MAYOR

personal use. If by some chance Howard was on city business, elected or appointed officials are supposed to get permission from their governing bodies before going out of state on public business. The Aberdeen Board of Aldermen has authorized such a trip according to a review of city records.

In addition, he is supposed to report the use of the city-owned car as income on his taxes, especially if it is being made available for personal use or is driven virtually all the rime. According to the FOI information obtained from the city, the car is not reported on his W2. It is unclear whether he reports it on his taxes and pays taxes for its use.

Howard has two personal vehicles registered in his name in Monroe County.

This is not the first time questions have arisen about Howard's use of his city car. Last fall, he was questioned after the car showed up on repeated mornings at Core Fitness in Columbus. At the time, Howard denied any wrong and challenged a reporter to, "Get a life," saying he was in Columbus for early morning meetings with lawyers and others as part of efforts to recruit business to Aberdeen.

He stopped at the fitness center on his way back to Aberdeen, he said at the time.

When asked about the Aberdeen car being in his town, Linden Police Chief Robert Alston Jr. chuckled, saying, "It's not something you see very often."

"It wasn't really hidden, you could see it from the road (Highway 28). The officer just wanted to make sure it wasn't stolen. He did a good job," the chief said. "Once we confirmed

it wasn't stolen, we didn't inquire anymore, just kept an eye on it."

The latest questions couldn't come at a worse time as the city and Monroe County could be on the verge of landing as many as 150 jobs, the first major influx of jobs in the community in 15 years.

The city and county are working to lure Bradbury Logistics and Services, an energyefficient building material manufacturer, to lease part of the building now occupied by Holley Performance, which is ending its 18year lease on the site effective May 30.

The city and county jointly own the building, which is located on Highway 45

Aberdeen aldermen approved elements of the deal at their April 3 meeting and supervisors followed suit.

If the deal comes through, Bradbury, which is based in Ft. Valley, Ga., would invest as much as $1.1 million in the 67,000-square-foot front section of the building to get in ready. As part of the incentives, if Bradbury meets all the terms of the agreement, it can occupy the building virtually rent free for 20 years.

It also would get heap electricity from the city's utility, although that would have to be approved by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Howard ran on an economic development campaign two years ago and says he has made jobs a priority since taking office. He told aldermen he'd been working on the Bradbury deal since meeting the group through a mutual contact in 2016. He said the company looked in Prairie before going to Greenville. Unable to find a location there, the company turned its sights back to Aberdeen, Howard told city and county leaders.