Johnson Says, ?TIF TIF Hooray!?

We hear that Les Baledge, former general counsel for Tyson Foods Inc., is doing some work for the recently approved tax increment financing district in Johnson. Baledge retired from Tyson in January after serving as general counsel since March 2000. Word is that an entity called Clear Creek Ventures LLC is behind the proposal and Baledge is working with them. CCV is the development arm of Clear Creek Office Park, for which Orion Realty in Fayetteville is the project manager.

Brandon Rogers is the managing partner of Orion Realty, but Rogers said he is not personally involved in the TIF district. The 260-acre Clear Creek office Park property is included in the TIF.

We suspect there might be other interested parties. Tyson chairman and CEO John Tyson’s property — The Blessings golf club and Clear Creek subdivision on Arkansas Highway 112 — will be included in the TIF. Greathouse Springs Road neighbor James at the Mill chef Miles James also spoke at the Oct. 12. The district includes his property too.

Word has it that the TIF won’t cost Johnson a single penny. Johnson Mayor Richard Long is holding supporters to it. The ordinance will become official after Long signs it and it is filed with the Washington County Circuit Clerk’s office. The last time we checked, it hadn’t been filed. Long said he doesn’t want the city to have anything to do with the $8 filing fee.