Stephens Co. Company Getting CDBG Grant

A government grant will help a local company get off the ground.

Recently, Governor Nathan Deal announced that Stephens County received a $340,000 Community Development Block Grant.

Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said the grant is actually for Southeast Metals and Recycling, which is looking to locate and open in the old WABCO building on U.S. Highway 123 and get into the business of recycling and disposing of large metals.

Martin said to do so, they need connectivity to the railroad that this grant will help provide.

“Southeast Metals and Recycling will be working with Norfolk Southern Railroad to install a railroad spur off of the main line into their operations on East (U.S.) Highway 123,” said Martin. “These funds, $340,000, are based on the new jobs that Southeast Metals is going to be creating and will offset a portion of the total project cost.”

According to Martin, the remainder of the project cost will be covered by the company itself and no local government funds are required to match the grant.

Stephens County is simply responsible for administering the grant funds.

Martin said Southeast Metals and Recycling expects to create 34 jobs.

Construction on the rail spur is expected to begin as soon as possible.

This grant was part of $4.3 million in Community Development Block Grant Employment Incentive Program and Redevelopment Fund awards that went to 11 Georgia communities for redevelopment and economic development projects.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the funding to Georgia’s Community Development Block Grant program, which is administered by the state’s Department of Community Affairs.