New JCJC Jasper County Center best thing thats ever happened | Local News

Charles Holder didn’t hold back when asked how important Jones County Junior College’s sprawling new facility in Bay Springs will be to his county and his company.

“This probably is the best thing that’s ever happened to Jasper County for economic development,” said Holder, owner and founder of Hol-Mac. “It’s a tremendous facility. I’d like to see it become the premier training center in Mississippi.”

Holder was among the local, state and federal leaders to praise the potential of the Jasper County Workforce Training Center at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $4.5 million, 31,103 square-foot facility that now occupies 8 acres in the Bay Springs Industrial Park. It is made up of three buildings, including a 350-seat auditorium, seven classrooms, welding and computer labs, a GED classroom, a workforce development center and the Jasper County Economic Development director’s office.

“There’s no question we have to have highly skilled people,” said Holder, whose company employs 600 or so people, making it the largest employer in the county. “Technology is changing rapidly, but we’ve got to have people who know how to use it and know how to maintain it. There are no other resources like this around here.”

Dr. Jesse Smith, president of JCJC, said the concept for the training center started with him and Jasper supervisors “over a rack of ribs” at Dean’s Smokehouse in Stringer, with notes and ideas scribbled on napkins. Along the way, “sometimes tempers flared and sometimes we laughed.” But the end result came about because of a shared vision, he said.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves singled out Sen. Haskins Montgomery, who is also director of economic development in Jasper County, and Rep. Johnny Stringer for their role in the project. It’s not government’s role to create jobs, but to create an environment for people to invest capital to create jobs. That’s what the new training center will do, he said.

“This will give more people the opportunity to get better educated and better trained for the jobs of the future,” Reeves said. “This facility can make a meaningful, impactful difference and have a long-term impact on the lives of those who take advantage of it.”

Jay Williams, who was appointed as Assistant Secretary of Commerce by President Obama, said he was impressed with the passion for the project by a diverse group of people with a common goal.

“They set aside their personal agendas for the greater good,” said Williams, the former mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. “This facility will be critical to keeping the state, region and country competitive. That’s a priority of the president and a priority of the Department of Commerce. There is a renaissance of manufacturing jobs returning to the United States.” Funding the construction was a “complex finance plan,” Smith said, noting, “but it didn’t raise anyone’s taxes.”

The Department of Commerce for Economic Development contributed $1.75 million, the East Central Mississippi Planning and Development District added $1.4 million, the Delta Regional Authority chipped in $350,000 and the Mississippi Development Authority gave a low-interest $1 million loan. It is the fourth satellite facility in JCJC’s eight-county district. Former Laurel city administrator Garry Suddith will be the director of the Jasper center. JCJC also started satellite facilities in Clarke, Greene and Wayne counties.

“We wouldn’t have had this opportunity without Dr. Smith,” Stringer said. “Before him, JCJC didn’t have a presence outside of Ellisville. History will show that he is the most outstanding president in JCJC history.”

Montgomery said that the Jasper center will be “a model for others to follow” and allow residents to “enjoy a better quality of life.”

Rickey Ruffin, who is attorney for the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, said his board members were “innovative and progressive” and Smith agreed.

“They deserve credit for this,” he said, adding that they also have a plan that guarantees students tuition to JCJC. “They invest in the future and in their people.”

Curtis Gray, longtime president of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, said the current board — Eddie Helms, Sandy Stephens, Doug Rogers and Johnny Rowell — “is the best group I’ve worked with in my 20 years.” He said they’d never had an argument or a “no” vote. Their goal on this project was simple, he said: “What can we do to retain our young people here at home?”

The center will offer academic classes such as English composition, Western Civilization, sociology and Algebra, as well as training classes in basic computer skills, welding, machining, millwright work, commercial truck driving, healthcare assistance and mobile app development, among other things.

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