RIPLEY - The Tippah County Development Foundation is trying to find money to construct a building that will house a number of services under one roof.

An 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot building would be built on county-owned property on South Commerce Street, said Duane Bullard, president of the Tippah County Development Foundation.

Among the groups to be located there would be the Northeast Mississippi Community College extension center, the WIN Job Center's employment services and the Boys amp& Girls Club.

The building also would be used as a voting precinct.

"It would replace the precinct at the Good Samaritan Center, which is the city's largest voting precinct," Bullard said.

He is looking for the agencies to participate financially.

Bullard told the Tippah Board of Supervisors on Friday that he had talked with Northeast President Johnny Allen recently to ask for a commitment of $1,000 per month on the $300,000-$350,000 project, but Allen said the college is financially unable to participate. Bullard said he will continue to search for other funding sources.

A bond bill that would fund a number of university and community college projects failed to win approval in the recent state legislative session, although the governor has said he may call a special session to consider bonds.

Supervisor Dennis Grisham said the bond bill's failure means counties will not have funds to repair any bridges, and volunteer fire departments will not be able to buy new fire trucks.

lena.mitchell@journalinc.com