tough two or three years for southwest Mississippi…but we’re beginning to emerge from that and look for things that we can attract and build upon with the natural resources that we have.&uot;

In the meantime, Pickering said

his office would see what it could do about Head Start and helping Wilkinson County get its new jail built.