Garner council authorizes staff to negotiate incentives for Gregory Poole headquarters after public hearing

Garner — The Garner Town Council voted unanimously Oct. 21 to allow town staff to negotiate an economic‑development incentive agreement with Gregory Poole Equipment Company, the firm announced publicly as "Project Cougar." The council’s authorization follows a presentation from Economic Development Director Nate Gruver and a public hearing during which residents asked about job access and incentive costs.

Nate Gruver said Project Cougar is expected to locate on a roughly 130‑acre site along Highway 70 (Timber Drive East). He told council the company projects more than $347,000,000 in private investment and about 692 jobs over five years, with an average wage of roughly $75,000. Gruver described the proposed local incentive as a tier‑1 business investment grant that would equal 80% of the property taxes paid on new assessed value for a period of five consecutive years, with payments beginning in year four of the agreement and additional bonus years possible for meeting job, investment and upward‑mobility goals.

Resident Rex Whaley welcomed the project but asked whether the 692 jobs would largely be new positions available to Garner residents or transfers tied to the company’s existing operations. "Are those 692 jobs that residents will be able to apply for, or will a number of them be sort of field jobs that are being transferred?" he asked.

Gruver replied that the company is still working on projections that separate transfers from new hires and that staff would continue to follow up with the applicant.

Resident Katie Cardenas raised housing and wage concerns, asking the council to consider median wages and the town’s ability to retain workers locally. "Average salaries will be $75,000 but I wonder what the median salaries will be," she said, urging clarity on community benefits and workforce housing supports.

Councilmember Elmo Vance moved to adopt the resolution authorizing the town manager to negotiate and execute an incentive agreement (listed in the meeting materials as Resolution 20 25 26 71); Councilmember Matthews seconded. On roll call the motion passed unanimously, 5‑0.

Staff emphasized the structure of the incentive: Gruver said the grant is not upfront cash but a tax rebate mechanism tied to new assessed value, and that incentive payments can be recaptured if the company fails to meet obligations. Gruver also told the council that an eight‑year window is often used for value calculations and that internal estimates put the incentive value to the applicant at about $4.4 million over the 8‑year period described during the hearing.

Next steps: staff will proceed to negotiate an economic development agreement with Gregory Poole and will return to council with any proposed contract for formal approval.