Votes at a glance: Gaston County actions on economic incentives, transportation grant, pump station transfer, appointments and tourism funding

The Gaston County Board of Commissioners took multiple formal actions at its September meeting. The board voted on economic development agreements, a transportation grant application, a pump-station site transfer, tourism funding for a shade structure at Fraley Field in Cherryville, and a set of appointments. The key outcomes are summarized below.

Edgewood Industrial incentive amendment: The county’s economic development staff requested an amendment to a 2022 incentive package with Edgewood Industrial Phase 1 Owner LP (Trinity Capital Partners). Lisa Summey, assistant director of the Economic Development Commission, said the developer is reconfiguring the project from a two-phase plan to a single phase of roughly 500,000 square feet and a projected investment of about $60 million. The board voted unanimously to amend the agreement to allow a Level 4 incentive (a 10-year grant) and to extend performance deadlines so the developer has additional time to complete the project.

Project C and C (level-1 incentive): The board approved a level-1 incentive grant for Project C and C, a local company proposing more than $4 million in machinery and equipment investment to support retained jobs. Assistant director Lisa Summey said the level-1 program is a five-year tax reimbursement that begins at 90 percent and declines to 50 percent by year five. The board’s vote on the Project C and C economic development agreement was unanimous.

NCDOT PTD FY27 community transportation grant: Michael (assistant director of social services) presented a grant application for the NCDOT Public Transportation Division’s FY27 community transportation program. The county will apply for $235,261 in grant funds with a required local match of 15 percent ($35,290). The grant would fund administrative salaries, training, travel and scheduling software for the Access program, which provided roughly 30,429 trips in FY25. The board approved the application and authorized required assurances and the local match; the vote was unanimous.

Pump station/site transfer (AC item): The board approved the recommended site and associated agreements for a sanitary sewer pump station that will be transferred to the Town of Dallas for ownership and ongoing maintenance. County representatives said they will use decorative fencing and plantings to screen the station from the adjacent homeowner’s view. The board approved the project unanimously.

Fraley Field shade structure (tourism funding): Tourism staff described two regional American Legion tournaments hosted in Cherryville and the economic benefit from “heads and beds” (hotel-night spending). The tourism advisory board recommended using tourism fund balance to support a shade structure at Fraley Field to continue attracting regional and state tournaments. Commissioners approved the recommendation unanimously.

Appointments and miscellaneous: The board confirmed a series of appointments to county advisory boards and commissions and reappointments; motions and votes on appointments were recorded as unanimous in the meeting transcript.

Votes and next steps: For adopted EDAs the county manager and chair are authorized to execute documents implementing the board’s approvals, subject to final attorney review. For the transportation grant, the county will proceed with the application steps and, if awarded, accept the grant with the required local match. Staff will return to the board with any required contract documents, RFPs or procurement actions for construction and project implementation.