Master plans for the Whitmer Industrial Park were presented to the Bell County Industrial Foundation at their most recent meeting.

This plan divides the park into 6 tracts (.5 acre, 2.7 acre, 4 acre, 4.75 acre and two 3 acre tracts). All access roads will be 24 ft. wide roadways with a 4 ft. shoulder. A utility easement will also run along the road underground. Once the Pride Grant is awarded the sewer lines will change and will need to be added to the plan. The board members agreed in concept with the proposed plan. It is still subject to fine tuning and any recommendation by review from the city attorney.

Dempsey Miracle, the plan's designer, will provide a step-by-step analysis of the process to complete the park at the next foundation meeting, on May 9. BCIF President Ken Jones said he hopes the final plan will be approved at that meeting.

Jones discussed the possibility of acquiring unused railroad right-away at the back of the park. Miracle said that 60,000 cubic yards of dirt will be needed to fill the land beyond the railroad spur for the property to be utilized.

The Covenant Review Committee, Bill Burchfield, David Cook, Ed Harris, Jones and Miracle, have developed necessary covenants for the Whitmer Park. The Board agreed to forward the covenants to the foundation's attorney for final review. Jones reminded everyone that the covenants and master plan need to be in place to go to the step next with the current prospect for the first site in the park.

A public meeting on the Technology and Training Park will be held Friday at 10 a.m. in the conference room at the Holiday Inn Express in Middlesboro. The purpose of the meeting is to provide general information about the project. The public is invited to comment on such issues as economic and environmental impacts, service area, alternatives to the project and any other pertinent issues.

The meeting in necessary for the project to qualify for an ARC Grant and follows a format recommended by the USDA's Doug Moore.

Also, the board reviewed and approved a letter of support as requested by Bell County Judge Executive Bill Kelley for the Pine Mountain Regional Industrial Park's proposed regional airport. The letter, addressed to Paul Steely, Commissioner of the Department of Aviation states that the Foundation's goal is to support our current historical airport as well as the proposed regional airport.

Bell County Chamber of Commerce Director Nioma Lawson reported that Broadband Horizons has completed the assessment of Bell County and that Erine Wood, Connect Kentucky, expects to receive a report shortly.

The Bell County Industrial Foundation will hold their next meeting on Monday, May 9.