With an undisclosed company considering locating in an existing building for its wholesale trade and distribution operations, Halifax County commissioners approved a resolution Monday night for the economic development commission to request $500,000 in assistance from the state’s Building Reuse Grant project.

Halifax County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott told the board the company will commit to the creation of 50 new jobs at an annual wage of $44,108. The current average annual wage for the county is $39,800.

Before a motion was made on the matter, Commissioner Sammy Webb said, “A lot of citizens ask when we’re doing resolutions like this we don’t name the company and they want to know why we’re not transparent because they do not know the name of the company.”

Scott replied, “When the state of North Carolina is providing incentives such as the Building Reuse Program, if the project name is announced before the approval of the incentive then it’s interpreted that the incentive is not needed because the company is already out there, it’s already being announced. The state won’t approve the incentive if the company is already out there, if it’s published in a newspaper or if it’s shown in any public documents.”

Scott said, “It’s an issue we deal with all the time. I’m the type that would love to scream it from the mountain top, but unfortunately we do have that restriction and confidentiality in not being able to name a company until the state takes its action to approve an incentive.”

Commissioner Linda Brewer made the motion to approve the resolution on a second by Webb.

The resolution says the county will make the application to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

The location of the building was also not disclosed.