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Barrette Outdoor Living received a new award estimated to be US$282,750 approved by the County Commissioner at its regular meeting of the County Commissioner's Committee on October 12, 2021. The new incentives approved in June of this year are called economic development investment incentives and require companies to meet certain standards in terms of labor and wages, and to pay county taxes before refunding the incentive amount. The new incentives will reduce building permit fees and impact fees.
The award funds will come from the influence fee designated for the county general fund, and will not affect the influence fee paid by the school board or any other agency.
Barrette will also receive EPIC (Express Permit, Inspection and Certification) status to reduce the time from submitting a permit to obtaining a certificate of occupancy. The EPIC plan is a policy of Hernando County (43-01), which sets standards for industry type, average wages, number of jobs created, and capital investment.
Barrette’s Hernando expansion plan will invest US$10 million in a new 175,000-square-foot facility at Brooksville Tampa Bay Regional Airport (BKV) Rail Park, where the company will directly use CSX rail services and create 150 new jobs. This will pay 100% of Hernando's average annual salary of $36,749. Salaries for ten positions will be 115% higher than the average. The company also plans to invest US$19 million in equipment for the new building.
"This is just the beginning," said Valerie Pianta, director of economic development. "If history is to repeat itself, it will continue in this way," later noted that Barrett came for the first time. There are 90 jobs in the county.
Barrette currently has more than 300,000 square feet of space in BKV. Pianta reports that they are the leading supplier of timber, vinyl and aluminum fences across the country. Nationwide, they employ more than 1,100 employees.
Including temporary workers, more than 350 of them work in Hernando County.
Gary Williams, Barrette's vice president of operations, came from his Knoxville office to thank the county. Williams reported nationwide growth in several states, including acquisitions of companies in Utah and Maryland. "This is a competitive situation. We have the opportunity to build new facilities in many places, obviously Brooksville and the county seat. We have established a good relationship here, have a strong workforce and a superior location. This has become our decision."
Williams expects the new plastic extrusion facility will be expandable. It will produce plastic and PVC fences for the commercial and retail markets.
Hernando Sun is a locally owned weekly newspaper. The founders of the newspaper are Rocco and Julie Maglio. When the Hernando Today newspaper closed in 2014, they saw demand for newspapers. Rocco is from Hernando, and he went to school from Moton Elementary School to Hernando High School. Growing up in Hernando enhanced his ability to provide context for current issues. Hernando Sun printed their first issue in March 2015. They publish it every month for one year, and then increase it to weekly printing. The newspaper is delivered by U.S. mail, so it will be delivered with your mail.
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