By John Howell Sr.

Mississippi Development Authority official Chandler Russ on Wednesday described MDA programs available to assist the state’s manufacturers during an economic climate of consolidation, mergers and layoffs.

Russ, along with Joe Geddie of the North Mississippi Industrial Development Authority (NMIDA) and Mitzi Woods of the Delta Workforce Investment Area (DWIA) spoke to the Panola Partnership’s quarterly luncheon for existing industry.

Russ told the representatives of local industry, job placement and training services that “because of the credit crunch, we’ve asked the legislature for a $70 million relief fund that’s only available to Mississippi business and industry.”

Other incentives available to Mississippi business and industry include rebates of up to 3.5 percent of payroll tax paid back to the company for meeting certain jobs creation criteria, Russ said.

NMIDA’s Geddie said that the Tennessee Valley Authority’s board of directors had approved a Valley Investment Initiative Fund to begin in October which will be available to existing business and industry who can commit to a multi-year commitment to stay in the state to implement jobs and save energy.

The initiative investment fund is “for existing companies like you,” Geddie said. “We want you to stay in Mississippi; it’s another tool in the tool box if you’re on the consolidation block.”

NMIDA is half-funded by TVA and half by member utility distributors including the Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA), Geddie said.

The DWIA’s Woods said that among the ways the $4 billion that has been included in the economic stimulus package will find its way to Panola County and the area surrounding served by her agency will be through an extended summer jobs program. Ages served by the program, Woods said, will be from 16 to 24, “so we’ll be able to help a lot of college kids.”

Replying to a question from Batesville Alderman Bobbie Jean Pounders about what help might be available for an existing industry currently facing the prospect of laying off employees, Russ said:

“What we have found is the earlier we have become involved in the process, the better we have had a chance of helping them.”

“We’re going to give it our best shot to turn a consolidation our way,” Russ had said earlier, referring to the decision by Cooper Tires to close its Albany, Georgia plant in favor of an industry consolidation to Tupelo.

John Miller of Thermos expressed “concern as a ratepayer” about whether the cost of TVA’s cleanup of the massive sludge slide at its coal-fired generator near Kingston, Tenn. would be passed along to electricity customers. Neither Russ nor Geddie had an answer.