Don Brown gives BOS updates on Economic Development Partnership

Port Commission Chairman, Don Brown, went before the Board of Supervisors this Monday to give an update on economic development.

Brown serves with Brent Cappaert, Donna Ingram, Louis Lambiotte, and Maurice Winston on the commission board. “We work very well together, and we think we’ve been able to make some significant progress and work really cooperatively with you all (BOS) and the Chancery Clerk and everybody that has an interest in [economic development],” said Brown.

Brown went on to praise other members of his team for their handling of projects including construction manager “Skipper Whittington out there on the grounds who has done a great job day-to-day making things manage and go well.”

“I want to thank you all for your collaboration and support of the things and actions that we’ve tried to do and take on that’s good for this community, especially with the improvements up at Falco the Haining Road Levy,” said Brown, adding that a new lease for this site has been signed, though it is the same terms as in the past.

Brown praised Pablo Diaz of Economic Development particularly for his work “Out at Ceres, the new site B with improvements out there getting it ready.” Brown continued, “Pablo and his team have done a great job working with the State Agencies getting grants to help us to benefit those with properties out there.”

Brown continued, “I want to let you know the commissioners did vote to extend Pablo Diaz contract through 2028, and we do that because we feel we’ve definitely made some wonderful progress with him here.”

Brown went on to list some improvements to economic conditions in Warren County: “The unemployment rate is very low now, like 2.9%, that may be the best since the 1990s, we’ve been able to establish 956 jobs with 14 different projects, and of course the spec building we had out there for about 25 years [we were] finally able to sell it and get some use out of that… and of course M City and all the good things that’s going on in there and all the support yall have given for that… it’s just been unbelievable progress made with that building.”

Supervisor Edward Herring then extended his thanks to Brown and his team, “Speaking for myself here I appreciate what y’all do. There’s a lot of times when there’s a lot going on that people don’t understand with economic development; it’s a lot of moving parts.”