By Andie Foley
andie.foley@salisburypost.com

County commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday on a project that could lead to a $11 million county investment.

The venture, called “Project Wheel,” is an expansion of a to-be-named manufacturing employer in Rowan County. If approved, it will bring an additional 94 jobs to our area by 2019.

The average salary of these jobs is projected to be $33,334.

According to the project proposal, Salisbury is not the only location being considered for the project. Two other facilities of the parent company, one in Kentucky and another in Louisiana, are under consideration for the investment.

Rowan Economic Development Commission is requesting a $273,000 contribution toward the project through the Rowan County Investment Grant Program.

In addition to jobs and the manufacturer’s $11 million return investment in a 100,000-square foot space, Project Wheel could provide approximately $728,750 in increased tax revenue for Rowan County over a 10-year period.

In other business from Monday’s agenda:

• The board will hold public hearings for the rezoning of two tax parcels from Rural Agricultural to Commercial, Business, Industrial with a Conditional District.

These parcels are owned by Travis Cauble and Rigoberto and Zulma Maldonado.

Cauble seeks to construct a 4,000-square-foot metal fabrication shop used to manufacture BBQ smokers. The Maldonados seek to continue their operation as wholesale automotive traders.

• The board will consider the public auction of several totaled or outdated county vehicles.

Vehicles to be sold are either totaled, have high mileage or fail to start.

The board will also consider purchase requests for new vehicles: two for emergency services and five for various other county departments.

• The board will consider authorizing the design and construction of a new T-Hangar at the Mid-Carolina Regional Airport.

• The board will approve departmental budget adjustments for the 2017 fiscal year.

Adjustments include line items for animal vaccines at the animal shelter, for the Livingstone College / Sheriff’s office education program and more.