BY KARISSA MILLER
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners provided a boost to Roush Yates Engines plans to expand its advanced manufacturing facility in Iredell County on Tuesday night.
Commissioners conducted a public hearing and voted to approve a five-year economic incentive worth $253,004 for Roush Yates..
The company plans to invest $14 million to buy new machinery and equipment and construct a 50,000-square-foot building across from its Byers Creek shop, according to Jenn Bosser, Iredell Economic Development Corporation president and CEO.
Roush Yates Engines is known as the manufacturer of Ford engines for NASCAR. The company currently has 176 full-time employees.
Over the past several years, Roush Yates Engines has pivoted to new markets with advanced manufacturing, including a focus in aerospace and industrial applications.
Roush Yates Engines is one of two companies in Iredell County to manufacture “NextGen” models for NASCAR.
Board of Commissioners Chairman James Mallory said Roush Yates’ expansion plan is great for Iredell County.
“The majority of our jobs and our investments is actually created when existing companies expand or modify their buildings,” he said.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also, during the meeting, commissioners:
♦ Approved a request from Jeffrey Cernuto with Bridgestone LLC to release one acre from Iredell County’s jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville. The proposed use of the property is to combine it with the surrounding property already in the town’s Jurisdiction for a mixed-use development.
♦ Approved and conducted a public hearing to consider amending Section 6.5 of the Iredell County Code of Ordinances to eliminate late return fines at the Public Library.
♦ Approved Stewart as the recommended firm for design and construction administration for Jennings Park. Stewart will conduct the design and construction administration in Phase I. The project team plans to get started right away and have it shovel ready by spring of 2022, according to Parks and Recreation director Michelle Hepler.
♦ Approved a request from Robert McHale for approval of a temporary access easement for the South Iredell High School property.
♦ Approve a request from Partners Behavioral Health for approval of a joint resolution to increase the number of seats on the Board of Directors.
♦ Approved a request from Emergency Medical Services for approval to apply for Statesville ABC Board for funding to focus on Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorder support and education within the community.
♦ Approved a request from Emergency Medical Services for approval to participate in RACE-CARS Randomized Trial. RACECARS will enroll 50 counties in North Carolina that are estimated to have a total of approximately 20,000 patients with cardiac arrest over a 4-year intervention period.
♦ Approved a request from the Finance Department for approval of budget amendment in the amount of $35,900 to appropriate additional revenue received in the Property and Liability fund to cover the cost of adding comprehensive coverage to all Sheriff’s Office vehicles.
♦ Approved a request from ICATS for approval of a budget amendment of $171,661 for Ecolane Transportation Scheduling Software.
♦ Approved a request from Planning & Development to consider calling for a public hearing on July 20, 2021, at 7 p.m. in regard to a request by Gordon Johnson to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville.
♦ Approved a request from Planning & Development to consider calling for a public hearing on July 20, 2021, at 7 p.m. in regard to a request by Katie Bradley to release zoning and subdivision jurisdiction to the Town of Mooresville.
♦ Approved a request from Clerk to the Board to appoint Commissioner Gene Houpe as the voting delegate for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ Conference in August 2021.