Business expansion, more jobs proposed in Jackson

A national company with the potential of bringing several dozen jobs — and possibly more — to Jackson is eyeing the community, according to Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner.

Speaking on behalf of Cape Girardeau Area Magnet, Mehner commented on the company’s possible expansion into Jackson during the Jackson Board of Aldermen’s study session Monday night.

Although he did not identify the company, Mehner said he was “at liberty to say it’s going to be more than 30 (jobs) and a 10,000-square-foot building. I don’t want to say too much more than that.”

He did, however, indicate the jobs and building construction would be an expansion of a company that already exists in the Jackson area.

“We’ve been working on this project in Jackson for quite some time,” he told the aldermen. “It’s with an existing company that is a national company in competition for a potential expansion, and if everything goes right, we’ll be able to secure that expansion here in Jackson.”

One of the things that needs to go right, Mehner said, is the approval of a tax abatement incentive under Missouri’s Chapter 100 Bonds program.

“Chapter 100 is a bonding process, but not a general obligation bond. It’s a revenue bond. What that means is, very simply, that by going through this process, a city and/or a county or a governmental entity can act as a conduit for a bonding process that actually gives you title to property, both real and/or personal property, so there can be, if you want, 100% tax abatement on that property for a certain period of time,” he explained.

“One of the things we’re charged with at Cape Girardeau Area Magnet is proper use of the proper tool at the proper level at the proper time,” he said in explaining the proposal to use the Chapter 100 Bonds financing tool. Mehner said he expects to come back to the Board of Aldermen at its next meeting, on March 16, with a plan to offer a 50% tax abatement for a 10-year period, which, he said “is very much in line with a lot of (similar) projects in Cape County.”

Those projects, Mehner said, include two at Procter & Gamble, at least one at Mondi and “a couple others” in the county.

“This is not a new thing and is a very utilized tool throughout the state,” he said.

In addition to bringing a financing proposal to the aldermen March 16, Mehner said he will identify the company and provide other details at that time.

In a non-related item during the board’s study session, the aldermen discussed the possibility of revising the city’s ordinances related to the operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and similar utility vehicles on city streets. Jackson city manager Jim Roach said the city staff would draft an ordinance for the aldermen to review at their next meeting.

Prior to the study session, the aldermen conducted a brief business meeting during which they:

• Approved the appointment of Joe Touchette to the University of Missouri Extension Office Council.
• Approved a change order submitted by Nip Kelley Equipment Co. Inc. of Cape Girardeau in the amount of $9,316.47 related to the city’s water system facility plan improvement project.
• Approved a task order authorization in the amount of $11,040 to Koehler Engineering & Land Surveying Inc. of Cape Girardeau pertaining to inspection services for the South Old Orchard Road water system interconnection project.
• Voted to approve a task order authorization in the amount of $12,900 to Lochmueller Group Inc. of St. Louis for work related to a traffic study at the intersection of North High Street and Deerwood Drive.
• Approved a special-use permit for a bed-and-breakfast at 736 Greensferry Road, zoned as an R-2 single family residential area, as proposed by Christine M. Pagano.

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