CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY: Commission to consider abatement Monday
Published 6:30 am Thursday, June 28, 2018
The Limestone County Commission on Monday could vote to approve a new tax abatement for Carpenter Technology Corporation.
The abatement was not discussed publicly at Wednesday’s work session. Chairman Mark Yarbrough simply told commissioners to speak with attorney Mark Maclin regarding the details.
Following the meeting, Maclin said the proposal before the commissioners would be for a new project on the south side of Thomas Hammonds Road. He estimated the initial investment to be about $52 million.
“The final details will be in the abatement agreement,” he said.
A representative from Carpenter did not provide additional details Wednesday.
“Carpenter Technology Corporation is going through the process of securing incentives that are part of our ongoing site selection process,” said William J. Rudolph Jr., director of corporate communications for Carpenter. “We will provide more information when the time is appropriate.”
In 2012, the commission approved $1 million in incentives to lure the company to southern Limestone County. In December, the commission amended the incentive agreement to give Carpenter until Jan. 1, 2019, to hit its target goal of 200 workers.
At the time of the amendment, Carpenter had 181 employees. When it hits 200 workers, the county will make its third and final incentive payment of $334,000.
Elsewhere Wednesday, commissioners provided updated reports from their districts:
• District 1: Commissioner Stanley Hill thanked the county’s paving crew for its help in resurfacing roads. He said workers were doing preventative maintenance now and urged drivers to use caution;
• District 2: Commissioner Steve Turner also thanked the paving and engineering crews and added he had received compliments on social media about some of the roads in his district. He said bush hogging operations were proceeding quickly because the county’s weed-spraying program had been effective this year;
• District 3: Commissioner Jason Black said his crew was doing preventative maintenance. He also requested striping to several roads in his district, including Mooresville Road from Will McComb Drive to Huntsville-Brownsferry Road; Huntsville-Brownsferry Road from U.S. 31 to Mooresville Road; Shaw Road from U.S. 72 to Nuclear Plant Road; and Snake Road from Shaw Road to The Pointe condominiums. He estimated the cost to be about $50,000;
• District 4: Commissioner Ben Harrison said he had replaced several drainage pipes he hoped would improve drainage on Sugar Creek Road. He thanked those who had contributed dirt to the ongoing outdoor library project at the Athens-Limestone Public Library.
The commission will meet 10 a.m. Monday on the second floor of the Clinton Street courthouse annex.