BY KARISSA MILLER
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an economic development incentive grant for Water Tech Inc.
The board agreed to award an economic incentive up to $199,844 over a five-year period based on the company’s investment of up to $10.8 million on a new 50,000-square-foot facility near Taylorsville Highway and Deer Ridge Lane in Statesville. The company plans to add up 26 new jobs.
Water Tech, Inc. is a privately owned company founded 33 years ago in Ft. Smith, Ark., as a full-service water treatment company. The company has additional plants in McAlester, Okla., and Meridian, Miss.
The company’s primary focus is food processing facilities along with serving other industrial clients.
The company will also seek an economic incentive from the City of Statesville.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board also approved the purchase of 42 gun safes to be installed in Iredell-Statesville Schools facilities for use by school resource officers employed by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Darren Campbell said the safes will allow SROs to securely store equipment that could be easily accessed by law enforcement during an active-shooter situation as well as other threats to students and staff.
After only receiving one bid, the ICSO will purchase the safes from Vapen Systems. The cost of a small safe is $2,460, and the cost of the larger safe is $3,450.
The Sheriff’s Office will purchase 37 of the small safes and five of the large safes. The total for all of the safes will be $108,270.
In other matters, the board approved:
♦ A request from the library to apply for discounted internet access under the Federal Communications E-Rate program for fiscal year 2024. The total cost for internet access for Statesville, Harmony, and Troutman libraries for FY24 will be $15,660. E-Rate funds 60 percent of the cost of services, so E-Rate discounts will cover $9,396.
♦ A request from Solid Waste for approval to apply for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant that would be used for bailing recyclables. Solid Waste is seeking $1.8 million to replace two Harris balers that were installed in 1993. Solid Waste could stockpile the goods until the market for recyclable materials is better. However, if the grant is not approved, Solid Waste will not pursue the project.