Industrial prospect interested in old Natchez tire plant

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The city has an industrial prospect interested in occupying the old Armstrong tire plant, said Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson.

“We may actually see some new jobs come and new life at that tire plant,” Gibson said Tuesday.

The tire-making factory on Kelly and South Concord streets in north Natchez closed in 2001. As the 81-year-old facility is now owned by Natchez, city officials have been struggling for years to find new use for the vacant property.

Meeting with the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, Gibson said “an industrial prospect is interested in that plant.” He didn’t provide more details except to say he wants to revise his earlier proposalfor it being converted into a vocational training center. The Board of Aldermen did agree Tuesday to assess and develop workforce-training programs with the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the Natchez-Adams School District and Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

Getting the Armstrong property rehabilitated for new use is a top priority for Gibson. He took office as mayor in July.

The tire factory was constructed for Armstrong Rubber Co. in 1939 with state financing. The property was deeded to the city. The Natchez tire manufacturer once had more than 1,000 employees. After Armstrong left, the property was used by successor tire-making tenants Fidelity, Condere and Titan. Titan took over in 1998 but shuttered the factory in 2001. It continued to lease the dormant buildings and land from the city until 2017.

During the past 20 years, the site has been monitored by the state Department of Environmental Quality for pollution caused by gasoline and cleaning solvents seeping into groundwater from the old factory. City and county officials have been trying to get federal funds to further analyze the pollution and determine what the cleanup costs would be for the property’s rehabilitation.

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The Board of Aldermen and mayor on Tuesday interviewed applicants to be Natchez fire chief, but no decision was made who to appoint.

Gibson and the six aldermen interviewed candidates during a meeting that was closed to the public, as allowed by state law to discuss personnel issues. The names of the applicants were not made public.

David Freeman is currently acting as Natchez fire chief in place of Ventris Green, who retired in September.  It’s uncertain when the aldermen will decide who to appoint on a permanent basis. Their next scheduled meeting is Dec. 8.

Searches also continue for a new city police chief and tourism director. Walter Armstrong plans to retire as Natchez’ chief law-enforcement officer at the end of December. Jennifer Ogden Combs resigned in September as executive director of Visit Natchez, the city’s tourism and convention promotion agency.