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Traditional Medicinals to invest $47 million in Franklin County; board authorizes local agreement
Summary
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors authorized county staff and the industrial development authority to finalize agreements needed for Traditional Medicinals’ planned $47 million facility, which the county says will bring 57 jobs at an average annual salary of $70,657 and begin site work soon.
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors on a unanimous vote authorized county staff and the Industrial Development Authority chair to finalize and execute a local performance agreement and related documents with Traditional Medicinals, a medicinal tea company that plans a new manufacturing facility in the county.
County Administrator (staff) announced the project during the board’s public session, saying, “We have an update today for the public … a $47,000,000 investment by Traditional Medicinals here in Franklin County. 57 new jobs, Average salary, 70,657 per year.” The board moved to allow the county administrator, county attorney and IDA chair to complete a local performance agreement, a site excess maintenance agreement and to join the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund performance agreement as a party with the company and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The action directs staff to record a revised plat and complete transfer of the property deed in accordance with the local performance agreement. The county administrator told the board a groundbreaking will be scheduled in the coming weeks, with footings expected this year and building construction beginning in the first quarter of next year.
Representatives of Traditional Medicinals attended and spoke at the meeting. Drake Sadler, identified in the meeting as founder and initial CEO of the company, thanked the board and local staff for their hospitality and said the company “is growing” and “we’re taking this very seriously.” Waller Gaster introduced the company project team and noted local consultants and contractors are involved in the design and site work.
The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all supervisors voting yes. Board minutes show the county plans to sign the performance agreement and move forward with the deed transfer and plat recording as part of the incentive package and site preparation. The county did not present a copy of the final performance agreement at the meeting.
Board members and staff emphasized the length of negotiations and the need for the closed-session review the board had taken earlier in the meeting before making the announcement. No public incentives dollar amounts beyond the local and state participation mechanisms were read into the public record at the time of the vote.
The county said the investment will support manufacturing jobs at the new site and that more project details, including a formal groundbreaking date, will be shared when finalized. The board did not adopt any new ordinances or local tax changes during the action; it authorized staff to complete the agreements necessary to implement the project.
