Columbus County approves building-reuse incentive for Bard Fencing; project expected to create 51 jobs

The Columbus County Board of Commissioners voted on March 17 to accept a building reuse incentive grant tied to a fencing company that has signed a lease in Chadbourne and expects to create 51 jobs.

EDC planning director Gary Lanier described the project as “big news for Columbus County, big news for the town of Tabor City,” saying the company plans a $16,300,000 capital investment and 51 jobs. Lanier told the board the incentive also serves as the county’s portion of a building‑reuse match and that the agreement is structured around new property tax revenues generated by the project.

The board opened a public hearing on the grant earlier in the meeting. At that hearing Lanier said the grant was “worth up to $780,000 estimated,” and described the county’s role as tied to projected new tax receipts, not a direct cash appropriation from existing county funds. After no members of the public offered comments during the hearing, the board closed the hearing and then moved to approve the grant.

Motion and vote details recorded in the meeting: the public hearing was closed by motion of Commissioner Ballard and seconded by Commissioner Burr; the board later approved the incentive grant on a motion by Commissioner Byrd, seconded by Commissioner Bullard. Commissioners voted in favor during roll call and the motion carried.

County officials estimated the grant will be funded through a reimbursement mechanism tied to new property tax receipts from the project rather than from existing county operating funds. The county presentation did not include a detailed payment schedule in the public record; Lanier said the incentive amount is “based off their the new income or new property tax that is gonna be put into the county.”

What happens next: Lanier said the company has signed a lease and was ready to move forward; county staff and the EDC will follow up on administrative steps to execute the grant agreement and monitor job and investment milestones that trigger the incentive payments.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this report were present in the March 17 meeting and identified on the record.

Ending: The vote clears the way for Bard Fencing (named in the county’s application materials) to proceed with site work and equipment investment in Columbus County; the board did not set a separate appropriation in the meeting minutes beyond the tax‑reimbursement structure Lanier described.