The FBI office in Tupelo is almost closed, with the culprit being federal belt tightening. The office’s consolidation with the much larger office in Oxford has also brought the future of its former home, 500W Main Street’s multi-story federal building, into question.
US Senator Thad Cochran’s spokesman Chris Gallegos says that a discussion, which took place between a US Postal Service official and Cochran’s staff on Tuesday, concluded that considerable cost savings could result from the relocation and consolidation of Main Street with the facility on South Thomas Street, though “no changes are planned” in that area.
Tupelo realtor Tommy Morgan, who says that he has been aware of the FBI’s move since March but notes that the USPS contract remains in effect regardless, manages the property through TM of Tupelo LLC. “It looks like they’re combining offices,” he states, adding that he has also heard speculation about the possible closure of the Oxford office as well, with the aim being an ultimate downsizing of the FBI facilities located in Gulfport and Jackson.
Also on Tuesday, FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden declared that the offices in Tupelo and Greenville are consolidating into Oxford and that the two resident agents are already supervised out of Oxford in order to cover the northern district of the state. “The consolidation will not affect the number of FBI resources in the northern part of the state, within the state of Mississippi or in the FBI Jackson Division,” she said.
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