STARKVILLE — The city is taking the next step in its partnership with Sports Facilities Management.

Starkville’s board of aldermen approved a contract with third-party company Sports Facilities Management Oct. 5 to oversee and manage all city parks. The board approved an official contract and budget for the company Tuesday.

The budget shows that total expenses, managed by SFM, would be $1,731,554 for the 2021-22 Fiscal Year. This is an increase from Starkville’s previous parks and recreation budget, which was $1,636,006. But due to the proposed income of $1,147,700, which is much higher than years past, SFM’s proposed profit would be $974,754, ultimately saving the city money on parks and recreation expenditures.

Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk, who serves as the board’s budget chairwoman, worked with SFM along with Mayor Lynn Spruill and board attorney Chris Latimer to create a proper budget that would satisfy both SFM and the city. She said she believes the budget will help improve the city’s overall general fund and budget and supports it.

“The numbers are reasonable,” Sistrunk said. “They’re actually an improvement to the city’s past budget, and I’m really in favor of it.”

Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty, who has consistently disapproved of the partnership, said departmental changes such as this one merit more discussion, and he believes this one was rushed and not thoroughly reviewed.

“When we go forward, it’s incumbent on us as a board to look at this thing, big changes like this more carefully, take time and discuss them, which I do not think we did in this process,” Beatty said. “It was done very quickly. … This was a big change. We just outsourced, privatized one of our major departments in the city of Starkville, and there was just very little time and discussion to wrap our minds around what we were about to do.”

Spruill said while she understands Beatty’s concerns, she believes this opportunity will bring Starkville parks to the next level and is delighted to be moving forward with the contract and budget.

“I understand the discomfort,” Spruill said. “Change is difficult, but I believe now is the time to make this kind of move, so I confess to certainly being in favor of it and being 100 percent behind the concept of having a professional operation for parks and rec.”

GAP incentive program
After Oktibbeha County passed the same resolution Monday, aldermen approved a resolution for the Growth and Prosperity incentive program, which is designed to encourage development in economically challenged areas of the state.

GAP would allow for certain new businesses with 10 employees or more, and existing businesses that expand by at least 10 jobs, a full exemption on state income and franchise taxes, as well as a majority exemption on sales and ad valorem property taxes.

“We asked our attorney Chris Pace if it would be necessary for the city to participate, and he said, ‘Well, I think it would be good if the county and the city both did it,’” Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins said. “That way, you’re not offering an incentive and having to come back to the county from the city and take action.”

Businesses that could take advantage of this program are manufacturers, processors and companies that produce products and research and development enterprises. Retail and gaming companies are not eligible, such as the development of the new shopping center at the former Garan Manufacturing building.

The resolution is good for 10 years, allowing any new business to come in during that time period, or until Starkville is not considered a GAP zone anymore.