Gaston commissioners approve two industry incentive grants and a $216,961 dam repair

MOUNT HOLLY - The Gaston County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 27 approved Level One incentive grants for two existing companies, known in county records only as Project Challa and Project Palmetto, according to the county's agenda and vote records. Both passed unanimously among the six commissioners present; Commissioner Allen R. Fraley was absent.

County records say the Project Challa company plans to invest $2.5 million to upfit its existing facility and buy equipment, and to create 16 jobs paying an average of about $105,825, above the county average of $54,736. The Project Palmetto company plans a $6 million expansion. Neither item sets a dollar amount: each grant is a percentage rebate of the company's property taxes on net new taxable investment once the project is finished, paid only if its taxes are paid on time and in full.

The board also unanimously awarded T.C. Strickland Construction Co. a $216,961.50 contract to repair a wingwall on the George Poston Park Dam's emergency spillway and, on its consent agenda, named Deputy County Attorney Melissa I. Huffman interim county attorney. Two items on board ethics and procedures were deleted from the agenda.

Source: Gaston County Oct. 27 meeting detail and agenda and Legistar vote records for Project Challa, Project Palmetto, the dam contract and the interim county attorney.