By Andie Foley
andie.foley@salisburypost.com

On Monday, Oct. 1, the Rowan County Board of Commissioners will consider incentives for three projects that could bring a total of $311 million in investment to the county, as well as 736 jobs.

The first project, called “Project Arizona,” involves the expansion of an existing advanced manufacturer in the county as the project’s parent company considers existing sites for corporate restructuring.

If our Rowan were selected as the site, the company would add 77 new jobs by the end of 2022, paying an average annual salary in excess of $59,000, with benefits.

The company would also invest approximately $188 million in improvements through the construction of an additional facility, placement of new equipment and other improvements as part of the proposed project.

The Rowan EDC is asking the commissioners consider offering the prospective company a Level 3 grant, or 85 percent return on property taxes paid over five years. This would total $3,565,144, with the county retaining $629,144.

The second project, called “Project Care” is also an existing Rowan advanced manufacturer considering expansion. The company is considering Rowan alongside one location in the western United States as well as facilities in three foreign countries for an expansion that could bring $68 million in investment through improvements to the existing facility and major equipment upgrades.

The expansion would also add 59 new jobs, paying an average annual salary in excess of $46,000, with benefits.

The EDC is asking commissioners to consider a Level 2 grant, or 80 percent return on property taxes paid over five years. This would total $1,584,700, with the county retaining $396,175 of revenue.

The final project and recent topic of discussion is “Project Kodiak,” a potential e-commerce distribution center to be located off of I-85.

The EDC is requesting both a Level 2 grant, totaling $1,388,600, as well as a $1.5 million grant in possible Community Development Block Grant funds.

The county would retain $350,150 of revenue during the incentive term.

In other business from Monday’s agenda:

• Commissioners will schedule a public hearing to consider text amendments to the animal control ordinance.

The changes will update acceptable leash lengths to six feet in public areas such as sidewalks. In more open public spaces such as fields, leash lengths of up to 16 feet will be acceptable. The public hearing could be scheduled for for Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.

• Commissioners could appoint four people to three local boards.

These include William Beilfuss and Wilson Cherry to the Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions Board; Patrick Phifer to the Cleveland Community Volunteer Fire Department Board; and Gregory Hannold to the Planning Board.