A Model Community Making Significant Leaps

Nurturing a Close-Knit Culture While Forging Fortunate Connections

 

In the welcoming embrace of the Golden Triangle, there is truly no other city like West Point, Mississippi.

Through effective municipal management that skillfully translates residential spirit into tangible prosperity, this forward-moving city exemplifies what it means to be a community on the rise.

Celebrated for its unique blend of small-town warmth and significant achievements, West Point consistently yields a high quality of life and robust economic opportunity for its residents.

West Point’s effectiveness is strikingly evident in its proactive embrace of the technology age, with ventures such as its vast 2,000-acre Origis solar panel project and investments exceeding $5 million towards a state-of-the-art 161kV power substation.

These investments ensure redundant, high-capacity energy for future industries. They are just a few examples of the type of municipal foresight that lies at the source of West Point’s remarkable economic diversification.

West Point’s prosperity is also deeply rooted in fiscal prudence, as spectacularly demonstrated by its ability to execute essential infrastructure initiatives, such as expanded water and sewer capacity, without increasing taxes and even lowering its millage assessment.

The city’s vibrant community life, highlighted by its championship high school football presence and nationally recognized golf courses, is a special point of pride for its residents.

A highly successful marketing strategy further amplifies this effectiveness through entities like “The Link” and the tireless ambassadorial efforts of its leadership, notably exemplified by Mayor Rod Bobo’s active recruitment of businesses.

Thanks to that, West Point’s economic landscape is flourishing with employers like Peco Foods and Yokohama Tire, along with innovative companies like Mossy Oak and Navistar Defense, which paint a vivid picture of sustained economic strength.

This Mississippi city has mastered the art of strategic partnerships, fiscal ingenuity, and community spirit.

West Point isn’t just thriving, it’s also setting a new standard for municipal excellence and enduring prosperity.

A Community Defined by Spirit, Sports, and Regional Connectivity

Far from a sleepy rural town, West Point, Mississippi, is often characterized as a quaint yet dynamic municipality.

With its approximately 60/40 mix of African American to Caucasian demographics, the city thrives on a friendly culture where, as Mayor Bobo puts it, “everybody knows everybody.”

That residential camaraderie is supported by the expert oversight and governance of an impressive array of amenities and opportunities that belie its population size, making it a true American success story.

A unique source of West Point’s local pride lies in its High School athletics, particularly its football program. “We excel in football and have the most state championships out of any other school in the state,” Mayor Bobo proudly affirms.

This passion for sports extends to the city’s robust recreation department, which offers a range of youth activities, including soccer, baseball, softball, T-ball, and basketball, as well as adult softball leagues.

Residents enjoy access to a beautiful walking trail, well-maintained parks, and even a dedicated dog park with watering stations.

For golf enthusiasts, West Point is a premier destination, home to three courses, including the notable Old Waverly Golf Course, which hosted the 1999 U.S. Women’s Open, and the adjacent Mossy Oak Course, a training facility for Mississippi State golf players.

Beyond daily life, West Point also celebrates its heritage and community through vibrant annual festivals.

The Cottrell Street Music Inheritance Festival, held on Mother’s Day weekend, is now in its fourth year. At the same time, the Prairie Arts Festival, celebrated Labor Day weekend, draws participants from across the state and neighboring borders.

The latter festival notably incorporates recognition of blues legend Howlin’ Wolf, a West Point native, with local landmarks and a developing museum commemorating his achievements.

These events, alongside unique facilities like Prairie Wildlife an Orvis Endorsed Wingshooting Lodge, featuring an internationally renowned skeet shooting course, demonstrate that West Point offers a wealth of recreational and cultural opportunities, attracting visitors and participants from around the world.

Despite its smaller size, West Point is strategically interconnected within the “Golden Triangle” region, a partnership with the larger cities of Columbus and Starkville, located approximately 18 miles in each direction.

This regional collaboration provides West Point residents and businesses access to extensive resources. The three communities also share a solid waste management facility and a regional airport, offering daily flights to Atlanta and Dallas.

“So, even though we are small and in a rural area, we have access to the world right from here, and very easily,” says Councilman, or more colloquially known as Selectman Keith McBrayer.

Furthermore, the East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) has one of its larger campuses centrally located within the Golden Triangle, offering accessible educational opportunities.

“High school graduates can actually go there through a foundation that covers tuition, so if you graduate from within Clay county, you can attend EMCC for free,” Selectman McBrayer says, noting the effectiveness of this program in fostering local workforce development and providing compelling reasons for younger generations to remain in West Point rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.

Advancing Through Innovative Marketing, Fiscal Prudence, and Development Initiatives

West Point employs a multifaceted approach to promote its offerings and attract investment.

“On the industrial development front, we are contracted to an entity called The Link. They handle development for the city of West Point and our neighbors in Columbus,” Mayor Bobo states.

This centralized organization, led by Joe Max Higgins, focuses on bulk marketing for industrial growth across the entire Golden Triangle.

However, for downtown and retail marketing, West Point leverages its “Growth Alliance,” which functions as the city’s Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Main Street Association.

“So, anything related to downtown and retail, we let them handle the marketing for that,” Mayor Bobo confirms.

Additionally, the city, through the Growth Alliance, is a member of the North Mississippi Industrial Development Authority (NMIDA), which assists with both retail and industrial marketing efforts.

“And I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that myself and all five members of our City Council, our Board of Selectmen, act as ambassadors all the time,” Mayor Bobo notes.

West Point’s leaders actively promote the city’s quality of life and opportunities, making annual trips to Washington, D.C., and Jackson, Mississippi, to engage with state and federal delegations and present the city’s needs and future aspirations.

Aside from its unique promotional avenues, West Point is also known for demonstrating remarkable fiscal responsibility, often undertaking significant infrastructure developments without burdening its taxpayers.

Over the last four years, the city has embarked on an ambitious street paving initiative, allocating approximately $7 to $8 million for citywide improvements, which are equitably distributed across its five wards, and beautifying the downtown area with new crosswalks.

Beyond streets, West Point has also comprehensively expanded its sewer and water capacity through a holistic approach, leveraging city funds and partnerships with state and federal delegations, including the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

Lastly, the city recently completed a safety initiative involving the installation of street cameras at major intersections for the police department, as well as the replacement of all old halogen streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs, thereby improving nighttime visibility and reducing costs.

As a notable achievement, the city has accomplished all of this without increasing taxes; in fact, it recently lowered its millage assessment by 1 mill.

A Growing Economic Core Charging Toward Tomorrow

West Point’s incredible economic stability is rooted in a highly diversified manufacturing base, which has moved away from its past reliance on a few large employers.

This pivot ensures resilience, even if an individual company faces challenges.

Premier employers like Peco Foods, a chicken manufacturing facility, initially committed to 300 jobs but now employ over 1,000. Similarly, Yokohama Tire, which produces commercial tires for 18-wheelers, pledged 500 jobs in its first phase and now also employs over 1,000 individuals, demonstrating substantial local investment.

Beyond these giants, Southern Ionics, an international chemical plant headquartered in West Point, and Plum Creek Environmental, which has grown significantly from 10 to 15 employees to upwards of 60 to 100 in just four to five years, contribute to the robust employment landscape.

Royal Trucking, a large nationwide trucking facility operating around 200 over-the-road vehicles, is also headquartered in West Point.

A unique local success story is Mossy Oak, a major player in camouflage hunting apparel, which originated in West Point and has grown into a world-renowned brand now diversified into real estate.

“One of our largest employers, it’s been nearly 20 years now, was a company called Eurocopter. They’re now called Airbus, and they’re a primary supplier of helicopters to the military, particularly the Army and the Coast Guard,” says Chief Administrative Officer Randy Jones.

Additionally, Navistar Defense, which refurbishes military vehicles and manufactures 18-wheeler trailers, has demonstrated an immense long-term commitment by purchasing a once-vacant manufacturing facility in West Point.

“Navistar Defense came here after we went through a major industry and job loss due to a large boiler manufacturing facility relocated to Mexico. But just before they did, they doubled the size of their facility; it was several hundred thousand square feet, and Navistar was so successful in their venture that they ended up buying the entire facility instead of leasing it,” Jones explains.

Overall, West Point is poised for significant future growth, particularly in the technology sector.

The city has already signed a deal with Origis, a company developing a vast 2,000-acre solar panel facility within the county, signaling a move towards sustainable energy solutions.

And a critical attractor for energy-intensive businesses is West Point’s  $5-6 million investment in a new 161kV substation, a state-of-the-art transmission line replacing older 46kV services.

This investment provides redundant power service, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply to the entire city from multiple Tennessee Valley Authority substations.

This suggests that West Point will play a part in emerging technological advancements, not just in its state, but potentially nationwide.

The future of the city promises a vision of great innovation and wealth. For those who seek to witness the unfolding of a truly forward-thinking American municipality, there is no better city to witness than West Point, Mississippi.

AT A GLANCE

Who: The City of West Point, Mississippi

What: A forward-thinking municipality located within the Golden Triangle region, known for its welcoming community culture, strategic economic development, and fiscally responsible leadership.

Where: Located in Clay County, Mississippi, West Point is strategically positioned within the Golden Triangle, approximately 18 miles from Columbus and Starkville.

Website: www.wpnet.org