Scotland County approves incentive package for 'Project Treatment', tied to 35 jobs and $4 million investment

At its April 2025 meeting, the Scotland County Board of Commissioners approved an incentive package for an unnamed firm referred to in county materials as “Project Treatment,” conditioning county support on the company creating and maintaining 35 jobs and investing roughly $4 million.

A county staff member summarized the terms of the draft agreement before the board, saying, “they're required to bring 35 jobs to the county and maintain 35 jobs to county. They also have to maintain those jobs at a, salary level, that the state approves. And they also get, for 4 years, 75 percent, I guess you'd say, credit or reimbursement based on the Avalorum taxes they pay.” The staff member spoke during the public hearing portion of the agenda while the board reviewed the proposed local incentive package.

Commissioners discussed the project as an expansion of an existing business that will occupy a 50,000-square-foot building on U.S. 401 with a pad for an additional 50,000 square feet for a possible future expansion. An Economic Development Board member told the board the expansion could attract complementary firms and other suppliers to the county.

The board moved to approve the incentive package. A motion and second were made on the record, and the board chair called for a voice vote: “All in favor, say aye.” The meeting record shows the item passed with no recorded opposition.

County officials said the board did not name the company at the meeting because the state announcement had not yet been made; county staff told commissioners the governor’s announcement was expected after the meeting. Board members and staff emphasized the county intended to finalize local approvals so the company could begin site work and fit-out promptly.

What the agreement requires

- Job creation and maintenance: 35 full-time positions, maintained at the salary level required by the state incentive review process. - Capital investment: about $4,000,000 in local investment reported to the board. - Local tax credit/reimbursement: a 75% credit or reimbursement of ad valorem taxes paid, applied for four years as structured in the draft agreement.

Next steps and timing

County staff said the company expects to begin fit-out quickly and had indicated a target to start operations in the summer. Commissioners said they would await the governor’s public announcement for the company name and would proceed with any remaining local approvals and permit reviews required to support the expansion.

Votes and formal action

The board approved the incentive package for Project Treatment by voice vote after a motion and a second; no roll-call tally naming individual commissioners was recorded in the transcript.

Background

County staff and commissioners said the company is an existing business that is expanding operations in Scotland County rather than relocating a facility from elsewhere. The facility identified for the expansion is a recently built industrial building on U.S. 401 that has room to expand on an existing pad.