The Durant Industrial Authority and Economic Development Council held their regular monthly meetings Tuesday March 12.
The groups discussed upcoming community projects as well as current projects in the area.
The Industrial Authority discussed the possibility of creating a covenant to regulate the city’s industrial parks. Authority members are looking for a way to allow the city of Durant to enforce the covenant instead of the authority.
This would separate the authority which recruits new businesses from placing restrictions on the businesses so there could be no conflict of interest.
Also discussed in the meeting were ways to inform people of Durant. Janet Reed said that she had seen other towns that have made videos for the their towns.
Authority members agreed that a video of the city could be beneficial to the economy due to the rise in Internet research being done to determine vacation and living areas.
Reed also informed the authority about an upcoming event called the Red vs. Blue Trash off. The Durant Police Department and the Durant Fire Department will be in competition to get the most recycled goods.
The two teams will be asking the community to take recycled goods to bins marked with red for the fire department and blue for the police department.
Whoever has the most recycled goods by May 10 will win the competition. City Manager Jim Dunegan also commented on the efforts that have been made by city employees to reduce litter in the area.
Volunteers with the city have been collecting litter from road sides to clean up the city.
“With everyone getting involved, we are really making some headway,” said Dunegan.
Dunegan said these people would be receiving recognition from the city.
He said although these volunteers did not ask for recognition, the act of recognizing them would not only honor them but raise awareness as well.
During the Durant Economic Development Council meeting that directly followed, members heard from Collin County Judge Keith Self about the growth of the county and how it affects Durant.
Collin County, Texas, has grown 63.6 percent over the last twelve years and is projected to become the densest populated county in Texas by 2050.
Self explained how this would affect the traffic going through northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. Self is a member of a grassroots effort to improve roadways in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas called TEX-21.
He also explained how making Highway 69/75 into an interstate would aid in traffic and safety when the traffic flow does grow.
“We’re not trying to invite it [traffic] to come. We’re trying to react to the fact that it is going to come,” said Self.
TEX-21 is trying to knit together elected officials to improve highway 69/75 by either making it into a high priority corridor or an interstate, according to Self.
Following Self’s presentation, the council reviewed progress on projects such as The Tile Shop, LaQuinta Inn, Stuteville Chevrolet, the First Baptist Church youth worship and the Trans Canada Pipeline.
Ending the day’s meetings, Roy Davis Jr. was recognized for his service to Team Durant and the Economic Development Council.
Mayor Jerry Tomlinson said that Davis and his family have been an asset to the city.
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