By By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
July 4, 2002
U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering promised Wednesday to seek a congressional appropriation if Meridian is denied a request for a $1.6 million grant to provide water and sewer to the county industrial park.
Pickering's comments are the latest development in efforts to seek funds for extending water and sewer service to the Lauderdale County Industrial Park at Interstate 20/59 and U.S. 45.
Meridian and Lauderdale County filed a joint application for a $1.6 million grant from the Economic Development Authority.
Lauderdale County Supervisor Craig Hitt, who also serves as president of the board of supervisors, called Pickering's comments "great news."
Pickering, a Republican, faces U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows in the November election for the newly re-drawn 3rd Congressional District. Shows, a Democrat, now represents the 4th District.
Supervisors said early this week that when the city provides water and sewer to the industrial park, they will consider helping fund a new U.S. 45 interchange at a planned retirement community.
Mayor John Robert Smith, however, said at his regularly scheduled news conference Wednesday that the city and county are not at odds.
Smith said the city is even willing to let the county use Meridian's line of credit to borrow money for funding construction of the interchange. The city has requested $1 million from the county.
The city recently rejected an offer by some county officials to spend $500,000 on the project.