MONTGOMERY— A $350,000 Community Development Block Grant awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey will help the city of Vernon in Lamar County make improvements to a former manufacturing facility and bring 100 jobs to the city.
The city will use the funds to replace the roof of the Vernon Incubator Site which will become the home of the Bama-Bio Tech Corp. and other future businesses. Other improvements will include a new concrete slab and renovating the front office with new flooring and molding, repairing and painting interior drywall and replacing ceiling tiles.
“Everyone benefits when we help develop new businesses which create new jobs and can serve to attract other businesses to an area,” Gov. Ivey said. “I am pleased to assist the city of Vernon in its efforts to create new jobs and build a stronger business community.”
Bama-Bio Tech Corporation is a wholesale manufacturer of bulk hand sanitizer that will accommodate custom formulas for bottlers and retailers.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“ADECA shares Gov. Ivey’s dedication to creating more jobs in Alabama, especially through locally produced businesses,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “Our partnerships with Vernon and other cities throughout the state are seeding growth and job creation.”
ADECA administers an array of programs that support law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
Gov. Ivey notified Vernon Mayor Glenn Crawford the grant had been approved. Local matching funds of $103,800 will supplement the grant.
--30--
Contact Russell Sellers or Mike Presley