The county board of supervisors unanimously agreed to a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption for Aurora Flight Sciences’ planned $43 million expansion.
During the board’s Monday meeting, Golden Triangle Development LINK COO Meryl Fisackerly appeared before the board Monday on behalf of the company to request the exemption.
“Today, we’re here to ask for a tax abatement on their new investment,” Fisakerly said.
Fisakerly said the expansion will include rehabilitating a 40,000 square-foot building and adding a new 50,000 square-foot building. The company currently has about 117 employees, she said, but it plans to add 63 full-time jobs in the expansion.
Headquartered in Virginia, Aurora Flight Sciences opened at the Lowndes County Industrial Park in 2005. The company specializes in the design, testing and production of unmanned aircraft systems and was acquired by Boeing in 2017.
Board President and District 2 Supervisor Trip Hairston told The Dispatch after the meeting that the entire county benefits from the economic activity that comes with expanding businesses and new job offerings. He called it a quick and easy decision for the board.
“We like to see capital investments in our industries,” Hairston said. “They are pumping money back into their operations, and if you don’t see that from time to time in your existing industries, it worries you a little bit. … So it’s always a good thing to see businesses expand, and we’re always going to participate in that, especially when they’re raising jobs like that.”
Adding an acre
Supervisors on Monday also approved purchasing an additional acre for the fire station property where the replacement will be built.
The board has been looking to replace the 3,500 square-foot station since it was destroyed in a November 2022 tornado.
“I think we’re all, around this table, a little bit disappointed in just the slow moving process with (this station),” Hairston told The Dispatch after the meeting Monday. “I think we’re getting to the point now where things are moving along a lot better.”
The board approved plans for a new, slightly larger 3,700 square-foot replacement building with brick veneer in April and voted to start the bidding process.
On Monday, District 1 Supervisor Matt Furnari motioned for the county to purchase the additional acre from the property surrounding the station at an appraised value of $7,000. With plans for a larger building plus the possibility of having to replace the current septic system, he said the extra space would be a big help.
“Looking at the land that it sits on with the increased size of (the building), what we approved a few months ago, and probably the new regulations of the septic system that’s going to have to go in, it’s probably going to be … a little bit tight,” Furnari said.
After the original station was destroyed, the property site was leveled. However, the original septic system remains.
Volunteer Fire Coordinator Neal Austin told the board that the station received approval from the Department of Health to use the old septic system if it’s still functioning. But if the existing system doesn’t work, it will have to be replaced with a spray field or sprinkler system.
“I think that’s where an acre extra would definitely assist,” Austin said. “I think it would be more of a requirement.”
After a brief discussion of whether the county or the volunteer fire department would purchase the acre, District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks asked for clarification that the size of the building the board approved in April would not change.
“We’ve already voted on what we were going to build,” he said. “It took, what, almost four years to come to a conclusion? I need to be assured that we’re not changing any plans on this building.”
The extra acre, Furnari said, would be beneficial regardless of whether the building size changes or stays the same.
“As far as I know, there is no clarity on that,” Furnari said. “I can’t give you that today. What I”m saying is, whether we go with the building that we approved, which is 74-feet wide, or what has been in discussions, which is 84-feet wide, either way, it would be beneficial to have the acre.”
Brooks said he had no issue with purchasing the property. The board voted unanimously for the county to purchase the extra acre.
“You’re talking about $7,000 to gain another acre … that would allow some options there,” Hairston told The Dispatch after the meeting. “Regardless if we use the footprint of the building that we have approved versus 10-feet wider, either way, that property is a good thing to have.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
