Kia project to have impact on Valley Partnership Region

The total area of the site is approximately 3,300 acres, which includes about 2,200 acres for the assembly plant and the remaining acreage for adjacent suppliers, land needed for roadwork and other needs. The assembly plant will use approximately half of the 2,200 acres, with the remaining land earmarked for future expansion.

The city of West Point is a member of the Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority (VPJDA), which the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce provides the economic development and marketing. The VPJDA includes the cities of Manchester and West Point and the counties of Cusseta-Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor.

Five supplier companies are anticipated to locate in Georgia because of Kia's "just-in-time" delivery strategy. The state estimates these suppliers will employ an additional 2,600 employees. Kia estimates that it will attract employees from an area within a 45-minute commute from the plant. That includes Troup, Heard, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Spalding, Pike, Meriwether, Harris, Muscogee, Talbot and Upson counties.

"We are focused on marketing the Valley Partnership to the suppliers of the Kia project," said Becca Hardin, executive vice president of Economic Development. "We know that our region will benefit from these additional jobs created by Kia and its suppliers. The Valley Partnership can not assume that we are going to win, we have to do our homework and make our region the most attractive from the businesses' perspective."

Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1944 as Kia Motors Corp., it began as a bicycle parts maker and now produces passenger cars, vans and cargo trucks. Since 1998, Kia Motors Corp has been owned by Hyundai. In February 1994 Kia officially entered the U.S. auto market selling vehicles at four dealerships in Portland, OR. They now have more than 650 dealerships in 49 states.

The annual Crime Stoppers Jail and Bail was a success due to community support March 14 and 15. The money raised at Jail and Bail goes to support Crime Stoppers reward efforts to put criminals behind bars.

In 2005, Crime Stoppers callers provided Columbus, Fort Benning and Phenix City police departments with information that led to 37 arrests with a total of 144 felony and misdemeanor charges. Since Crime Stoppers' inception in 1985, there have been 21,944 calls resulting in 1,269 arrests, 3,307 felony charges, 1,397 misdemeanor charges and $207,760 paid out in reward money, also resulting in over $2.8 million in recovered property and seized drugs.

Crime Stoppers is a non profit (501C-3) program that impacts our community by offering rewards to anonymous informants for information leading to arrests or convictions for business and community crimes. The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce has worked with Crime Stoppers since the program started. For more information, contact Jennifer Majors at jmajors@columbusgachamber.com or 706-327-1566.

The $500,000 of Equity grant funds from OneGeorgia Authority will be used for road and site improvements to the 100-acre Talbot County Industrial Park located off Highway 80 in the city of Talbotton. The property was donated to the Development Authority of Talbot County and will include 15 sites. The total cost of the project is $2.1 million. Dozier Memorials and Crypt Masters have committed to locate in the park with projected employment of 14 people.

The Development Authority plans to construct a 25,000 square-foot speculative building. As a result of Fort Benning's expansion, the community expects substantial population growth and military contracts, which will need "shovel-ready" sites for development.

Currently up to 70 percent of county residents must travel significant distances outside the county for employment.

The Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority includes the cities of Manchester and West Point and the counties of Cusseta-Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor. The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce serves as the economic development department of the organization.

As a service of your Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, this is a reminder that the Application for Freeport Exemption Inventory must be filed with the Board of Tax Assessors on or before April 1, 2006, in order to be considered for maximum exemption. After April 1 until June 1, applications may be filed, but with a partial exemption.

You may get more information about Freeport Tax Exemption and access an application form at the following website: http://www.etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/forms/pt50pf/index.shtml

We look forward to your business continuing in Columbus and want you to take advantage of every benefit available to your company. If you have not previously applied for Freeport Tax Exemptions, you might consider applying if your company qualifies. You may obtain further information about the possibilities of Freeport Exemption from the local Office of the Board of Tax Assessors at 706-653-4398.

Thank you for doing business in Columbus, Georgia!