The BOC approved the incentive agreement during their regular meeting on April 6.
Project Renew is a partnership with the Development Authority and Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
The Shaw facility located at 1255 South Industrial Blvd. closed last spring due to the downturn in the economy, eliminating nearly 400 jobs in the process.
However the company is retooling the Calhoun facility and investing $17 million in the project. An additional $22 million could be invested and another 125 new jobs created if the first phase of the Renew program is successful.
“The incentive agreement implements what was presented to us (earlier this year), and Shaw is spending the money as week speak,” said Bill Thompson, attorney for the Development Authority.
The funds Shaw is investing in the project would go toward purchasing new equipment to make new products as well as employee salaries.
“I am very excited that they are remodeling that plant and I am even more excited about the 200-300 new jobs that could be created,” said Jimmy Phillips president of the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce. “It is an exciting thing, getting people back to work.”
The incentive the BOC approved allows for the property tax abatements, which would put a hold on any real or personal property taxes. Meaning, that for the next five years the company would not owe taxes on the land on which the facility sits, or any of the contents inside the facility.
However after five years, taxes would be paid back to the city and county.
There is also a claw back agreement, meaning if the company fails to live up to their end of the agreement, all of the taxes would be owed.
Commission chairman Alvin Long said the agreement and subsequent job creation is a sign that the economy is improving.
“A lot of good things are happening in Gordon County,” Long said.
Long also said during the meeting that industrial buildings that have sat empty for the past two years are now under lease agreements and more and more businesses are looking to move into Gordon County.
Also during the Tuesday, April 6, Gordon County Board of Commissioners Meeting, board members:
- Approved a wine and malt beverage application request by Redbud Food & Tobacco.
- Approved a second amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Secretary of State Office for disposal of voting system equipment.
- Read a proclamation for Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.
I guess the people of Gordon County just helped with 17,000,000 of it.
I would have took that money and lured a company here that actually cares about the little guy.
Shaw does not. I gave them 30 years of Honesty integrity and hardwork.They offered me a temp job in Dalton mowing grass to stay.30 years meant nothing.They just wrote off 400 excellent employees who did everything asked of them.
The bad economy didnot close Shaw Plant7. Nobody buying spun type carpet anymore did. Shaw told plant 7 employees that it would cost to much to retool. A month after it's closing, Shaw was already planning to reopen.Now Gordon countians are going to help repay Shaw for theyre bad product descion.Something that Shaw was going to do in early 2000s and decided not to do.
These incentives are probably worth much more than 17 million, even if they don't this is still money teh taxpayers will have to make up. Why not give the carpet industry a totally free ride, and let them hire all their workers from Mexico, Central and South America? They'll be raking in big bucks while the people of Gordon County have no jobs, no money, no homes because their houses will be foreclosed on, and no way to feed their families; but hey! The carpet mills will be getting rich and thats all that matters right 2009 and goodcitizen?
Here are facts. I work there
1) Shaw was going to reopen this mill anyway.
2) The jobs have already been filled.
3)Shaw lied to the Calhoun Times when they said the old Plant 7 employees first shot at jobs.
4)Gordon County leaders made a descion that affects the Gordon County Tax base. So its simple decency to offer to Gordon County Citizens first. Technically the deferment on taxes affects Gordon citizens.
When it comes to hiring practices.Unless you are a expirenced machine tech. They could care less if you are the best skilled worker. They hire thousands of unskilled labor every year from Mexico and Latin America.
I would agree if that were true. The employees aren't paying $17 million, Shaw is. Alvin Long and Jimmy Phillips did their job by getting jobs in the community. The individuals within the community who wish to work there need to be willing and qualified-at least as qualified as workers from adjoining communities. We don't need affirmative action for Gordon County citizens.
Why would you offer any tax breaks to a company that would not do that?
I would ask the Calhoun Times to ask Shaw Ind if they offered these new Jobs to the former Plant 7
employees first like was stated in an previous article.