MONTGOMERY— A $272,650 grant awarded to the city of Guin will help provide new jobs for Marion County and beyond.
The Community Development Block Grant funds will be used to provide infrastructure to assist KJS Forest Products in its plan to open a sawmill in the city. KJS will employ 18 people at the mill located on Sawmill Road while the need for timber will have a positive impact across the northwest Alabama region.
“The opening of this sawmill is good news for the city of Guin and the overall forest industry in that part of the state,” Gov. Ivey said. “I wish KJS Forest Products much success in this endeavor, and I know Mayor Phillip Segraves and residents of Guin are delighted with this new industry.”
CDBG funds will help supply city water and sewer services to the industry which will be located on a 150-acre site.
The upstart company, which will be located in an existing 12,000-square-foot building, will produce fence posts, pilings and poles to buyers who will treat the products and sell them to commercial businesses. The company, which will construct a separate office building, plans to invest $5.6 million in private funds for the venture.
The sawmill is less than seven miles from Interstate 22 and has close access to a railroad.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“ADECA joins with Gov. Kay Ivey in her desire to bring jobs and employment opportunities to people throughout Alabama,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to be a part of this project.”
Gov. Ivey notified Mayor Segraves that the grant had been approved. The city has pledged $136,325 in matching funds to assist with the project.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
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