Skip to content

Kenton industry adding 25-50 jobs

Kenton industry adding 25-50 jobs

By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
Kenton industry KMI Group Inc. is planning to expand its operation and add 25-50 jobs, according to Kenton Mayor Virginia Davidson.
She made the announcement during the Kenton mayor and board of aldermen meeting Tuesday night.
“They are really excited, thinking they’re going to enlarge,” Mrs. Davidson told the board.
She said the Tennessee Valley Authority and the chambers of commerce in Obion and Gibson counties are involved in the expansion project.
Mrs. Davidson described the news of the industrial expansion as a “big prospect” for Kenton and expressed the city’s willingness to work with company officials on the project.
“There is state money that can be had,” she said, referring to potential grant funding for the industrial project.
One thing holding up the expansion is the availability of property for a planned addition to the plant on the north side of town. KMI Group is located in Kenton’s former Brown Shoe plant.
Also during Tuesday night’s near hour-long meeting, the board voted to buy a new mosquito sprayer, at a cost of $6,000-$8,000, and grudgingly agreed to pay a $4,000 bill from Jackson marketing firm Younger Associates.
The board unanimously agreed to purchase the mosquito sprayer to deal with the insects this summer.
The $4,000 bill from Younger Associates, according to the mayor, dates back to the agency’s work on a state grant application. Mrs. Davidson said she was unable to provide any specific details about the bill since it dated back to a previous administration. She did say the Jackson agency claimed the bill was for travel and meeting expenses involved with a grant application. Mrs. Davidson informed the board she couldn’t provide an explanation for the bill or the grant application.
In other action, the board:
• Fielded several complaints over the city’s not allowing road blocks, specifically for veterans conducting a poppy drive this past weekend. After hearing complaints from several city residents, the board voted to amend its policy on road blocks and allow road blocks for veterans and for the Kenton Fire Department.
• Authorized the mayor to compensate Daniel Huey for his work at the city dump. The amount of compensation will be up to Mrs. Davidson.
“They worked down there a month or more,” Mrs. Davidson said about Huey and his crew. “And it looks good.”
• Decided to stick to its decision to discontinue adding fluoride to the city’s water, despite a complaint from a local dentist.
• Agreed to have an engineer inspect the flooded area around the city’s Youth Center to see what work needs to be done to alleviate the flooding.
• Was informed by board member and police commissioner Angie Taylor that the Kenton Police Department responded to 66 calls last month and issued 34 citations during that period.
Also, she reported she has hired Britt McClain as a police officer and plans to make him a full-time officer.
Tuesday night’s meeting was opened in prayer by board member Sarah Skinner.
Staff Reporter Kevin Bowden may be contacted by email at kmbowden@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 5.9.13