DOBSON — The Surry County Board of Commissioners met for more than three hours Monday night, approving two measures that aim to increase jobs and employability in the county.

The board unanimously approved an economic incentive package for “Project Tough” after little discussion. The county will provide a grant of up to $77,209.60 spread over five years to a company proposing to locate within Mount Airy.

In return, the company has to create up to 20 full-time jobs before 2012 and maintain those over the five-year agreement period. The company would also have to make a taxable investment at the site of $1 million to $4 million.

The county’s incentive agreement is a dollar-for-dollar match of the amount that the city of Mount Airy approved at a recent meeting.

The county is not yet able to announce the name of the company due to negotiations between the company and state. Todd Tucker, president of the Economic Development Partnership, did say that the company proposes to locate within an existing industrial facility in Mount Airy.

“This is another small step towards getting some more jobs for Surry County residents and some more investment in our county,” Tucker remarked during a public hearing for the economic incentives. Tucker was the only person to speak during this hearing.

Later in the meeting, the board approved an interlocal agreement with the town of Elkin to create the Elkin Workforce Development Center. The county will now work to finalize negotiations to purchase the property and complete interlocal and lease agreements. Once the county purchases the property, it will lease it to the town of Elkin. Surry Community College will be the provider of services at the center, just as it will be in a similar center in Pilot Mountain.

The property chosen for the location is a 15.23-acre site now known as the Surry Square Shopping Center. The site is at 1461 N. Bridge St. in Elkin. The workforce development center will occupy the building formerly used by Food Lion, which consists of 22,000 square feet.

The town of Elkin has an architect who is now creating plans for what the building will look like once remodeled. Elkin will be responsible for paying for the building renovations; the county is only to buy the property. According to Lestine Hutchens, mayor of Elkin, the renovations will cost close to $1 million. The town currently has $607,000 to use for the renovations, along with outstanding grants the town expects to soon receive.

The county is still looking at how it will pay for the purchase of the property. Issuing two-thirds bonds is a possibility that was approved in the consent agenda at the county board’s Oct. 19 meeting.

Dr. Deborah Friedman, president of Surry Community College, was present at the meeting along with the mayor of Elkin and town commissioners. Friedman said the college did a needs assessment of people in the area to see what was needed at the center.

The workforce development center will feature GED, English as a second language, and basic skills classes. It will also offer Job Now programs, computer labs and classrooms for other programs.

Bidding for construction on the site should go on within four to five weeks. Hutchens said, “We’re ready to go.”

Dr. Jim Harrell Jr., county commissioner, said, “I praise everyone for their cooperation and hard work.”

Hutchens was overjoyed with the approval of the agreement. “It’ll be the best thing we’ve ever done together,” she said to the board. “It’s just a really exciting thing.”

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.