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Committee approves policy language to restrict Beaufort County 'Site & Jobs' fund, forwards to Council
Summary
A draft resolution was advanced that narrows allowable uses of the County 'Site & Jobs' economic development fund (separate from operating funds), ties job incentives to a formula and sectors of focus, sets a per-job cap and a 3–5 year clawback period, and sends the policy to County Council for final action amid requests for added oversight.
The Finance & Administration Committee on Aug. 18 voted to forward a draft resolution to County Council that clarifies allowable uses of the Beaufort County Site & Jobs Fund, the county account used to support the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Hank Munson explained the resolution distinguishes operating support (salaries/overhead) from site-and-jobs funding. Eligible uses for the Site & Jobs Fund include property due diligence, geotechnical and wetlands work, site improvements and, in limited cases, incentive packages tied to Department of Commerce offers. Job incentives must follow a formula set and approved by the EDC board, apply to positions above the area median wage, and are capped at $2,000 per qualifying job (with the board typically awarding less). The policy would require a 3-to-5-year clawback provision to protect the county if guaranteed jobs fail to materialize.
Several committee members pressed for stronger Council oversight of some grants and said past EDC grants had been approved without sufficient Council input. Munson and staff said the policy is intended to give the public and Council clearer guardrails for how the specific fund may be used and that items outside the enumerated permissions would be referred to County Council.
The committee forwarded the resolution to County Council for consideration; two members recorded objections to the language during the committee vote and asked staff to pursue additional discussion and possible changes in a workshop before final adoption.
