By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Clanton City Council approved a tax rebate agreement for Adient, based on equipment not included in the 2012 tax abatement, during its June 12 meeting.

Council member Jeffery Price was absent and Mary Mell Smith abstained.  Council members Sammy Wilson, Bobby Cook and Awlahjaday Agee voted in favor of the rebate.

Van Forrester, chairmen of the Chilton County Industrial Development Board, presented the board’s recommendation for the tax rebate.

“We had originally talked about amending the 2012 abatement,” Forrester said.

When this was not possible, the IDB looked into a rebate for a portion of the city taxes instead.

The rebate agreement is for five years. The amount of the rebate the company receives decreases each year based on depreciation.

Allen Payton of the Chilton County Industrial Development Board said the company would “certify an equipment list for us by Jan. 15 every year. We will take that and apply it to the abatement. If they retire something, it naturally comes off.”

The rebate agreement included conditions based on employment numbers and longevity, which the council had requested to be included. The Clanton facility has 750 employees. The company would be required to remain above 600 employees.

“We think it is a fair document,” Payton said.

Mayor Billy Joe Driver thanked the IDB for the work they put into the agreement.

The Chilton County Commission has also approved a tax rebate agreement for Adient.

Further updates were given by the Industrial Development Board. The IDB is working on a form to be used by companies in the future when applying for abatements.

Payton said the board has begun discussion with each of the mayors in the county about hiring an economic developer to work with all of the areas. The plan is for each jurisdiction within the county to fund a portion of the salary for this person on a per capita rate.

“They all agreed to put that in their next year’s budget,” Payton said of the other governments in Chilton County.

He asked the Clanton City Council to do the same.

Also during the meeting, a rezoning request from agricultural to business (B2) for property on Highway 31 South between Cobblestone Apartments and Tractor Supply was approved. There was no opposition during the public hearing.  A car wash is planned for the site.

Announcement was made that Fred’s plans to apply for a permit to sell beer and wine. Granting the permit will be considered at a future meeting.