It will take a little more time for the Aiken City Council to decide if it wants to give a water and sewer discount to a company looking to invest $185 million and create 900 new jobs .
The Aiken City Council won't consider second and final reading of an ordinance giving House of Raeford a discount Monday, City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said Thursday afternoon.
Bedenbaugh said the city, Aiken County and House of Raeford are still discussing sewer capacity at the Horse Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The council could next consider the ordinance at its April 8 meeting.
Though the city council won't consider the ordinance, a group of Aiken officials in North Carolina that would be the model of the Aiken plant.
The officials touring the plant included S.C. Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken; and Aiken City Council members Lessie Price, Gail Diggs and Kay Brohl.
The proposed House of Raeford plant would be built along Frontage Road near Interstate 20's exit 22. The location is within the district that Taylor represents in the S.C. House of Representatives.
Taylor called the tour "eye-opening."
"Opponents claim the proposed plant would emit orders that stink up neighborhoods. Our tour showed us a high-tech facility with no odors or flying feathers," Taylor said.
He said the North Carolina plant reminded him of other food production companies he's visited including a Pepperidge Farm facility once located in Verenes Industrial Park.
"If you didn't know better, you would likely think Raeford would be another of Aiken County's many manufacturing plants," Taylor said.
He said the company would be a perfect fit for Aiken County.
"The company lives up to its brand of 'Do What's Right,'" Taylor said. "Their philanthropy foundation generously supports communities. They take good care of their employee family with pay and benefits. I also watched their company Chaplin chatting with employees during their lunch break and offering help or counseling if requested. That's a nice touch."
