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Covington County secures 100-acre option under SEEDS Act; Sims Bark plant to hire up to 40
Summary
County economic development staff said the state SEEDS Act helped secure an option on 100 acres for an industrial site; a company called Sims Bark plans a plant expected to employ up to 40 people at $15 an hour with benefits.
Jacob Morgan, a county economic development representative, told the Covington County Commission that staff have secured an option to acquire about 100 acres near the intersection of Highway 107 and 55 under a state program he identified as the SEEDS Act. "Through the state they have a program called the SEEDS Act," Morgan said, saying the program pays roughly three-quarters of the cost to acquire property or pay for necessary site work.
Morgan described a landed prospect, Sims Bark, that would build a mulch/processing plant on the site and could hire as many as 40 people. "Sims Bark ... that's gonna be hiring up to 40 people. They'll be on a hundred acres out there. They pay $15 an hour right out of high school. Give them, health insurance and retirement benefits," Morgan said. He said the company works with retail chains and would serve regional stores, and that Alabama Power had agreed to join the industrial park board.
Commissioners and staff praised the quick progress and said final announcements were delayed by recent weather. Commissioner remarks acknowledged county assistance during deal finalization but did not record any formal incentives requested by the company. Morgan also said another unnamed company was in the process of buying a vacant building in the county industrial park.
The commission did not adopt any new incentive package or make a final sale in the meeting; Morgan said the county had secured an option and planned a formal announcement soon.
