State, county and city officials gathered Wednesday at the460-acre site of the Linbrook Business Park to break ground on thespot they hailed as the future of the community.

“We’re here to break ground on what I think is the future of ourchildren and our families,” said Industrial Development FoundationPresident Bill Sones. “Let’s all join together to fill this parkwith high-paying jobs for the residents of Lincoln County.”

Ideas for the business park were born in the late 1990s when theBrookhaven-Lincoln County Vision Partnership Council decided thecommunity needed a business park, and that they would see theefforts through to fruition.

“There has never been a finer time for those with vision to seethat vision come to pass,” said Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop.

The county and city have each given $2.2 million toward thepurchase of the property and to install the infrastructure, whilethe Chamber of Commerce has contributed $500,000 to the project. Inaddition, the Linbrook Alliance has secured a $1.1 million grantthrough the Economic Development Administration.

Brookhaven Mayor Bob Massengill praised the joint efforts of thecity and the county in bringing the project together.

“This (city) board has been committed and so has the countyboard, and we couldn’t have done it without the Vision Partnershipand the IDF,” he said. “And we certainly look forward to completingthe infrastructure and again being on the front line of businessdevelopment in this part of the state.”

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce ExecutiveVice-President Cliff Brumfield also mentioned the joint efforts ofthe city and the county, saying that most communities don’t work sowell together.

“I’m sure we’re the envy of every community because of that,” hesaid.

Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Gray Swoopealso spoke to the group about how the joint work by the Alliance isalmost unprecedented.

“What you’ve done here is unfounded for a county of this size,”he said.

Swoope encouraged the alliance to keep high standards inallowing businesses into Linbrook so that things will continue onsuch a positive path.

“Now you have a product to sell, and I encourage you to stick toyour guns,” he said. “There will be times that you will question ifyou should compromise your vision because of public pressure to seesomething happening, but don’t compromise that vision.”

Massengill assured the group that the city and the countygovernments would continue to strive to make the community a betterplace.

“Brookhaven and Lincoln County are on the grow, and they’re onthe go, and I think you’ll see that we’re all serious aboutbusiness in Lincoln County,” he said.

Swoope agreed there are good things on the horizon for thebusiness park, as well as for the community that will be home toit.

“I look forward to your writing the final chapters of thissuccess story when the jobs come to Brookhaven and Lincoln County,”he said.

A million-gallon elevated water tank and adjoining well will bethe first structures to be put up on the property, located west ofthe city near the end of Brookway Boulevard. Officials expect thewell and tank to be finished by October of 2008.