The Webster Progress-Times

The Webster County Development Council will have its annual meeting on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Eupora Depot.

Besides election of officers and committee reports, bylaws changes will be presented for approval by the paid membership. Directors adopted the proposed changes at a special board meeting on Dec. 12.

Directors attending were President Mart Salley; Vice President Dan Burchfield; Treasurer Belinda Stewart; county supervisors Robert Hitt, Charles Rivers, Larry Crowley and Casey Weeks; Mayor Mary Frances Baker and Alderman Barbara Pumphery of Mantee; Earlean Bowen; Sandra Dewberry and Paul Duke; plus Executive Director Cynthia Wilson, who serves as board secretary.

Some of the changes in wording of the bylaws are required by the Internal Revenue Service because of the WCDC's intended status as a non-profit organization, which Salley said has not yet been granted.

The bylaws changes were recommended by the president's Advisory Committee, which met before the board meeting. Approval of each proposed change at the board meeting required a unanimous vote of all 12 directors attending, which just constituted a two-thirds quorum for majority action under the existing bylaws.

One proposed amendment, if approved by the full membership next month, will require that only a minimum of nine directors be present in order to conduct business at a meeting. Bylaws amendments and the hiring of an executive director would still require approval by two-thirds of all directors on the board.

Membership Drive

The WCDC is conducting a membership drive through the end of January and Wilson encourages all prospective members to join or current ones to renew their membership. Membership runs from January through December.

"The purpose of the Webster County Development Council is to promote community and economic development, and it takes all of us working together to bring that change about," she stated. "If you want to see Webster County grow and prosper you can become an active partner in making that happen by becoming a member."

Incubator Building

Sale Closed

The WCDC has closed on the purchase of the building that once housed Doss Butane on East Roane Avenue. Wilson said Thad Fowler of Hattiesburg, who sold the building, has until the end of January to turn it over to the WCDC, at which time painting and other restoration can begin.

The organization obtained a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to buy the building to house the Webster Made Market.

It will serve as the location for a Farmer's Market and include a storefront to sell products made in the county. Plans are to have a website for e-commerce to help in the promotion and sale of Webster-made products.

An added feature for the market will be the development of four small business incubator locations. This will enable interested individuals wanting to start a small business to get started, Wilson noted.

Anyone interested in opening a small business may contact Wilson for assistance at 258-7835 or at her office in the Eupora Depot, 102 S. Dunn.