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Dresden Industrial Board approves expenditure to assist with National Tobacco project

Story by Shannon Taylor, Senior Investigative Reporter

The Dresden Industrial Development Board met at Dresden City Hall on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. to discuss a project by National Tobacco.  Members present included Chairman Junior Moore, Mayor Mark Maddox, Weakley County Economic Development Board Director Justin Crice, Tom Reavis, Brad Branscum, Colin Johnson, Tony Winstead, Ricky Finney and Bobby Goode.

Chairman Moore stated that his eyesight was poor and due to that, he was unable to see to be able to carry out the meetings.  Moore asked for someone new be appointed to chair the Industrial Board. A motion and second were made for Brad Branscum and the vote was unanimously approved.

A request was reviewed from National Tobacco/Turning Point Brands for Dresden to share the costs with them to bore Sharon Highway in order to install a new fire hydrant and to extend the water line from the new tap 500’ (+/-) closer to their building.  It was noted that Dresden purchased the hydrant, valve, tapping sleeve, pipe and fittings for the project.

The cost to bore the highway was $13,769.84.  National Tobacco would be spending $19,500.00 to extend the water line. National Tobacco spent $3-$4 million in improvements on the facility inside the city limits and the improvements outside the city limits were within the purview of the industrial board since it was inside the Dresden zip code. Reavis made a motion to approve the expenditure of $13,769.84 to assist with the project. Finney seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.