Craven County approves resolution to apply for $2.5 million CDBG grant to support local employer expansion

Craven County on Monday authorized county staff to submit a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) economic development application that officials say would fund site preparation for a company expansion and aim to create about 30 jobs.

Jason Frederick, the county’s assistant planning director, introduced the item and said the application package has been refined to include engineering cost estimates and site-improvement maps. Kate Finger, identified in the meeting as the Insight Consulting Group program manager, told commissioners the grant request could be for up to $2.5 million and would pay for site work at 1140 Clarks Road to allow an employer — identified in the transcript as HDP — to expand from its current industrial drive location.

The request proceeded as a public hearing; no members of the public signed up to speak. Later in the meeting the board adopted a resolution authorizing the county to submit the CDBG application and authorizing the county manager to execute the application on the county’s behalf.

Why it matters: county staff said the site work would not only accommodate the company’s growth but also complete a segment of Clark’s Road to create a loop that could open additional parcels for future economic development.

What happened: the board voted to open and close the public hearing without comments, then unanimously adopted the resolution authorizing submission of the grant application.

What’s next: submission of the application and any later grant award will require county staff follow-up and — if awarded — project engineering and contracting steps before site work and any employer hiring can begin.

At the meeting: Jason Frederick, assistant planning director; Kate Finger, program manager, Insight Consulting Group; Chairman Booker.