Commissioner teases ‘three big companies’ coming to Walker County

ROCK SPRING, Ga. — Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield said he is in “serious talks” with three new companies that could bring 450 jobs to the area.

After a luncheon hosted by the county’s Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon, Whitfield said the potential new businesses would be in the manufacturing, retail and tourism industries. He was tight-lipped about any other details but said he hoped to announce all three companies this year.

“We’re going to have a new tourist destination coming soon,” he told the Chamber. “So that’s just kind of a teaser to throw out there for you. We’ve got some things we’ve been working on with some private investors. In the very near future, we’ll be able to tell you about this.”

Whitfield declined to comment when asked if the new destination will be at Mountain Cove Farms. A $2 million purchase by his predecessor, Bebe Heiskell, the 300 acres in McLemore Cove have stood as a controversial symbol in the county. Heiskell attempted to turn the area into a destination resort and wedding chapel, and county workers refurbished its barn, cabins and antebellum-era mansion.

From the time of the purchase through June 2015, the operation lost $1.8 million. Though she said the business could one day add an additional revenue stream for the county, Heiskell’s critics believed her work was a waste of public money.

Members of the Walker County Economic Development Authority crafted a request for proposal this year, which it will send to any companies looking to lease Mountain Cove Farms. Larry Brooks, the authority’s executive director, said the requests are on hold until the county settles an issue with a spring barn on the property.

The state government owns the farm’s spring barn, which the county leases. Brooks said the county is trying to get money to refurbish it.

In December, authority Chairman Robert Wardlaw said Rock City CEO Bill Chapin emailed him, expressing interest in taking over the operation. Chapin did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday evening.

CODES ENFORCEMENT APP

County residents can now download a phone app to report blight in the community. Developed by iWorq, the app allows people to take pictures of areas they think are in violation of county codes. The complaints will be logged in the county’s system, and residents can track the status of their complaints.

The county already uses iWorq for internal data tracking, Whitfield said. Last week, the company released its app, and the county purchased the right to use it for $1,079. It will be free for residents who want to download it.

Aggressive codes enforcement has been a staple of Whitfield’s first four months as commissioner. He hired a new department head and turned two county employees into fulltime codes officers. Two building inspectors have also received enforcement

training and are working part time in that area.

Whereas county workers typically relied on complaints to investigate problems in the past, Whitfield said, workers are now going door to door, looking for problems and issuing warnings to residents. If they don’t fix issues, like trash outside or a lawn too tall, the residents could face a fine.

The county has found about 245 violations so far this year, according to figures Whitfield shared Tuesday. That represents a 274 percent increase compared to the first four months of last year.

Whitfield also said county workers have picked up 12,000 pounds of litter per month and have collected 350 abandoned tires. He is also trying to obtain a grant to pay for a tire amnesty day, when residents can drop tires off at the landfill for free. Usually, disposing of a tire costs $5.

FIRE STATION RENOVATION

Whitfield said the county is spending $25,000 to renovate a fire station in Chattanooga Valley, hoping to open it up to full-time firefighters by July. The station, located at 63 Cubine Road, previously staffed volunteers. Whitfield said county workers are adding sleeping quarters and new furniture to the building.

The county is outsourcing work to replace some sheetrock and an HVAC system.

Whitfield said 80 percent of the fire department’s calls come from the northern end of the county, but no full-time fire stations sit north of Rock Spring or Chickamauga.

“If they get a dispatched call on the north end of the county,” he said, “they’re 15, 20 minutes — plus — getting to that call.”

The new station will house four full-time firefighters at all times.

He is also hoping to finish the fire station in the Hinkle Community, upon which the county has spent about $1 million so far. He said they need about $300,000 more to complete the project.

“It’s an empty shell,” he said, adding that he wants to finish the construction within a year.

Contact Staff Writer Tyler Jett at 423-757-6476 or tjett@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @LetsJett.