Project “Atticus” Gets Green Light
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – After several months of internal and public wrangling, canceled meetings due to a lack of quorum and months of work behind the scenes, Project "Atticus" was finally approved by Crockett City Council at a make-good meeting held Monday, Oct. 14. The vote of those present was unanimous. Councilman Darrell Jones was absent.
As reported in The Messenger, the project has been worked on by city leaders for the better part of a year, and city council's approval was the last piece needed to bring the new business to Crockett – a project which promises 125 new jobs over the next five years.
The project originally came up for review in early August, but was delayed due to a lack of quorum at city council. There were further delays until early this month, when the issue came up at a Crockett Economic and Industrial Development Corporation (CEIDC) meeting, where again, City Council Members Jones and NaTrenia Hicks opted not to attend.
When the matter came up at a regular city council meeting last Monday, Oct. 7 and the two again failed to attend, the city hastily called a new meeting this week, even though it was Columbus Day, a government holiday.
The delays led to speculation the city might lose the opportunity, giving the company's directors the impression the city was not behind the project. Sources tell The Messenger some city council members were able to see the company's size and success, and based on this, voted in favor of the incentives to bring the business to Crockett.
While no exact timeline was available, sources tell The Messenger the company must approve the plan, before going public with their plans to open a branch in Crockett. The company and more specifics should be detailed at that point.
City council members also serve as the CEIDC board of directors and an interesting tidbit was overheard at the latest meeting. Upon confirming Jones would not be in attendance, Hicks told CEIDC Executive Director James Gentry to come sit with the council, although he is not an elected official.
"If he (Crockett City Administrator John Angerstein) is up here, you should be up here, too," Hicks reportedly told Gentry. Removing Jones' name from the official name plate at Jones' assigned seat, Gentry sat with the council for the rest of the joint meeting.
It took the members about an hour in a closed executive session to come to an agreement, with Precinct Five Councilman Mike Marsh making the motion to pass the incentive plan and Precinct One Councilman Dennis Ivey seconding. The vote was officially taken twice, once on behalf of CEIDC and once on behalf of the city.
