When Mitch Mays leaves the Franklin County Development Authority office this Friday, he'll mark the end of an 11-year run as Executive Director.
Next week, Mays will begin his new job as Administrator with the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Devlopment Authority in Columbus, Miss.
Mays recently reflected on a career in Franklin County that began in August of 2005. Mays' assistant, Sherye Price, has been named Interim Executive Director of the FCDA and he believes a solid economic foundation awaits Price in her new position.
“I'd say we're leaving Franklin County in a very good position. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in Northwest Alabama (6.4%),” Mays said. “It's always lower than our Mississippi neighbors. Is the situation here perfect? No, but there is no perfect situation in terms of employment,” he added.
A look at the numbers would seem to support Mays' assertion. In the last four years, Franklin County has seen $97 million in capital investments on new and expanding industry. Additionally, 1,105 new jobs were announced in that same time period, including Innovative Hearth Products, Southern Energy Homes, Mar-Jac, Farmers Home Furniture and Franklin Structures.
“It's also important to note that we haven't seen any manufacturing or industrial closings,” Mays said.
Mays is aware of past grumblings from some citizens who believe Franklin County hasn't seen the economic growth that warrants a full-time development authority staff. Most of those critics, Mays said, have never taken the time to look into what's happening in their own communmity, though.
“I'd say to them I've been here 11 years. We've never seen you at any meeting. You've never participated in making decisions to create industrial parks, build speculative buildings, put incentive packages together or attend any meeting when we've talked to prospects considering locating in Franklin County,” Mays said. “There are a lot of t hings happening people don't see but that doesn't mean something nefarious is going on,” Mays added.
When he meets with officials considering expansion into Franklin County, Mays regularly hears positive feedback about the local labor force, particularly for a county with approximately 32,000 residents.
“The last few companies have mentioned our work force in particular as a strong point for our area. Second to that is the product we have,” Mays said.
“To get a company to look at your county you have to have something to show them. You can't show them a cornfield. You need prepared industrial sites for them to look at. Companies are looking at Franklin County because we've done that work,” he added.
Mays' primary concern down the road for Franklin County is whether there will remain adequate funding to operate the development authority.
Primary funding for FCDA comes from a severance tax on sand and gravel in Franklin County. Franklin County is the lone Alabama county whose severance tax revenue is earmarked for economic development. That tax averages about $100,000 per year. Additionally, the authority operates on contributions from the Cities of Russellville and Red Bay. Franklin County does not contribute funds directly to the FCDA nor does it pay any salary, but FCDA employees receive health care and retirement administered through the Franklin County Commission.
Matt Cooper, FCDA Board Vice-Chairman, said this will be a priority area moving forward.
“We will be working as a board to secure future funding for FCDA,” Cooper said. “We're blessed to have the severance tax but it is a bit unpredictable and therefore makes the office and its affairs hard to manage.
“We expect to ask for support from local business and industry for help in our efforts,” Cooper added.
Cooper said he will miss working with Mays but understands there was a career opportunity available for him.
“I enjoyed working with Mitch and wish him well in his future endeavors. Franklin County may never realize how much impact he had,” Cooper said. “Often times we feel the public doesn't understand the intricate details of the economic recruiting process. Through Mitch's connections and follow-ups, we've been able to secure a lot of jobs for this area,” he added.
Mays encourages officials to bring together the various industrial boards across Franklin County and consider a consolidated effort through one authority.
“Do I think that would benefit the county to have everyone under one roof so you'd have one board in the county? Yes. But it must represent economic development efforts of the entirety of Franklin County,” Mays said. “That means the cities and county have to delegate some authority to this new combined board. It's not something that will happen overnight, but I think it would benefit them to do it and would bring financial stability to the board itself,” he added.
Mays also likes the parameters of the Alabama Jobs Act, which calls for clawback provisions with incentives as well as requiring benchmarks to be met before state monies are available.
“Years ago, there were no tracking mechanisms and no clawbacks. We're not doing that any more. We must be good stewards of money we use from the state,” Mays said.
“What you see now is provisions written into the agreements that if a company doesn't do what it says it will do, the local entity and the state can revoke the abatement or incentive,” he added.
Mays and his wife Melissa have two children, including a junior at Russellville High School, so the family will stay in Russellville at least two more years. A Russellville native, Mays said he and Melissa remain “very fond of this area.”
He praised the working relationship among various county boards and governments as a major factor in Franklin County's industrial growth.
“I think the working relationship is the best I've seen since I've been here. That's been a very important factor. The IHP deal, for example, took the state, city and county working together along with our local legislative delegation. It takes everyone working together to see success,” Mays said.
