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Economic-development director touts new site purchase, rail return and manufacturers coming to Covington County
Summary
Jacob "Jake" Morgan told the commission his office secured a SEEDS grant to help purchase 110 acres in River Falls and described rail and manufacturing investments that he said could create dozens of jobs; he asked commissioners to consider future funding for his office.
Jacob "Jake" Morgan, who identified himself as president and CEO of a local development commission and as a county economic-development official, briefed the Covington County Commission on March 10 about recent recruitment successes and a pending SEEDS grant.
“We are being awarded a SEEDS grant, to purchase 110 acres in River Falls, to develop for a future site for industry,” Morgan said, and gave the site purchase price as $660,000. He said the city’s board would present a $440,000 check and that his office would be responsible for about $220,000 of the purchase price.
Morgan also highlighted a railroad project that returned to service in October; he estimated total investment on that rail work at about $7,000,000. He said returning rail service strengthens Covington County’s appeal to manufacturers that require rail access.
Morgan said an Australian fiberglass pool manufacturer, Aqualeisure Technologies, will hold a grand opening March 17 and that another manufacturer based in Orlando has expressed interest in the county; he estimated each new employer could add roughly 40–50 jobs at full operation. He said his office would issue a press release about the SEEDS grant and thanked the county for early support, noting a $10,000 county match that helped the grant application.
Morgan said he was not asking the commission to vote at the meeting but asked commissioners to consider future funding for his office to continue recruitment and site-prep work.
