LINDEN &045; A representative from the University of West Alabama spoke to the Industrial Development Board yesterday about a grant awarded to the city.

The grant provides $20,000 to the city to fund a joint effort by the university and community leaders to boost economic development in Linden. James Mock the director for the Center for Community Economic Development for the school introduced himself and gave the board members a broad overview of the plans for the grant money.

Mock said that effort made through the grant money will provide a Web site and brochures for the city and that the group involved will work to produce strategic plans for economic development, the downtown business district and a bypass business district.

Mock said that this is the first time that the university has done such a project and that he wants everyone to have input in which way they want to go. He said that he will act more as a facilitator than a director of the project.

Mock said that his job will be mainly to keep those involved with the project on task and help provide what materials and help that those directing the project will need.

Mock said that the development board and the city council needed to meet together and decide on the priorities that they wanted to promote before inviting others to float other ideas.

The board also discussed the power bill of the old manufacturing building. The rate for power has increased from $78.75 in October of 2005 bill to 233.31 in the September 2006 bill.

The board discussed turning off power but are reluctant due to the use of the building by the Linden Police Department for training and the $2,000 turn on charge by Alabama Power. Another option discussed was to look into changing the current from a manufacturing 440-volt current to a 120-volt house current to save energy cost.

The board, however, decided to leave the current the same until research could be done into the price difference brought about by the current change.