East Morgan industrial group seeks bill to expand jurisdiction

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
The East Morgan County Industrial Development Board is seeking a legislative act that would change its name, provide for the appointment of additional board members, increase the amount of money it receives from TVA payments in lieu of taxes and expand its jurisdiction. But at least two members of the Morgan County Commission have raised a caution flag and want to be heard by the local legislative delegation before the proposed bill is introduced in the Legislature.
The proposal, which has already been advertised four consecutive weeks in another Morgan County newspaper, would change the name of the organization from East Morgan County Industrial Development Board to Morgan County Industrial Development Board and give it countywide jurisdiction. It also would increase the number of board members from five to seven and 8 percent of the county’s TVA payments in lieu of taxes would be placed in a special fund and used to finance the projects of the board.
Commission Chairman John Glasscock agreed.
In addressing the subject at a commission meeting on March 11, Rep. Jeremy Odem, R-Eva, sponsor of the proposed bill, said the industrial board was set up under state law not a local act and the change request was initiated with the unanimous consent of the industrial development board.
Under the proposal, the commission would administer the funds. Successor board members would be elected for six-year terms with the commission appointing three, the county’s senator two and the county’s representatives two.