Coweta

County moved closer into the industrial recruitment arena

this week as the county went to market to sell bonds.

The Coweta

County Commission heard about a proposed $14.5 million

bond sale at Tuesday's meeting when county attorney Mitch

Powell briefed the board about the sale.

The bonds

are being sold to finance the county's $13.5 million

purchase of the remaining 900 acres in the Shenandoah

Industrial park.

An

additional $1 million in bonds is being used for the

continuation of Sanders Road and Amlajack Boulevard, and

the remaining half interest in the Bill Hart property,

land next to the industrial park needed to help improve

it. The county earlier purchased a 50 percent interest in

the land.

The park

was built in the 1970s and has served as the major

indusrial park for the county for the last 20 years.

"We

elected to put this in the bond issue to save the

taxpayers of Coweta County some money," said Coweta

County Commission Chairman Lawrence Nelms.

The

commissioners announced their intent to purchase the

industrial park several months ago, as a way to lure

industrial prospects to the county and increase the tax

base.

Several

commissioners, including Nelms, have reiterated the

importance of expanding the tax base and landing more

industrial prospects for the county.

The county

decided to purchase the property near Interstate 85 after

receiving a positive feasibility study from the county's

consulting firm, Robert and Company, and receiving a

favorable appraisal on the property.

In

announcing the purchase, commission Chairman Nelms said

the purchase would allow the county to choose the type of

industry that would be good for the county.

The

purchase is financed by industrial revenue bonds and the

bonds will be paid back as tracts of land are sold to

industrial prospects.

"This

is going to be very beneficial to everybody in the

county," said Commissioner Vernon "Mutt"

Hunter.

Commissioner

Jim McGuffey also was pleased with the purchase and said

this shows the county is being "proactive" in

trying to bring in more industry.

For $13.5

million, the county will receive 940 acres of property,

including 90 acres of wetlands, all maps, engineering

studies and future road and sewer plans for the property.

Hunter

asked if these bonds would be available for the general

public to buy, and was pleased when he was told they are

available.

"There's

a lot of people who want to invest in Coweta County. It's

as good as gold," Hunter said.

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