Break out the code name generator as there is another secret project in the works that could mean millions for Surry County, according to local officials.
Project Vista is the latest code-named project on the horizon but local officials will not identify the existing company asking for the incentives, citing the competitive nature of the project.
The Surry County Board of commissioners was presented Monday with an accompanying request for an incentives package to accompany Project Vista.
The board heard from Blake Moyer, president and CEO of the Surry Economic Development Partnership and Peter Pequeno, chair of Surry EDP and North Carolina president of First Community Bank, who both spoke in favor of the incentives.
Project Vista differs from some incentive plans as this one is to keep a current employer in the county and help it expand its operation rather than bringing a new company to town.
County Manager Chris Knopf explained that Project Vista is proposing a total investment of $80 million for an existing employer with more than 40 years in Mount Airy. If the project is awarded, the company would construct a new 140,000 square foot facility and retain 60 local jobs.
“We anticipate the cash grant will not exceed $2,559,622 and we estimate pay back on that will be in 5.78 years, as you know the pay back must be no more than 10 years, so that’s a good pay back for a project of this size,” Knopf advised.
“This is an important project,” Moyer said. “This is an existing industry within Surry County in the City of Mount Airy. This is a competitive project and the risk of not participating in that is those jobs go somewhere else, this project goes somewhere else. The project has looked at locations in other communities.”
Pequeno spoke for Surry EDP and channeled his own decades of local experience when he lobbied for the incentives package. “I’ve been a banker in this town for 25 years and I’ve seen it grow.”
“Project Vista represents a company that has been a key community cornerstone for many decades, and I’ll tell you, it’s part of the very fabric of our community. With their engagement with our schools and support of community initiatives, this organization has been an impactful part of Surry County.”
The county is in competition with other communities who also want to score a win for their residents. “I cover 12 counties and every single county is looking for businesses like this...We must do all we can to support the expansion of our existing employers and continue to make Surry County the best place to do business in North Carolina. The approval of incentives is one part of staying in the game,” he advocated.
Pequeno also said that the community “should feel proud to be considered for the next phase of this company’s growth and we hope that Project Vista chooses Surry County to embark on their bright future.”
With no public comment on the matter aside from Surry EDP, Commission Bill Goins moved to approve the incentives package and the motion passed unanimously.
In other board news,
- More changes were afoot with the Northern Regional Hospital Board of Trustees Monday as the board took several significant actions removing and adding new members.
Following closed session discussions commissioner’s Chair Van Tucker offered on behalf of the board thanks to Teresa Lewis, Paul Patterson, Doug Cook, and Tom Riggs all of whom were removed from the board. Joining the Northern Regional Hospital Board of Trustees will be Mark Rogers and Greg Perkins.
There was no reason given for the change but based on past comments by Tucker, a reshuffling of the Board of Trustees was in order to bring in fresh ideas and new perspectives.
He said at that time the hospital and its staff are important to this community and the board of commissioners have a duty to ensure the longevity of the hospital.
As is the commissioner’s prerogative, they also voted to remove two seats from the Board of Trustees. That takes the number of members on that board from 13 to 11.
With the addition of Rogers and Perkins, which Tucker said would be effective immediately, the board is comprised of Jody Phillips, T.J Bledsoe, Bill Goins, Ann Vaughn, Phillip Snow, Dr. David Shockley, Brian Johnson, Andy Gillespie, and NRH Chief of Staff Dr. Brandon Mills, MD.
The Board of Commissioners in May removed then-chairman Bill Woltz and vice chair Monty Venable.
- An appeal hearing regarding the abatement of the nuisance property on Galax Trail in Mount Airy was underway when a medical emergency in the gallery caused a series of delays.
Upon return from one, county land attorney Howard Jones advised that one of the parties involved in the hearing had to be removed by ambulance for the medical issue.
Due to the party’s inability to continue the hearing, Jones gained permission from homeowner and appealing party Crystal Ritter to adjourn the hearing until the board’s July 15 meeting. At that time, the public hearing and presentation of evidence will resume.
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