With funding sources lined up, city, county and chamberofficials took another step Thursday toward development of a newindustrial park for the area.

A five-member industrial park oversight panel met for the firsttime Thursday to discuss park planning. Officials indicated themeeting was mostly organizational.

The panel is composed of two representatives from the city, twofrom the county and the chamber’s Industrial DevelopmentFoundation. Under the panel’s by-law and agreements, it will makedecisions regarding the industrial park and members will reportthat activity to their respective boards.

“One of the requirements of this alliance is for members to keeptheir respective boards fully informed on the status of acquisitionand development,” said Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop, whorepresents the county along with District Two Supervisor Bobby J.Watts.

Thursday’s meeting was informal, as the county has not approvedan establishing agreement and the alliance’s by-laws.

“We’ve got to approve that at the (supervisors’) Feb. 7meeting,” Bishop said.

Mayor Bob Massengill and City Clerk Mike Jinks are representingthe city, and IDF Chairman Anthony Bell is the chamber’srepresentative. City Attorney Joe Fernald and supervisors attorneyBob Allen are serving as legal advisors.

Fernald said the panel approved having staggered two- andfour-year terms for members, although members’ exact terms were notdecided. The IDF position will rotate each year, as a new chairmanis chosen.

Massengill said the panel will meet the first Wednesday of everymonth following the chamber of commerce’s board of directorsmeeting. The next meeting is Feb. 2.

“The next step is the appraisal,” Massengill said.

Officials are considering just over 400 acres west of the cityon 15th section land as the site of the industrial park. Bishopsaid the panel hopes to meet with a realtor at the next meeting andget an appraiser to review the property.

“We’ve got to establish the appraised value of the property,”Bishop said.

Earlier this week, supervisors approved going forward with a$2.24 million bond issue to acquire land and develop the industrialpark. Late last year, aldermen passed a $1.8 million bond issue andallocated $500,000 in city economic development funds to be used asthe city’s share of the project.

City and county funds would be used in conjunction with about$500,000 in private funds raised by the chamber of commerce for theindustrial park. Officials have also discussed the possibility ofseeking federal funding assistance to help with park infrastructureneeds.