The Choctaw Plaindealer

The Board of Supervisors held an audience with David Forrester, Owner and Operator of Hardwire LLC. and Roger Griffith, Director of Broken Wings, during its Monday, August 6 meeting.

Forrester houses his business in a portion of the former Angelica building, which is owned by the County. He has began operation in the building nearly 11 years ago with only a small number of employees but the business is now growing rapidly and employs about 75 people.

Because of the welcomed growth Forrester expressed a need to rent the entire building from the County if possible. He says he needs a larger work area for his equipment and employees to accommodate for the growth. His plans also include the creation of office positions. Hardwire assembles electrical components and wiring harnesses for small appliances and does cab building for Taylor Machine Works of Louisville.

The need to occupy the entire building because of increased productivity and additional employment is seen as a positive gain by the Board of Supervisors. They each expressed a willingness to meet his needs because he is providing economic benefits to the County and numerous residents.

However, the need to occupy the entire space will cause Broken Wings Ministries to have to relocate from its residence in the East end of the old Angelica building. The organization began renting the vacant portion of the building from the County nearly six years ago. It pays the county $350 for the space it occupies, but were aware they would be required to move if Hardwire ever expressed a need to rent entire facility.

Now that Hardwire expressed that need to occupy the whole building, Broken Wings has begun looking at other housing options.

After the meeting with the Board of Supervisors, Griffith met with Bubba Hudspeth, owner of the old Bellwood building to inquire about part of the building. Griffith learned the cost for renting the Bellwood building, $1,000 per month, may be more than the Ministry can afford.

Forrester is more than willing to give Broken Wings Ministry ample time to find a re-location site. He did express to the board that he would like to have total access to the building before the start of 2008.

Broken Wings Ministry operates a food ministry, Thrift Store, and Coffee Shop.

Currently the Food Ministry distributes 40 percent of its supplies to senior residents and 30 percent to residents that are on a fixed income between the ages of 41-60. The remainder of the supplies goes to those in need of one-time assistance due to an emergency.

The Thrift Store provides second hand appliances, clothes, unique odds and ends, and small furniture that can be purchased at very reasonable rates. In emergency situations the items in the thrift store are available for needy families. The proceeds from the Thrift Store are used to go towards Broken Wings' operational costs.

The Coffee Shop, the organizations newest facility, serves lunch plates Tuesday through Thursday for $5 each. The selection ranges from soups, chicken salad sandwich, or grilled hamburger, lunch plates just to name a few, and includes homemade desserts. It also serves sausage and biscuits and fried pies for breakfast.

The proceeds from the Coffee Shop goes towards Broken Wings' operational costs.