Grand Forks County Commission approves 10-year tax incentive for Cirrus Aircraft; Bierke votes no

The Grand Forks County Commission voted 4–1 to approve a property tax incentive package for Cirrus Aircraft that county staff and city officials said is aimed at keeping the company’s planned 30,000-square-foot expansion and future growth in Grand Forks.

Scott Gilling, a city representative who briefed the commission, told members that the city and county had negotiated a memorandum of understanding and other financing support to close a competitiveness gap and help Cirrus choose Grand Forks over other locations. He said the company’s project includes a 30,000-square-foot addition plus later expansions and that total investment could exceed $14 million for construction and equipment.

The incentive approved at the meeting would defer local property tax increments tied to the expansion. Officials estimated the county’s foregone revenue would run about $130,000 per year during the 10-year exemption; commissioners were shown pro forma estimates of year‑1 and year‑10 tax receipts and the deferred increment. Keith Lund, president and CEO of Grand Forks Vision (the local economic-development organization), provided a history of Cirrus’s ties to Grand Forks and said retaining and expanding the company locally was a high priority.

Cirrus representatives said the expansion is needed because the firm is at capacity in its current facility. Steve Thomas, described as a site director for Cirrus, said, “our production facility is…we're in max capacity” and that the 30,000-square-foot addition is the critical first phase to preserve and grow composite manufacturing jobs in Grand Forks.

Dante Tomassini, Cirrus corporate affairs, told the commission the company needed to make a “cold hard business case” comparing Grand Forks to competitive offers elsewhere, and that the proposed incentive and other local financing support helped make that case.

Commission discussion mixed support for incentives as a competitive necessity with concern about foregone tax revenue. Commissioner Bierke voted against the motion; a roll-call was taken and the clerk announced the result as four in favor, one opposed. Commissioners who spoke in favor said the county and city had few alternatives if they wanted to retain and grow a manufacturer with hundreds of employees.

The commission’s approval follows a school district vote earlier to accept a similar 10‑year incentive. City council final approval was expected at a June hearing, and county staff said approval by the council and school district were steps required to implement the full package.

What’s next: staff and the city will complete the MOU and related financing agreements and return to both governing bodies with final contract documents and an implementation schedule. Cirrus and local development partners said they expect additional growth beyond the first expansion if market demand continues.