An executive director for the recently formed Pearl River County Economic Development Council is expected to be chosen soon by the Council’s Board of Directors.

Board of Directors Chairperson Scott Alsobrooks said that a meeting was held Wednesday to review the resumes received and culled them to a list of five potential candidates.

The next step will be to conduct teleconferences with those applicants on Nov. 29 to pick the best two or three who will be invited to the county for a face to face interview and tour of the county. The aim of the tour will be to show them what Pearl River County has to offer, and hear the Board’s vision.

In other business during that meeting, Alsobrooks said Pearl River Community College President Dr. Adam Breerwood expressed his excitement for the Economic Development Council’s potential to bring jobs to the area. Breerwood offered to donate in kind services to the Council from PRCC in the form of an office and phone services to the executive director until permanent office space can be found.

Picayune Mayor Dr. Ed Pinero also spoke to the Board about the city’s vision for the future and how the Economic Development Council can help reach those goals. While the city of Picayune has not provided funding to the Economic Development Council at this time, Pinero said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting that the matter is expected to be discussed before the next fiscal year.

Alsobrooks said that all members of the Economic Development Council’s Board of Directors are volunteers. That Board consists of Alsobrooks, Vice Chair Darren Champagne, Secretary Harold Little, Board member Joey McClinton and Board member Kevin Hedgepeth.

While meetings are tentatively being held on the PRCC campus at this time, the Board intends to set a regular meeting schedule and alternate meeting points between Picayune and Poplarville to allow the entire county to be involved, Alsobrooks said. Details will follow when a regular meeting time is set.