Morgan County council, commissioners approve economic revitalization area and tax incentives for Woodlawn Caribou LLC project

At a joint meeting of the Morgan County Board of Commissioners and the Morgan County Council, elected officials confirmed the creation of an economic revitalization area and approved related tax incentives for a project associated with Woodlawn Caribou LLC. The council passed three resolutions (2025-5-27 a, b and c) on votes of 6–0, and the Board of Commissioners approved a resolution on the form of a taxpayer agreement for Woodlawn Caribou LLC on a 3–0 vote.

The measures finalizing the economic revitalization area include a confirmatory council resolution (2025-5-27 a), approval of a taxpayer agreement (2025-5-27 b) and approval of a real property tax abatement (2025-5-27 c). After a public hearing, the council voted to adopt all three items. Commissioners later approved a separate resolution authorizing the form of the taxpayer agreement with Woodlawn Caribou LLC.

The council opened a public hearing before those votes and allowed public comments. Two residents addressed the meeting. Rod Stafford spoke against tax-increment financing (TIF) districts, saying, “It is absolutely ... it's wrong,” and urging officials to end or limit TIF use. Michael Leech said he had knocked on “about 5 doors” near an existing facility operated by the same company and described mixed reactions from neighbors; he also said his visit to one out-of-area facility found landscaping and berming that he considered “adequate” as a visual buffer.

Officials noted the project was not being proposed as a TIF district; meeting participants said they had no plan to include it in a TIF. Council members discussed neighbor outreach and anecdotal feedback from site visits and conversations with nearby residents. During remarks, one official described concerns elsewhere where property purchases and fences had created tensions between a company and neighboring landowners; another council member said neighbors near an existing company site reported not hearing operational noise and found the landscaping shielding to be effective.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included: - Motion by Melissa Green, second by Troy Sprinkle to open the public hearing (motion carried 6–0). - Motion by Councilman Keller, second by Melissa Green to approve council resolution 2025-5-27 a (confirming the economic revitalization area), passed 6–0. - Motion by Brian Culp, second by Troy Sprinkle to approve council resolution 2025-5-27 b (taxpayer agreement), passed 6–0. - Motion by Melissa Green, second by Joe Crone to approve council resolution 2025-5-27 c (real property abatement), passed 6–0. - Motion by Mr. Adams, second by Mr. Collier to approve the Board of Commissioners resolution (25-5-27-d) approving the form of a taxpayer agreement with Woodlawn Caribou LLC, passed 3–0.

The meeting record shows the council allowed speakers five minutes each at the hearing (the sign-up sheet noted a five-minute limit for this item). No dollar amounts, duration of abatements, or specific tax savings were stated on the record during the hearing. Officials and council members referred to prior discussion of the declaratory resolution and said this meeting finalized the confirmatory step to create the economic revitalization area.

The meeting concluded after routine business and a motion to adjourn.