Reorganized and Energized Chamber working hard for County
Tyler County Booster - May 2009
Tyler County Chamber of Commerce held an “After Hours” get together last week at Tyler County Hospital and had some good news to share with folks who attended.
The Chamber has been reorganized this year, and Tyler County Chamber President Jimmie Cooley expressed excitement
at everything that’s going on with the Chamber. If you’ve driven by the Chamber office in Woodville, the place has really been spruced up. The hedges have been trimmed back increasing parking space and work has been done on the grounds. The big news, though, is that the Chamber’s various committees are hard at work on numerous projects.
Dr. Brian Babin, who chairs the Chamber’s Economic Development Committee shared some positive news during the event. Babin said that $200,000 in possible funding is being studied, which would allow the Corp of Engineers and LNVA (Lower Neches Valley Authority) to do a reconnaissance study out at Dam B to decide how to improve the lake, which was at one time a top bass fishing spot in Texas.
Over the years, though, as anyone who travels to Jasper from Woodville knows, the lake as become an eyesore. It has silted up significantly and needs to be dredged. There has also been a constant battle with vegetation, which has improved lately. Babin said that 35 percent of the lake has silted over and it now holds a third less water than when orginally built.
The other good news is that Entergy and another company are studying the possiblity of building a power plant here that would operate off of wood products. While Babin emphasized that the idea was only in the study phase, such a facility would add jobs and provide another use for the county’s wood products.
Cooley said the Chamber is excited about 2009, about the increase in membership among area businesses and invited everyone to come by the Chamber office and take a look at the resources the facility has to offer.
There are a lot of good things happening in the community that promise to bring jobs and economic development to the county. The city, county and Chamber are exploring a number of opportunities resulting from the current Washington Administration’s emphasis on “Green Construction”
and renewable resources.