By Jessie Burchette

Salisbury Post

County commissioners will take a look at a proposed formal agreement to be used for industrial incentive grants.

Several weeks ago, county officials discovered that although incentive grants have been approved for several companies, formal agreements have never been signed.

Commissioners Tina Hall and Jon Barber, who serve as liaisons to the Rowan-Salisbury Economic Development Commission, will present the proposed agreement to the Rowan County Board of Commissioners Monday night.

Under the new plan, approval of the grant agreement will be considered at the same time as the request for incentives.

In other matters, the board will:

* Hold a closed session to get an update on the search for a county manager.

Commissioners received more than a dozen applications at the Dec. 3 meeting and may get additional applications Monday night.

The closed session will be at the end of the regular meeting.

* Hear a presentation from Potter & Company on the county's 2006-07 comprehensive annual financial report.

* Adopt a salary increase for Finance Director Leslie Heidrick for the time she will serve as interim county manager. She will assume that post on or about Dec. 31, when current County Manager Bill Cowan departs to head up a development project in Pinehurst.

* Discuss awarding a contract for management of the Rowan County fair.

* Consider approving the purchase of two 2008 Ford F450 ambulances at a cost of $97,119 each from Southeastern Specialty Vehicles Inc.

* Consider approving a contract to purchase and install carpet on the second floor of the Rowan County Public Library at a cost of $63,050.

* Discuss three county-owned houses that have been used as group homes and leased to Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare.

Leases on two of the properties, Stepping Stone and Turning Point, expired June 30. Commissioners previously declared both properties surplus, making them available for sale.

Piedmont has notified the county that it wants to end a contract on a property at 1127 South Main Street known as the Rowan House. Although the lease runs through Jan 1, 2009, the house has been vacant since 2005.

Piedmont plans to stop maintaining the facilities.

* Consider approval of various budget amendments.

The Rowan County Board of Commissioners meets Monday at 7 p.m. in the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Meeting Room, County Administrative Offices, 130 W. Innes St.

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Contact Jessie Burchette at 704-797-4254 or jburchette@salisburypost.com.