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Buckhannon council authorizes five-year tax incentives for potential Saint-Gobain development
Summary
After an executive session, the Buckhannon City Council voted unanimously to grant a parent company of Saint-Gobain an Enterprise Zone Opportunity under Ordinance No. 393, authorizing five years of 100% B&O tax exemption and a five-year rebate of the city's portion of property tax, subject to receiving a completed application and financials.
The Buckhannon City Council voted unanimously March 20 to authorize a five-year Enterprise Zone tax incentive package for a potential development by the parent company of Saint-Gobain near the West Virginia Readiness Center on Brushy Fork Road.
Following an executive session to discuss property matters, Council Member Thomas moved and City Recorder Randy Sanders seconded a motion to grant the parent company an enterprise zone opportunity under Ordinance No. 393, subject to receipt of a completed application, financial documentation and a business plan. The motion carried unanimously. The package authorizes five years of business-and-occupation (B&O) tax exemption at 100% and a rebate of the city’s portion of property tax for five years, as described in the motion.
Mayor Robbie Skinner said the action was taken subject to the company completing the formal application and required materials; council took no immediate step to approve a final agreement or to set incentive performance conditions on the record. The motion text specifies the incentives apply to a potential development located within city limits near the WV Readiness Center on Brushy Fork Road.
The council used an executive session to discuss property-related details before returning to public session and taking the vote. No individual council roll-call votes were recorded in the minutes beyond "the motion carried unanimously." The motion was made after the executive session and was explicit that final incentive awards would depend on submission of the complete application materials.
Next steps identified in the meeting record: staff must receive and review the company’s completed application and supporting financials before the city may finalize any incentive agreement or rebate mechanism. The minutes do not list a timeline for council review of the submitted materials or outline performance benchmarks for the rebate.
Authority: Ordinance No. 393 was cited as the local legal basis for the enterprise zone opportunity in the motion recorded by the council.
