County weighs incentive program
By Steve Herring
Published in News on August 17, 2015 1:46 PM
Wayne County commissioners on Tuesday will hold a public hearing on the possible creation of an incentive grant program for the county that could award money to new businesses or an existing one that is growing.
Factors to be considered in awarding a grant must include, but not be limited to:
* The size of the project based upon investment in site development, plant facilities, and infrastructure.
* The number and type of jobs created and the anticipated hourly wages to be paid.
* Potential for future expansion and increased employment.
* Site specific initiatives that may be pursued to stimulate other development in areas that Wayne County may deem of significant benefit to the community.
A public hearing would be required prior to approval of any grant application.
The grants would be paid out over a five-year period.
Tuesday's meeting will get underway with an 8 a.m. agenda briefing followed by the formal session at 9 a.m. The public hearing will start at 9:15 a.m. The meetings will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the Wayne County Courthouse Annex.
The board has had no public discussion on the grant incentive proposal.
Any project that qualifies for incentives would be secured by a contract between the recipient and county. The contract would have to identify the project's start and completion dates.
The project cannot exceed two years.
The grants would be broken down into four levels based on the cost of a qualifying capital investment by new or expanding industries:
* Level I (65 percent): $1 million to $4,999,999.
* Level II (75 percent): $5 million to $9,999,999.
* Level III (85 percent): $10 million to $24,999,999.
* Level IV (95 percent): $25 million or more. Grants at this level may quality for additional incentives including, but not limited to, waiver of permitting fees, capacity development or tap fees, reduced land price, land clearing or preparation, etc. The additional incentives would come as a recommendation from a committee consisting of the county manager, a county commissioner, Wayne County Development Alliance board chairman and its president.
The annual grant would be calculated by multiplying the dollar amount of the investment, as determined by the appraisers of the Wayne County Tax Department, by the current general county tax rate and then by the percentage level of the grant.
For example, using the 95 percent level on a $25 million qualifying investment the $25 million is multiplied by 66.5 percent (.00665, the current general county tax rate) to get $166,250. The $166,250 is then multiplied by 95 percent to get $157,937.50 per year times five years for a total grant of $789,687.5.
In other business Tuesday commissioners will consider motions to approve:
* A resolution accepting the tax settlement with the Wayne County tax administrator from July 1, 2014 to -June 30, 2015, and an order directing the tax collector to collect the taxes charged in the tax records and receipts. Both are annual formalities.
* A proclamation for Honey Bee Day in Wayne County.
* A resolution authorizing a master equipment lease-purchase agreement.
* A fuel services contract at Wayne Executive Jetport.
Also at 9:15 a.m., commissioners will sit as the Wayne County Board of Adjustment for a public hearing from ESA Renewables LLC for a special use permit for proposed solar energy facilities at 3980 and 4078 U.S. 13 North.
A presentation will be made on "Medicaid and Counties-Understanding the Program and why it Matters to Counties."
Consent agenda items include applications for Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion and for Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Exclusion and budget amendments
Public comments will be taken at 10 a.m. Speakers will have four minutes to comment on their topic of choice.