The City Council unanimously approved a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption for the proposed $2.5 million expansion of Burford Electric Service, Inc.

Joe Max Higgins, CEO of Golden Triangle Development LINK, appeared before council on Tuesday night on behalf of Burford owners Jonathan Burford Robinson and Amaris Robinson. In the days leading up to the meeting, the collective decided to ignore the codename “Project Cassette” and instead use the company’s real name.

“They said, ‘We want you to tell our story. We want them to know who we are. There’s no point in using a secret code name. We’re here in Columbus,'” Higgins said.

Burford is an East Columbus-based electromechanical solutions company that rebuilds large electric motors, among other things. It was founded in 1959. But as demand grows, the company needs additional space for “remanufacturing and processing capabilities,” the letter of intent for the exemption states.

“They supply the steel mill. They supply the major power companies like Southern Corporation, Weyerhaeuser and a number of other companies,” Higgins said.

The expansion would create about 15 new jobs. The average annual salary for each of these new positions would be $70,000, the resolution said.

The resolution states the city plans to exempt the additions from taxes for 10 years, totaling about $14,600 per year. Burford will still pay about $17,000 in taxes annually to the Columbus Municipal School District, Higgins said.

Deputy Mayor and Second District Councilman Joseph Mickens led the discussion in place of Mayor Keith Gaskin, who was absent from the meeting.

Fifth District Councilman Stephen Jones questioned the urgency of the resolution.

“Is this something we need to vote on tonight?” Jones asked. “Because this is the first time we’ve seen it and it’s a lot of reading.”

Higgins countered with a blunt response, pointing to the appearance of LINK COO Meryl Fisackerly at Monday’s county board meeting, where the board unanimously voted for a similar tax abatement.

“It’s very simple,” Higgins said. “It’s a 10-year tax exemption. The board first saw it at 9 a.m. and had it passed by 9:10 a.m. These are routine things that get done.”

City Attorney Jeff Turnage added that the exemption only applies to new construction.

“They will still collect significant amounts of taxes,” Turnage said.

First District Councilwoman Ethel Taylor Stewart asked if the company plans to relocate or stay in Columbus.

Higgins said relocation was an option in the early stages, but the company decided to stay at its existing location on Highway 69, near the intersection with Yorkville Road.

Stewart also expressed her concerns about the diversity of the workforce.

“My next concern is the workforce,” Stewart said. “Will there be a diverse workforce? My concern is, how diverse are we with this expansion and these new jobs?”

Higgins said that while some would like to implement and enforce hiring practices that promote diversity, it is ultimately up to the company.

“That’s a Burford decision,” Higgins said. “It’s difficult to legislate and mandate diversity in hiring. I know a lot of people want that. I don’t know what their current workforce looks like. I can tell you, if you look at the manufacturers in the area, you’ll generally find a pretty diverse workforce.”

He added, however, that the work may be suitable for a certain section of the population.

“The nature of the business is sometimes hot, dirty and nasty,” Higgins said. “I think some of this (work) requires a little bit of oomph to be able to do it. There might be more men than women.”

While you’re at it?

In addition to the tax exemption, Higgins also asked the city to consider repairs on Cooper Street, where Burford is located, to improve day-to-day business.

Higgins worked with city engineer Kevin Stafford to create a plan to make the repairs.

“We went out and looked at it,” Stafford said. “There are some basic defects where Greyhound and Cooper come together. That’s the biggest cost of it. The whole road has to be rebuilt.”

The council voted unanimously to postpone discussion of the road, an outcome Higgins was prepared for.

“I wasn’t expecting an answer to that,” Higgins said. “You need to go back and talk to (City CFO Jim Brigham) and run some numbers.”