MEI commission recommends General Assembly approve incentives for three unannounced manufacturing projects

The Major Nonmajor Employment Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission recommended that the General Assembly approve incentive packages for three unannounced manufacturing projects in Planning Districts 9 and 12 after a closed-session review in Richmond.

The commission’s chair explained that each proposed package includes combined incentives in excess of $10,000,000, which triggers review under Virginia law and required the meeting to move into a closed session to consider confidential project and job-capital investment details. "I move that the MEI Project Approval Commission convene in a closed session to discuss previously unannounced manufacturing projects, 1 in Planning District 9 and 2 in Planning District 12," a commissioner moved on the record before the session paused the public feed.

After reconvening, the commission certified by roll call that only matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements had been discussed in closed session. Steven Kettleman led the roll-call certification; each member present responded in the affirmative.

The commission then considered a motion to recommend that the General Assembly approve the incentive packages as described to the commission by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority and per the commission’s closed-session discussion. "I move that the MEI Project Approval Commission recommend the General Assembly approve the incentive packages from the Commonwealth of Virginia as described to the commission this day by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority and per the commission's discussion in closed session," the mover said. The motion was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote recorded as unanimous among members present.

The record shows the commission took the recommendation as a block covering the manufacturing projects in Planning Districts 12 and 9. The chair asked that, if any bills are needed during the general assembly session related to these projects, the governor and her team forward them to the legislature. With no other business, the chair adjourned the meeting.

Details the commission recorded publicly are limited: the projects were described as unannounced, specific company names and individual incentive amounts were not disclosed in the public record, and the combined threshold triggering review was described as over $10,000,000. The commission relied on statutory authority to meet in closed session and asked that counsel and staff attend to reasonably aid consideration of the subject matter.

The commission did not disclose project-level employer names or the precise dollar amounts of individual incentive packages in the public proceeding; those details remain confidential in the meeting record per the closed-session statute.