Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010

Wake says no to ConAgra

Wake County leaders will not offer ConAgra Foods tax breaks or other incentives to help persuade the company to keep its damaged Slim Jim plant open in Garner.

County Commissioners decided this week not to join the state and Garner in offering ConAgra aid.

An explosion June 9 destroyed half of ConAgra's Slim Jim plant off of Jones Sausage Road. Four people died, and dozens more were injured. Months after the blast, the company laid off about 300 of the plant's remaining 750 workers.

ConAgra has transferred some Slim Jim production to other sites, and some local leaders have said they fear the company will leave town. Officials have been working to put together an incentives package for ConAgra.

But the company did not meet the county policy's threshold for investment or wages to qualify for incentives from Wake, County Manager David Cooke said.

Commissioner Lindy Brown, who represents District 2, which includes Garner, said she was the only commissioner who favored making an exception for ConAgra during a closed-door meeting earlier this week.

"We should make every effort to secure ... every job opportunity," Brown said.

Board Chairman Tony Gurley said changing the policy would have called for a public discussion. A tight budget was another obstacle, he said.

"For people to bring in added spending items midyear I think is irresponsible," Gurley said.

Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams asked county leaders to consider pitching in to help ConAgra. Williams said the company could get $450,000 from the One North Carolina Fund through the state Commerce Department and that the town could match that amount in the form of tax breaks. Brown said county leaders were asked to match that amount.

"I am very disappointed," Williams said of the county's decision. "This is about jobs."

ConAgra had wanted to see an incentives proposal by Friday, said Ken Atkins, director of Wake County Economic Development. But the company was likely to receive a proposal from the state and town early this week, said Tony Beasley, Garner's economic-development director.

It's not clear how much ConAgra could get in incentives. Atkins has said the amount could climb into the millions of dollars.

The company has said incentives will be a factor in future decisions.