By Jessica Coates

jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — At their Tuesday meeting, the Salisbury City Council will discuss whether to schedule a public hearing regarding an investment grant for a project that could bring 24 new jobs to the city.

The details of the project, called “Project Aero,” have not yet been released. But it is being done in conjunction with an existing Salisbury-area company.

Rowan Works is the organization working with the unnamed company to bring the project to fruition.

The company is considering an additional $17.6 million investment in the city, in the form of new construction and equipment, according to a memo sent from Scott Shelton — vice president of operations for Rowan Works —  to Mayor Karen Alexander, City Manager Lane Bailey and City Clerk Myra Heard.

The memo also said that current employment levels will be maintained and that the 24 additional jobs would pay an average salary of $50,000.

“ ‘Project Aero’ would allow the company to increase employment levels and expand its operations in Salisbury,” Shelton said in the memo. “This project would give us the opportunity to actively support a company that has a long and valued relationship with our community, as well as expand the city’s tax base.”

The council will decide Tuesday whether to allow the project to go further, in the form of a public hearing that would take place at their Sept. 5 meeting.

Depending on how the hearing goes, the council would then decide whether to grant the incentive grant request for “Project Aero.”

The amount of money requested for the incentive grant is not yet known.

Other items on the council’s agenda include:

• Receiving a report regarding the citizen reporting app, Salisbury311.

In the past, the city has used a website called “311GIS” to allow Salisbury citizens the chance to report disturbances in their communities using GIS — or geographic information system — technology.

Now, the city has announced that it will be switching to its own app, called Salisbury 311.

By switching to an in-house GIS application, the city estimates it will save $5,000 per year.

The city will also be able to insert its own enhancements and customizations, since it owns the application.

This item is purely informational, as the switch is already being made. Therefore, the council will not be voting on it.

• Consider adopting an ordinance that would allow the council to designate historic landmarks.

The ordinance — called Land Development Ordinance Text Amendment TA-05-2017 — would amend Chapter 15 of the city code and would, among other things, authorize the City Council to designate historic landmarks in the city.

The Planning Board met about the ordinance on July 25 and voted to recommend it to council.

The City Council meeting will take place in the Council Chambers, located at 217 S. Main St.

Contact Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.