TRUMBULL COUNTY Commissioners expected to OK Phillips tax break

The company also will buy the building it now leases.
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners were expected today to approve a tax abatement for a Niles company planning to expand its operations.
Phillips Manufacturing Co., 504 Walnut St., has been one of the nation's largest exclusive drywall metals manufacturers since 1955. Its Niles facility is the former National Gypsum mill. The company is asking Trumbull County for enterprise zone tax abatements of 75 percent for 10 years on new and personal property. Niles City Council approved the tax abatement on Wednesday.
Phillips Manufacturing has told the county it would invest $2.3 million to $6.85 million. Of that, $100,000 would improve the existing building; $200,000 to $750,000 would be for new machinery and equipment; and additional inventory would be $2 million to $6 million.
In addition, the company plans to buy its existing building for about $2 million. That purchase, however, is not part of the enterprise zone deal.
The company now employs 81 and pledges to hire 10 more within three years. Its current annual payroll is $2.95 million; its current investment in the facility is $6.24 million with about $4.52 million in on-site inventory, according to county documents.
Erosion rules
Also today, commissioners have on their agenda a new regulation for developers at subdivisions and commercial and industrial sites exceeding five acres to follow in managing erosion and controlling sediment.
The rules don't exceed what the state and national Environmental Protection agencies already require, and are to basically abate the sedimentation of streams and wetlands and township ditches in Trumbull County, according to the Trumbull County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Builders would be required on their construction plans to show the best management practices during construction. Contractors would be required to submit an erosion control plan to the county soil and water conservation district 30 days before starting work.