Surry County meeting roundup: incentives for Project Kettle, road‑name approvals, airport budget and equipment purchases

The Surry County Board of Commissioners handled multiple routine agenda items June 1 while reserving substantive review for a separate moratorium ordinance on data centers.

Incentives for Project Kettle: Blake Moyer, president and CEO of the Surry County Partnership, presented Project Kettle, a local company proposing roughly $6 million in new construction and more than $25 million in equipment investment. After the public hearing produced no speakers, Commissioner Height moved to approve incentives at 50% over five years; a second was recorded and the motion passed unanimously. The board did not provide an ordinance number or detailed incentive agreement in the meeting record; the motion text approved the 50% over five years structure.

Road‑name approvals: Tax Administrator Penny Harrison presented the annual list of public and private road names (the list covers June 1 through the following May). No challenges were filed; after a motion by Commissioner Tucker and a second by Commissioner Height, the board approved the list by unanimous voice vote. Harrison said the county requires 75% of signatures on a road to accept a suggested name and that the process is set by Surry County ordinance.

Clarification on foreclosure concern: During open forum a resident, H. Davis, said he had hoped to buy property that he found listed for sale and alleged outside interests had the advantage. Harrison and other staff checked the record and told the board the matter was a private/third‑party foreclosure and not a tax foreclosure handled by the county; commissioners directed staff to contact the resident to explain the situation.

Budget hearings and airport items: County Manager Chris Goff opened a public hearing on the recommended FY27 budget; no public comments were offered and the hearing closed. The board also convened the Mount Surry County Airport Authority meeting and approved the airport budget as presented ($1,114,817). The board later approved a budget amendment allocating $354,672 in airport infrastructure grant funds for terminal construction administration and an independent fee estimate.

Fire marshal vehicle purchase: The board approved a request from the fire marshal to purchase a used 2002 Dodge vehicle (the marshal said the vehicle has roughly "400 and some thousand miles") from a volunteer department to replace an aged asset. The purchase would be funded from general‑fund contingency if necessary.

Process note: The board approved routine agenda and minutes, passed the consent agenda (which included a sheriff's‑office grant award and a budget amendment for insurance refunds and vehicle maintenance), and recessed for a separate airport authority meeting before adjournment and closed session.

Ending: With multiple procedural approvals completed, the board recessed to the airport authority meeting and then returned to close and adjourn; no additional public hearings on the recommended budget were held that evening.