Small group at JDA meeting

Visitors outnumbered members last week at the monthly meeting of the Joint Development Authority of Jeff Davis County, Hazlehurst and Denton (JDA).
With only three members present, Terry Stone called the meeting to order in the absence of Chairman Bo Reese and she, Johnny Watkins and Wanda Marchant conducted the business.
Visitor David DeSousa of the Jeff Davis Tax Assessors kicked off the meeting by asking the JDA to supply him with copies of the various Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) the JDA had with businesses locating in the county for Assessors’ tax purposes. Stone said there were only two the assessors did not have, for Beasley Forest Products and Thompson Hardwood, both of which won’t go into effect until 2025.
The JDA recently advertised to the public seeking persons interested in filling the three vacancies on the authority but only one person expressed an interest in serving.
There were no updates on the Thompson water line project, a project to bring increased water pressure to the plant on the Baxley Highway, nor on the Currie Street project, a project to renovate the old Hazlehurst Mills property in order to market it to a potential industry.
The JDA members approved a motion to release funds from the JDA’s revolving loan fund for an application from Creech Welding. There were two application received for loans from the fund.
Members discussed the need for a computer for their receptionist’s desk and agreed to pay the JDA’s share of the purchase.
The JDA discussed new state training requirements for members and briefly discussed the County Commission’s allocation of funds to the JDA, which have not yet been distributed.
At the suggestion of JDA Executive Director Oakley Perry, the group discussed transferring a portion of the JDA funds on hand into interest bearing Certificates of Deposit. They voted to transfer $200,000 into a 5-month CD and $100,000 into an 11-month CD.
Members then retired to meet in executive session.