Barrett has economic development plans

JERRY BLUITT, speaking at Rotary, about the Barrett Station Civic League and Barrett Station Management
JERRY BLUITT, speaking at Rotary, about the Barrett Station Civic League and Barrett Station Management

HIGHLANDS – Jerry Bluit, president of the Barrett Station Civic League, and the Barrett Station Management District, explained to the Rotary Club what plans these organizations had for economic development in their geographic area of responsibility.

Bluitt also took the opportunity to review some of the history of the area, including the Mexican Land.

Grants that were the foundation of Crosby, Barrett Station, and the Highlands/Lynchburg communities. Barrett Station was formed from the land grant of Reuben White, which extended as far as the Sterling-White Cemetery.

Bluitt says there are four organizations committed to “giving back” to their community. They are the Civic League, the Management District, the Ministerial Association, and the MUD 50 District.The Civic League was formed in 1954, the Management District in 2015 with the help of legislators Harold Dutton and John Whhitmire. Now Bluitt is petitioning the Legislature to form a TIRZ, or Tax Increment Redevelopment Zone, to raise money from increasing property values to be used for community improvements.

Bluitt sees the Management District improving the Quality of Life for residents in five “lanes.”

These are Street Lights, Scholarships, Trash Pickup, Lee College affiliation, and a plan to build new housing in Barrett.

Bluitt is a dynamic person, with broad experience in Vietnam, a graduate of Prairie View University, a long time employee of IBM working on the NASA Space Station.

He has spent 16 years leading the civic league, with skill training in technology for young persons, and he reports a success with 28 of 31 graduates now holding jobs at NASA.