Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Henry County moves quickly to recruit Ennio International site; economic-incentive plan to be presented in October
Summary
County staff said a family-owned food-packaging manufacturer, Ennio International, has indicated interest in an 8-acre Lot 4 in the industrial park and needs to be operational by late next year; staff introduced a timetable for land transfer, plan commission overlay, and a Baker Tilly-led incentive recommendation to the council.
County economic-development staff told the Henry County Council that a potential tenant, Ennio International, has expressed interest in Lot 4 of the county industrial park and aims to be operational by August or September 2026.
The staff presentation said Lot 4 is about 8 acres on the northwest corner of Brooks Drive and Hayes Way, north of a building described in the meeting as the "Shell Building," and is owned by the county redevelopment commission. County staff said the parcel became buildable after the county extended a road and utilities to open formerly landlocked acreage.
The prospective facility would be roughly 25,000 square feet and would combine manufacturing, offices and warehouse space, with room to expand. The company was identified in the meeting transcript as Ennio International, described by staff as a family-owned food-packaging manufacturer based in South Australia. Staff said the company projects about 50 new jobs over five years if the timeline holds.
County staff listed the approvals and steps the county must complete: a land-transfer notice of offering, a planning commission hearing on an overlay district (planned for the October meeting), a plan amendment with the county commissioners, and an economic-development commission incentive approval that will also involve the county council as the fiscal body. Staff said any incentive funding would come from the redevelopment commission, not from the county general fund, and that Baker Tilly will present recommendations on structure and options (for example, bond issuance, forgivable loan or reimbursement agreement) at the council's October meeting.
Council members and staff emphasized the speed of the timeline and said staff wants to move quickly to avoid losing the company to other sites. Staff noted they will leave much of the detailed incentive structuring to Baker Tilly and that notices and hearings will be scheduled publicly.
Why it matters: A manufacturing tenant that creates new jobs can increase local tax base, use county infrastructure, and trigger land-transfer and incentive processes. County staff said incentives would not be requested from the county general fund and that the redevelopment commission would supply any incentive dollars.
Next steps: Baker Tilly will present options on how to structure incentives at an October meeting; staff will file land-transfer notices and pursue planning and redevelopment approvals needed to meet the private developer's construction timeline.
