c120202Closed Session — December 2, 2002, 6:00 p.m.
At 6:00 p.m. the Board adjourned to closed session to discuss matters relating to the location
or expansion of business in the area, pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11(a)(4). Commissioners Kemp,
Frye, Holmes, Mason and Davis were present, as well as County Manager Frank Willis; Alice
Dawson, Clerk to the Board; Cheryl Ivey, Deputy Clerk; Ricky Cox (standing in for County
Attorney Alan Pugh); Mike Walker, Mayor of Seagrove; John Stanley, Mayor of Liberty; and
Bonnie Renfro from Randolph County Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Ms. Renfro announced that the EDC will be holding a retreat on December 12, 2002 at Mt.
Shepherd Retreat Center from 9 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and invited all Board members and the
County Manager to attend.
Ms. Renfro told the Board that Randolph County has been "short-listed" as a potential site
for Project Hunger (The Cheesecake Factory), which is a California-based food processing
manufacturer seeking a shell building for its sole East Coast manufacturing and distribution facility.
The site being considered in Randolph County is Liberty's Shell Building #2. Other sites being
considered are located in Lexington and Salisbury. The potential investment is $10-12 million with
80 new jobs in phase I and 300 jobs in phase 2. The company plans to make its site selection by the
end of this year with plans for production start-up in September 2003.
Mayor Stanley addressed the Board and said that this company would provide an enormous
economic boon to Randolph County and Liberty. He said that he plans to talk with representatives
of the Compass Group (owners of the shell building) about reducing the price of the building. He
also stated that the infrastructure is already in place at this site in Liberty.
It was the consensus of the Board to offer this company a performance-based economic
incentive of $157,500. Mayor Stanley said that he would recommend to the Liberty town council
that they should match the County's offer.
Ms. Renfro updated the Board on the Yankee Commodity Foods Project in Seagrove. DENR
has agreed to transfer the wastewater permit with restrictions that include upgrades of the storage
lagoon capacity. She stated that a total of $2,014,000 of state money has been secured for this
project; however, there is still $161,000 in local money needed.
Mayor Walker said that he felt that Seagrove should be able to invest $25,000.
It was the consensus of the Board that the County could commit to $136,000 if Seagrove is
willing to commit to $25,000.
The Board resumed open session at 6:40 p.m.
Phil Kemp, Chairman
J. Harold Holmes
Robert O. Mason
Darrell L. Frye, Vice Chairman
Robert B. Davis
Cheryl A. Ivey, Deputy Clerk to the Board