BY DONNA SWICEGOOD
Statesville City Council on Monday approved an economic incentive of $219,115 for a manufacturing company planning to expand its local facility.
The grant for GMS Fabrication Inc. is payable in installments of $43,823 over a five-year period. The company, which operates a facility on West Aviation Drive, builds race cars and hot rods.
Jenn Bosser, president and CEO of the Iredell Economic Development Council, said the company has 22 employees and is planning to add 25 more with the expansion. The average salary is $81,400, she said.
Council members voted unanimously to approve the incentive.
Rezoning request approved on first reading
City Council members also approved the first reading of a request to rezone two parcels on Bond Street from Heavy Industrial to High-Density Single-Family Residential. The two parcels are currently vacant except for the remains of burned down dwellings. Plans call for the construction of new homes on the site.
Council approved the request unanimously.
OTHER BUSINESS
♦ As part of the consent agenda, which is approved in one motion unless a council member asks for an item to be removed, council members approved the write-off of $147,505.66 in utility accounts. This is the semi-annual write off of utility accounts that have been deemed unsuccessful in collection efforts.
♦ Council also approved the second reading of rezoning and annexation requests for four parcels on Turnersburg Highway. The parcels are located between Harbor Freight and Fairview Baptist Church.
♦ Interest revenues were transferred to an expense account to be used for the Statesville Airport Terminal Building and other airport capital projects.
♦ Council also voted to accept Session Law 2023-134 appropriated funds and authorized City Manager Ron Smith to execute the offer and accept the funds. The $3 million appropriated by the N.C. General Assembly is earmarked for economic development. After state administrative fees, $2,955,000 is available. The funds will be used for the Third Creek Sewer Extension project.