County OKs $800,000 In Job-Creating Incentives

The Manatee County Commission provided nearly $880,000 in incentives Tuesday to three businesses that were going to relocate to Manatee County or expand their operations and create more than 440 new jobs.

After the unanimous vote of the commission, Karen Stewart, the county economic development program manager, said the approval was very important.

“All of the jobs are at least 115 percent higher than the average wage in the county,” Stewart said. “These are good jobs with good benefits.”

The average yearly wage in Manatee County is $33,581.

The money is part of the Economic Development Incentive Program the commission approved in April 2009 to help stem the rapid unemployment rate the county was experiencing from the economic collapse.

Just as in the 30 previous incentive appropriations, these packages are customized for each business based on the number of jobs it is obligated to create.

The largest amount, $653,500, will go to a company identified as Project Curve.

The names of the businesses are kept confidential at their request, Stewart said, for various reasons, such as to protect their shareholders or to not give their competition any advantages.

Project Curve, identified as a manufacturing firm, will be eligible for a $541,500 grant paid out over seven years if it reaches employment goals of 361 jobs as outlined in the resolution.

It also will receive a customized grant of $35,420 at the time it receives a certificate of occupancy in the expanded facilities.

A refund of around $76,580 in transportation impact fees will be awarded at that time.

Another manufacturing firm, identified as Project Steel, will be expanding its facilities in Manatee County and qualified for $23,000 paid out over five years as it creates the 23 jobs it promised.

Project Green will be paid $174,000 over four years for the 58 employees at 200 percent over the average wage in the county it plans to hire over that period.

The life services company plans to locate a new facility in Manatee County and will receive a refund of around $29,300 in transportation impact fees after new building permits are approved.

Not all business that apply to the Economic Development Incentive Program qualify, said Cheri Coryea, director of the county Neighborhood Services Department.

“They must meet strict criteria before the proposals are brought to the commission,” Coryea said.

Stewart said her division staff looks at targeted industries that would make a significant contribution to the area's economy.

She said the company needs to build new facilities, increase the uses of supplies or purchase new equipment, along with increasing its workforce at wages at least 115 percent above the average wage.

Commissioner Joe McClash asked County Administrator Ed Hunzeker to provide a tally of future obligations to the taxpayers these incentive programs are creating.

“I would like to see a spreadsheet with a breakdown of the costs,” McClash said. “We need to make a commitment to future budgets” to pay for the incentives.

He said the county does not want to be in a situation of having obligations five and six years in the future.

“This is an accumulative process,” McClash said.

Hunzeker said the department has such a spreadsheet and he will provide that material to all the commissioners.

Coryea said her staff works with the Finance Department when it is preparing the annual budget.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved 4-3 a master signage plan for the River Club Park of Commerce, located south of State Route 70 along northbound Interstate 75. The plan calls for multiple signs, one as tall as 100 feet, along the interstate. Commissioners Robin DiSabatino, Michael Gallen and McClash voted against the plan, questioning the need for so many signs along the interstate and the height of some of them.

• Received an invitation from the 2011 Fair Queens to attend the Manatee County Fair from Jan. 13-23.

• Unanimously approved the refinancing of two loans, one for $14 million and the other for $9 million, for improvements at Port Manatee.