After two weeks of discussion, the Covington County Commission adopted a resolution for tax abatements related to Shaw Industries’ ongoing equipment upgrade.

The resolution is identical to one approved last year for the initial $184 million, without educational tax.

“I appreciate the commission,” President of the Economic Development Commission Rick Clifton said. “They have helped us in the past and they are helping us now.”

Clifton said that this will be the first step in getting all the documentation correct.

The commission has already approved an abatement for the first $184 million of the upgrade, so this additional abatement will raise the upgrade to $250 million.

The City of Andalusia approved the additional abatement in March.

“We waited a little while just to make sure we were doing the right thing for Shaw,” County Attorney Stephanie Cotton said. “Shaw brings in so many jobs for the community that we wanted to be 100 percent clear what we were signing up for.”

The commission also:

• Approved the purchase of two vehicles, one being a Covington Area Transit System van and the other being a 2018 Chevy Tahoe for the sheriff’s department.
• Approved Covington Area Transit System certification and assurances.
• Approved changing a part time clerk position in the probate judge’s office to a full time clerk position.
• Considered instating a log permit for loggers in Covington County.
• Considered an encroachment policy for the county where there will be a consequence for people who put brick mailboxes or steel pipes too close to the road.