The majority of the Quitman Development Corp. (QDC) board meeting Monday night revolved around discussions of façade grants. The board voted to approve façade grants for Jeremy May’s business at 105 N. Main St and for the Star Mart façade at 515 W. Bermuda St. 

The board also voted to approve one more extension for the Papez’ façade grant for Mainstreet Mechanical. According to the board, the grant was extended in May; the final due date for the grant is now the board’s next meeting, which is Jan. 12. 

“That’s it, no more extensions…there’s no more discussion about it,” said President Kevan Burroughs.

They also voted to extend Tim Maples’ façade grant for Your Service Center until Jan. 12.

The board voted to approve Quitman resident Brad von Reyn for the position opened by previous board member Justin Harrison. According to Burroughs, von Reyn is “really excited” about the potential opportunity. The Quitman City Council will discuss the recommendation at their Dec. 18 meeting.

QDC Executive Director Allan Gilbert noted that Zipps Liquor is hoping to open “after the first of the year.”

Board member Kerry Puckett told the board that, after reviewing the strategic plan/community development plan, he and Gilbert felt that some items were too big to take current action on, and thus would be temporarily set aside to be “memorialized.”

However, he said those items taken off will be noted in a separate document so they’re not “just forgotten and lost.” The board will workshop the actionable version of the community development plan directly before their Jan. 12 board meeting.

Burroughs thanked the board during her president’s comments for “a great 2025.”

“I feel like we’ve done some good things; I think we are more knowledgeable now than we were going into the first of the year,” she said. “I think 2026 will be good.”