Choctaw, Montgomery, Webster Join Forces

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) — Three counties join hands to get more bang for their buck when it comes to attracting new jobs and businesses.

Supervisors from Webster, Choctaw and Montgomery counties met in Winona Wednesday to sign paperwork creating a regional economic development partnership called REPMS — Regional Economic Partnership of Mississippi.

The partnership is similar to the ones that have been successul among Lee, Pontotoc and Union counties and Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha counties. Prentiss, Alcorn and Tishomingo counties also have created a similar venture.

The three governments say their links to Highway 82 and Interstate 55 and location between Memphis and Jackson make them an attractive location for warehousing and distribution centers. Plentiful timber and coal also are marketable assets.

Leaders say it makes sense to combine their financial resources to promote the region rather than tryiong to go at it alone.

“We decided to come together today to unify our counties’ one goal and that is to bring jobs to our region,” said Choctaw County Supervisor Chris McIntire.

The counties have been discussing the partnership for about a year. Once the deal is approved by the state Attorney General, the agency’s oversight board will begin the search for a director.