Caldwell County accepts $1.07 million Golden Leaf grant to prepare Evergreen Industrial Park site

Caldwell County commissioners unanimously approved a Golden Leaf Foundation Site Development Fund grant agreement on Nov. 3 to fund site-preparation work at the Evergreen Industrial Park.

Ashley Bolick, economic development staff, told the board the Golden Leaf Foundation approved $1,067,623 on Oct. 2 to complete due-diligence studies and site preparation for approximately nine of the park's 34 acres. Bolick said the award brings total grants for the project to “just over $1,600,000.” She said the grant is nonmatching and may not be used for real property acquisition or administrative costs; the Western Piedmont Council of Governments will receive a $50,839 grant administration fee, to be paid from the county's sales tax reinvestment fund.

The agreement covers a 24-month performance period beginning Oct. 2, 2025. Bolick told commissioners the project is expected to help attract private capital investment and to result in new full-time jobs paying at or above the county's average private-sector wage, which she reported as $50,083.

A commissioner moved to approve the grantee acknowledgement and agreement and to authorize the county manager to execute all related documents on behalf of Caldwell County. The motion carried unanimously; individual roll-call votes were not recorded in the public transcript.

The board also approved a separate agreement with the Western Piedmont Council of Governments for administration of the Golden Leaf grant as part of the consent agenda later in the meeting.

Implementation details such as contract start dates, specific contractor procurement steps, and targeted timelines for grading and clearing beyond the grant term were not specified in the meeting record.