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County OKs agreement to fund factory ready to employ 30 Wilkes workers now To help a new industry "get up and running," the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement that would provide $1.2 million in immediate funding to Callaway Farms for an operation that promises 30 new jobs immediately and up to 50 within two years. The wood products industry will occupy about 20 acres of the old International Paper property off Harris Road. The agreement, when finalized, will provide that the county and the City of Washington will guarantee a low-interest loan through the Payroll Development Authority with expected repayment in not more than 15 years. However, it is expected that state grants will cover most if not all of the total amount and allow for repayment in as little as six months. The grant applications have already been submitted to the state agencies involved. "We have good reason to believe that all or most of them will be approved," Commission Chairman Sam Moore said. "We hope the loan will be re-funded and [the money] replaced within six months. If not, the loan goes on between the Callaways and the PDA," he explained. This type of "bridge loan," County Attorney Charles LeGette said, is a vehicle that has been used in the past to help recruit new industry and assist with startup costs. "This company wants to be up and running by the first of the year," Moore said. The regular monthly meeting of the Commissioners, held last Thursday, July 12, at 7 p.m., was one of the shortest on record, lasting barely more than 16 minutes. An executive session followed for the purpose of discussing personnel issues but no action was taken. All of the commissioners were present for the meeting including Divenski Lee, Donna Hardy, John Howard, Jerry Stover, and Moore. Also in attendance were County Administrator David Tyler, Wilkes County EMS Director Blake Thompson, Chief Deputy Mike Sisson, Tourism Director Ashley Barnett, and several visitors. Other matters discussed or acted on by the board included the following. l Moore announced that there had been an increase in costs for the collection of solid waste and that the county would be "passing that along as a $1.00 increase" in rates. l Thompson reported that bids are out for the expansion of the EMS building on Marshall Street. Bids are due on July 25. Thompson said that the expansion would include the addition of three new bays and two officesin order to house the EMS' extra trucks. He reported that there had been a recent statewide rash of stolen emergency vehicles. l Tyler reported that $66,312.06 in local option sales tax had been received for the month of April and that $101,824.93 in special purpose local option sales tax had been received for the same month.
l Moore announced that the Comprehensive Plan review would continue on Thursday, July 26, at 5 p.m.
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