Laurens County Commission OKs tax abatement for $50 million project at YKK

The Laurens County Commission approved a tax abatement Tuesday for YKK and its planned $50 million renovation at its Dublin plant.

County Administrator Bryan Rogers described the project as a “modernization” of the YKK plant to include new technology and machinery and improvements to the heating-and-air conditioning system.

“”It’s more of a renovation, not an expansion,” Rogers told the commission.

The abatement is included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the company that’s already been approved by the Dublin City Council, and has the backing of the Dublin-Laurens Development Authority.

Under the agreement, YKK would receive a five-year tax break on the improvements at the plant. The company would pay no taxes in the first year, then pay 20 percent in year 2. Taxes would increase by 20 percent each year, until reaching 100 percent in the sixth year.

“This would only be on the renovated part of the plant,” Rogers said.

Commissioner Trae Kemp called the tax abatement for a $50 million investment a “no-brainer,” and the board passed the measure unanimously.

The commission also gave final approval to its proposed millage rate of 5.498, which was rolled back enough to avoid a tax increase due to growth in the county digest, the taxable value of property in Laurens County. 

The commissioners also approved the millage rate levied by the county Board of Education, set at 14.0, which was rolled back but not enough to avoid a tax increase. That means county property owners will be taxed at a total of 19.498 mills. The combined millage rate a year ago was 19.944.

In other business, the commission:

•Approved a delivery method for the senior citizens center renovation. Because the county received a $1 million Community Development Block Grant, the project will have to meet various federal guidelines, so the commission voted to use a contractor to handle it.

•Approved spending about $56,000 for a new fire alarm system at the county jail. Rogers described the current system as “very old and very outdated.” Officials had hoped to delay the purchase until the next fiscal year. “As you all know, the jail is a huge liability for us, and we don’t need to play with fire out there, no pun intended,” Rogers said,

•Approved new Emergency Medical Service rates to account for upcoming increases in Medicaid and Medicare rates.

•Declared old handheld radios, which are no longer in use, as surplus equipment. Surrounding counties that still use the radios have expressed interest in them, and the commissioners voted to authorize Emergency Management Agency Director Bill Laird to give away the old radios to the counties “as he sees fit.” 

“Most of them probably won’t make a good boat anchor,” Commissioner Gerard Mathis joked.

•Renewed all existing alcoholic beverage licenses for 2026.