Government funds to help build Sikeston Industrial Park road

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County's 2007 Delta Regional Authority funding will prepare roads for Orgill's traffic.

Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the regular Scott County Commission meeting Tuesday that he had received an e-mail Sept. 25 regarding the county's request for a "change of scope."

"It has been approved," Burger said. "It's kind of an unofficial notification."

The county had been approved for $263,000 in Delta Regional Authority funding for road improvements to County Road 468 on the north end of the Sikeston Industrial Park in Sikeston, Mo.

The allocation was made to improve access to where an ethanol plant was to be located based on the 40 jobs it would provide.

"When the ethanol plant didn't happen, the city of Sikeston asked us to help them with the Orgill project," Burger said.

Orgill Inc., the world's largest independent distributor of home improvement products, announced in July plans to build a new distribution center in the Sikeston Industrial Park.

Steve Duke, executive director of the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission, advised commissioners the county could change the scope of the project and reapply for the allocated funding.

"It was probably easy for them to approve -- it was going to be 40 jobs for the ethanol plant and now it's 350 jobs," said Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn.

The DRA funding will now be used to widen and create turning lanes on U.S. 61 to provide improved access to Orgill's facility for commercial vehicles.

"The total project is $740,025," Ziegenhorn said. "Scott County is contributing $236,400 through DRA." The balance will be funded by the city of Sikeston and MoDOT, according to Ziegenhorn.

In the e-mail, Howard W. Hemphill, director of Federal Programs for the DRA, wrote that the project "has been approved and you may proceed with the project at your discretion. Good luck with your project and congratulations on your recruitment of a well-known company with growth plans which will create jobs in your community."

"This enables the county to help the city of Sikeston which in turn will help the county," Burger said.

Joel Evans, county developer, said the Missouri Department of Transportation has been contacted and knows the project was approved.