News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Fentress County Commission approved putting $58,000 towards creating a pad ready site at the Clarkrange Regional Business Park.
County Executive Jimmy Johnson said seven to eight acres will be leveled, with drainage being installed. Johnson said the county wants to have the easiest, quickest site it can for potential development.
“So with this being pad ready, they can come in and say, ‘your pad is this big and we have a pad ready for you to build whatever size you want on it,” Johnson said. “That is very critical I believe, to getting businesses to locate in your county.”
Johnson said this gives the county flexibility to have what a developer needs, whether they’re bringing 20 new jobs or 200 new jobs. Johnson said the Industrial Development Board’s portion of the funding is through a grant.
“I think they have until the first of the year to use this,” Johnson said. “So as long as they’re moving dirt it will be extended, that is my understanding. That’s a good thing that they can get started moving some dirt and get it taken care of.”
Johnson said that $42,000 was originally budgeted for the county’s portion of the project. Fentress County Industrial Development Board received $500,000 from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development in 2020.
