For the Progress-Times

The Webster County Development Council will have the annual business meeting on Monday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Eupora Depot.

I hope that you will make plans to attend this very important meeting. At the meeting, we will be electing the new officers for the year and taking up other matters of business.

It is important that dues be paid by the meeting on Jan. 22 for you to be able to vote. If you haven't already paid your dues to be a member of the Webster County Development Council I hope that you will make an effort to do so before the meeting.

Accomplishments of the WCDC in 2006

€ The WCDC purchased the Doss Building for the Webster Made market project.

€ Successful start-up of the farmers market.

€ Retail marketing efforts which included the formation of a retail marketing team, the development of retail marketing pieces and participation in the International Council of Shopping Centers Southeastern Conference to recruit retail business.

€ Additional marketing efforts promoting Webster County as a great place to live and work. These included ads run on WLZA and in the Home Guide Magazine.

€ Conducted the second annual Spring Garden Show held in Mathiston at Evergreen Ag. Felder Rushing was the featured speaker at the dinner that night.

€ Conducted strategic planning sessions with each of the municipalities in the county and with the Board of Supervisors. As a result, goals were set and work has been taking place to reach those goals.

€ Council of Government continues to meet on a quarterly basis giving the elected officials an opportunity to learn ways in which they can better serve their municipality or the county. Through their coming together, they are also better able to help each other solve common problems.

€ The project to restore rail service to Webster County continues with the Webster County Development Council having received an ARC grant to conduct a feasibility study to determine the economic feasibility of refurbishing the rail line and also to look at the consequences of not reopening the line.

€ Conducted an industry survey to determine how the Webster County Development Council can better serve our existing industry.

€ Support for the Small Municipalities and Limited Population Grant program that resulted in the Webster County Board of Supervisors obtaining $150,000 to help get the intersection of Highway 82 and 9 lighted. Webster County had five applications submitted for consideration.

€ The signage project to provide uniform signs for the county and communities throughout Webster County is almost completed. All but two of the signs have been finished; some of been installed and the mural hopefully will be completed this spring.

€ Held the first Webster County Development Council Recognition Banquet in Eupora at the Eupora First Baptist Church Family Life Center. This year's banquet will be held in Mathiston on March 19.

€ Conducted a Fall Decoration Contest throughout the county. Participants were from Bellefontaine, Eupora, Mantee, Mathiston and Walthall.

€ The 4th Annual Christmas Market Festival was held the first weekend in December with approximately 43 vendors taking part. The number of vendors participating doubled.

€ Membership in the Webster County Development Council reached 84 this past year, which surpassed the previous high of 75 in 2002.

€ The Webster County Development Council is continuing to work to bring new industry to the county.

Dedication to promoting and improving the community and economic development of Webster County is the goal of the Webster County development Council. I hope that you will decide to become a member and help us achieve this goal. I look forward to working with you in 2007.

Wilson is executive director of the Webster County Development Council. She may be contacted at 258-7835.