Pittsylvania County Seeks Tobacco Funding

Source from:  godanriver.com By John Crane September 2, 2008 09/04/2008

After contentious debate Tuesday night, the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors narrowly voted to seek $4.7 million from the Tobacco Commission for economic development, with $700,000 of that money drawing the most fire. Supervisors voted 4-3 to approve a motion seeking $4.7 million from the Tobacco Commission to fund three projects. If approved, $1 million would be used for the agricultural complex along U.S. 29, $3 million for an industrial park at Berry Hill and the $700,000 to pay for offsite water and sewer for Gretna Industrial Park. The motion also calls for $30,000 in county funding to pay for engineering and design for a waterline to run from the Gretna town limits to C&E Restaurant and $275,000 from the county's 2009-10 budget for construction of the line. During a presentation and an impassioned speech, Callands-Gretna Supervisor Fred Ingram implored supervisors to seek the $700,000 because doing so would bring industry to the 100-acre Gretna Industrial Park and spur growth in northern Pittsylvania County. The park, located across from Crossroads Restaurant, also would include another 31 acres of private land, he said. Dan River Supervisor James Snead, however, questioned the benefits of the added 31 acres. "We (the county) don't own that 31 acres," he said. Ingram said the upper portion of the county has been neglected for too long while all the jobs have gone to Danville and the county's southern end. "We have not created any jobs in northern Pittsylvania County," he said. "It's a shame we don't pull together as an entire county." Ingram pointed out that the Gretna park is in an enterprise zone, has Internet capability, and about $1.7 million was approved by the Tobacco Commission for the site in 2005. Tunstall Supervisor Tim Barber noted that the park was a priority over the Brosville Industrial Park several years ago, but the Gretna project ran into insurance problems. "Thank you for the history lesson, Mr. Ingram, but I'm going to dispute what you said," he said. Barber said he's worked on the Gretna park since elected to the board in 2004, but there's been "problem after problem." He said the county has put $1 million into the agriculture complex, which is in the northern part of the county. Barber also pointed out that only industry would be allowed in the park, not commercial businesses. Chatham-Blairs Supervisor Hank Davis said the county borrowed $7 million in tax money for the regional park and the industrial park, but not for Gretna. "For $700,000, it's a small price to pay to let some progress come to the northern part of the county," Davis said. A North Carolina business owner told supervisors Tuesday that he would bring his construction business to the park if it was developed. Donald Young, who has built Gretna Theatre and a car wash in the town, said he would build a 3,000-square-foot to 4,000-square-foot building on about five acres of land in the park. Billy McBride, who built the entrance to Gretna's new Hampton Inn, said he wants to extend the road from the inn to the industrial park. "We need jobs in northern Pittsylvania County to keep everything going," McBride said. About $100 million has been spent to bring development to Danville and the southern portion of Pittsylvania County, Ingram said. Board Chairman Coy Harville voted against the allocation for the Gretna park, along with Snead and Barber. Enditem