FAIRMONT – The Martin County Economic Development Authority (EDA) recommended the continuation of a tax abatement for new housing construction for the next five years at Monday’s meeting.

The meeting was the first for new members Billeye Rabbe (county commissioner) and Tom Lytle. Their first task to tackle was evaluating the tax abatement program, which was set to have its five-year adoption expire March 17.

County Assessor Michael Sheplee said the program makes it easier to build single and multi-family housing.

“If you build a new residential, single-family home or multi-family properties, for 10 years after the home was built, the county portion of the real estate taxes would be refunded,” he said.

In the past five years, Sheplee said the program has been vital in increasing housing numbers.

“There’s been 43 residential properties approved for this abatement process,” he said. “For at least half of those properties, it’s my belief they would not have been built if this program hadn’t contributed to their decision.”

The program has also been very well received by those who have used it. Of those who have applied, Sheplee said only three developers have been turned down. Overall, the program has added $20 million in property values.

Board Member Richard Koons said the biggest cause for discussion had been changing the abatement period from 10 years to five years. He said several other counties have followed suit in doing tax abatement programs, but have opted to abate five years of taxes.

Sheplee said he would love to continue to see it grow and while 10 years does promote significant savings over time, having the abatement run that long is wonky and an outlier. Rabbe said she would prefer the change to five years. Sheplee said the change depends on what the EDA is looking to do.

“If I had a crystal ball and knew that the cities were going to do something as well, I would say do five so it’s easier to administer,” he said. “I like the program the way it’s been going, and if we’re going to be the only ones doing it, I think we should stay at 10.”

Sheplee said this is not set in stone either, and it can be reviewed and adjusted if changes prove unsatisfactory.

Rabbe motioned to recommend continuing the tax abatement program for five more years and changing the abatement period from 10 years to five, with Lytle seconding. The recommendation was approved unanimously.

The recommendation will go to the Martin County Commissioners at their morning meeting today for final approval.

In other news:

— Martin County EDA is working with First Children’s Finance to complete a Childcare Supply and Demand Gap Analysis for the county. Community Economic Development Authority (CEDA) Consultant Amber Patten said there is obviously a need for childcare, but the report will give specifics. Koons and County Coordinator Scott Higgins said they have received emails about more state money being freed up for childcare soon.

— A business reached out to Martin County EDA about auto tech certification classes in Fairmont schools to help with local business demand. CEDA Consultant Celia Simpson told them there is nothing like that currently. Board Member Tim Terfehr asked if they had reached out to the vo-tech schools about certification. Simpson said the schools have their own training certificates and students in those programs generally take higher-paying jobs elsewhere.