City council votes to apply for EDA grant

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Aug. 7, 2002
The Meridian City Council voted Tuesday to let Mayor John Robert Smith apply for a grant that will help fund water and sewer service to the new Lauderdale County industrial park.
The city learned last month that a pre-application for the Economic Development Administration grant had been approved by the agency's regional office in Atlanta.
With approval of the pre-application, the EDA invited local officials to submit a formal grant application for $1.7 million in federal funds. The city will match the grant with another $1.7 million.
Local economic development officials say the addition of water and sewer service is needed to attract new business and industry to the Interstate 20/59 industrial park.
On Monday, the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize Craig Hitt to finish paper work to submit the same application.
City and county officials hope to learn the fate of the grant by September.