A Community Facilities loan/ grant ($950,000) to purchase a ladder fire truck and a $1.8 million CF loan to construct a new fire station that is near the KIA facility rather than on the outskirts of the city.
These public safety infrastructure investments resulted in an improved ISO rating for the fire department which further attracted KIA because of shortened emergency response times.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has funded two major water and sewer projects in West Point– one to upgrade their water treatment plant ($6.3 million in loan and grant funds) and another to upgrade their sewage treatment plant ($10.6 million in loan and grant funds). The sewage plant project was instrumental in meeting the needs of the KIA automobile plant.
West Point, Georgia, located in Troup and Harris Counties in the Three Rivers Regional Commission area, nearby the Alabama border. Throughout its history West Point has experienced highs and lows. Times of growth and renewal and times of closures and dilapidation. Its location along the Chattahoochee River is important for water supply and commerce. Over the years railroads impacted growth, then came the textile industry, both of which Downtown West Point served as a commercial and manufacturing hub.
In 2005/2006 the city was analyzing and planning wastewater treatment plant upgrades, when, the Korean automaker KIA announced plans to build a new plant in West Point. As incentives, the state spent about $165 million to purchase and improve the land for the plant and build roads. KIA received $130 million in property tax abatements. In exchange, the company pledged to invest $1 billion in the plant and create 2,500 jobs.
USDA Photo by Preston Keres. Original public domain image from Flickr