Confidentiality agreements between local leaders and the private sector prevented commissioners from giving away details this week, but a trio of industries are poised either to expand their footprint in Cullman County, or walk away from local incentives if they make the decision not to.

At its regular meeting, the Cullman County Commission signed off on three separate tax abatement measures to accommodate the proposed industrial projects, each of which was accompanied by a codename that gives away little information about which businesses might be involved. All of the abatements propose waiving ad valorem taxes on capital improvements for the proposed projects, except for taxes that would still be collected to fund local schools.

The largest of the three project proposals goes by the codename “Project Sport” and seeks $2,230,000 in local abatements, which the commission unanimously pre-ratified at its Tuesday meeting. The measure, according to the City of Cullman’s Economic Development Agency, sweetens the incentive for the business’ owners to locate the project in Cullman County, though it’s not a done deal. Project Sport would bring 20 new jobs to the area, each paying near the average local wage for workers in the construction products manufacturing industry.

A separate abatement measure approved $955,000 in waivers for BBLU, Inc., as it expands its South Vinemont location while adding three additional jobs. The measure increases a previous 2020 abatement of $565,000 to accommodate the business’ new capital investment.

The commission also pre-approved an abatement of $530,000 for “Project Triple J,” a new industry that local economic development officials are hoping to recruit to the Cullman area.

If successful, the project would create four new jobs in its initial phase, with each paying substantially more than the local average for skilled tech positions. Cullman EDA is competing with other municipal entities to land the project, which a development representative said is projected to grow in phases and add new jobs once it has established its initial base of operations.

In other business at its regular meeting, the commission:

• Approved a one-time payroll reimbursement to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office out of CARES Act federal funds for a $1,500 pay supplement for full-time CCSO employees, as well as a $750 supplement for part-time employees, for work done during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Associate commissioner Garry Marchman abstained from the vote. Marchman emphatically said he supports rewarding employees’ hard work, but feels a more effective way of distributing the funds to do so might have presented itself at a future time, with the recent passage of a fresh round of federal COVID-19 relief funding.
• Approved a transfer to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office of other CARES Act funds for necessary expenses relating to COVID-19 response measures.
• Recognized new hires Shane Bailey (facilities and fleet management) and Stephanie Lawson (Cullman County Commission on Aging).
• Recognized retiring employees Rhonda Sinyard (18 years with the water department) and James Waters (12 years with the sanitation department).
• Authorized commission chairman Jeff Clemons to sign a contract agreement with Pyro Shows of Alabama, signaling the return of the July 4 fireworks display at Smith Lake Park this year, following its COVID-19-related suspension in 2020.
• Proclaimed the month of April as Fair Housing Month in Cullman County.
• Authorized Clemons to sign an agreement with the State of Alabama covering a widening and resurfacing project on County Road 1301 from U.S. Highway 31 to County Road 1435.
• Authorized revenue commissioner Barry Willingham to contract with GovEase Auction LLC on behalf of the county commission for online sales of tax-delinquent properties.
• Authorized Clemons to sign a settlement agreement on behalf of the county commission relating to a privacy-protected personnel matter.
• Authorized Clemons to sign an auction agreement with JM Wood Auction Company to dispose of 6 tri-axle dump trucks between June 15 and June18.
• Authorized sanitation director James Rollo to contract for the purchase of rolloff dumpsters.
• Approved the annual payment of the commission’s NARCOG dues for the 2021 fiscal year in the amount of $56,299.
• Agreed to a $7,825 deal with ADS Security Systems for the installation of keycard entry access and other security features at the Cullman County Economic Development office.
• Surplussed 6 Kenworth tri-axle dump trucks formerly used by the road department.
• Surplussed a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria from the sheriff’s office to be sold on GovDeals.com.
• Approved the purchase of a 2021 Ford F-150 4X4 Super Cab for the reappraisal department in the amount of $27,366.
• Awarded a rolling bid for recycled asphalt pavement (RAP millings) to Good Hope Contracting Co. Inc. for use by the road department.
• Awarded a bid for a John Deere Cab Crawler dozer to Warrior Tractor, to be used exclusively within Cullman County for fire safety by the Alabama Forestry Commission, in the amount of $189,900.
• Amended the FY 2021 budget to correct a clerical error, changing the transfer of General Obligation warrant payments for the Cullman County Detention Center from the 116 Capital Improvement Fund to the 112 Public Building Fund.
• Approved Clemons’ appointment of John King to the Joppa Water Board for a term set to expire on March 1, 2024.
• Approved the minutes of the commission’s March 16 meeting and its March 26 emergency meeting.

The next regular commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18 in the Commission Meeting Room of the Cullman County Courthouse. A public work session will precede the meeting at 4:30 p.m.