Thursday, February 20, 2025–11:40 a.m.
-Adam Carey, Rome News-Tribune-
This story is possible because of a news-sharing agreement with the Rome News-Tribune. More information can be found at northwestgeorgianews.com
John Bennett assumed the chair of the Gordon and Floyd County Joint Development Authority on Wednesday afternoon, taking over from Gordon County’s Jesse Vaughn.
Bennett, a former Rome city manager, thanked Vaughn for his leadership during his term. He also noted that the authority is in the midst of several major projects and has a healthy balance sheet with approximately $338,000 in the bank.
“We’re not used to this authority having so much money in the bank,” Bennett said. “So, great job to Jesse for putting us in the position we’re in.”
The board received an update from President Missy Kendrick on its two major projects, Synthica Energy and Power and Rubber Supply, as well as on potential prospects.
“As you know, Synthica Energy broke ground on their site in October,” Kendrick said. “And they are in full construction mode.”
The plant is located in the Northwest Regional Industrial Park off West Hermitage Road in northern Floyd County near the Ball Corp. plant.
Synthica Energy plans to recycle waste that would otherwise be sent to a landfill into natural gas, and sell the gas to industrial customers.
The Cincinnati-based company will apply an anaerobic digestion process to organic industrial byproducts to produce renewable natural gas.
Synthica originally proposed a $38.25 million local investment with the potential for 15 jobs paying an average of $43 per hour. However, that investment may now be closer to $68.25 million, with 19 jobs averaging $43 per hour, Kendrick said.
The other project is Power Rubber and Supply, a distributor of industrial hoses, bearings, power transmissions and rubber products based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The company announced in 2023 that they would invest $4.2 million in their new facility, and Kendrick stated the company plans to announce a groundbreaking date in a few weeks.
Both facilities are located in the Northwest Regional Industrial Park, which is jointly owned by Gordon County and Floyd County. The next meeting of the joint authority will be May 21 in Calhoun.