Industry wants to add 145 jobs in Rowan

By Karissa Minn

kminn@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — An existing industry in Rowan County is asking for incentives to add 145 jobs and invest $22 million in the county.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners will consider setting a future public hearing on “Project Protein” at 3 p.m. Monday. The board meets on the second floor of the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Rowan County Administration Building.

RowanWorks Director Robert Van Geons said the company is requesting an incentive agreement according to the county’s policy. In his memo to commissioners and County Manager Gary Page, Van Geons said the project is competitive but didn’t name the company.

“I look forward to providing you detailed information regarding this request and this project in the coming days,” Van Geons wrote. “We are rapidly gathering information for the required economic impact study.”

In addition, the board will consider Monday awarding a nearly $2.2 million contract Monday for construction of a new 911 telecommunications center.

In a memo to commissioners, Page wrote, “The apparent lowest responsible builder is Holden Construction Company of Greensboro.”

He said county staff worked with the architects and the contractor to cut costs and reduce the original bid, which was $2.6 million.

“We were able to cut $416,646 by eliminating some amenities and paying for some equipment from the State 911 Subscriber fees instead of the construction fund,” Page said. “The staff and architects believe these are all the cuts that we can recommend, without compromising the integrity of the building and our project.”

In October, commissioners approved a design estimated to cost $1.7 million. Page said at the time that the entire 911 communications project, including new radios and towers, was set to come in $2 million under its $12 million budget.

Also at Monday’s meeting, commissioners plan to:

• Hold a public hearing for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application. If awarded, the $400,000 grant will focus on housing, including emergency repair, rehabilitation, demolition and relocation.

• Hold a public hearing for the Cabarrus/Iredell/ Rowan HOME Consortium’s fiscal year 2012-13 action plan. The program will focus exclusively on housing rehabilitation in the county, excluding municipal jurisdictions.

• Consider approval of an insurance claim at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. In September 2011, the county agreed to sell its share of the stadium to the city of Kannapolis, and staff members are still working on a contract. A wind and hail storm in November damaged the roof.

In a memo to commissioners, Page wrote that the city initially asked the county to pay the $25,000 insurance deductible and file a claim for an additional $14,312 against the county’s property insurance pool. Page recommends instead that the county take the first amount from the stadium fund balance, which is set to transfer to the city, and pay the second amount from the county’s self-insurance pool.

• Consider extending an existing cell tower lease for Crown and Associates.

Crown currently pays the county $862 per month for rent of the 10,000-square-foot property, which is used for a monopole cell tower, on Providence Church Road. Crown is currently nine years into its 30-year lease, and it has asked to extend the lease for four additional five-year terms, or another 20 years.

• Consider a ban on smoking and use of tobacco products in Rowan County Parks and set a public hearing for Feb. 20.

• Consider a fire prevention and protection ordinance and set a public hearing for Feb. 20.

• Consider approval of a commitment letter to the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education to provide up to $6 million in unrestricted funding toward locating and building a new administrative central office.

• Discuss the retirement of County Tax Administrator Jerry Rowland.

• Discuss federal issues to submit to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

• Approve a $19,000 grant for the EMS division from the North Carolina Office of Rural Health and Community Care. The funding will provide training and corresponding textbooks to 11 paramedics.

• Approve an EMS division request to declare four laptops as surplus and donate them to four ambulance franchise agencies.

• Authorize this year’s Rowan Public Library book sale.

• Consider several budget amendments and board appointments.

Contact reporter Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.

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