County Commission approves 10-year tax abatement for Pilgrim’s $9 million capital investment

At its October 20, 2025, business meeting, the  Franklin County Commission approved a 10-year tax abatement for Pilgrim’s, Inc.,  based on the company’s commitment to a $9 million capital improvement expected to add 260 jobs for Franklin County.

The commission approved the measure after hearing from Franklin County Development Authority Executive Director Sherye Price. 

The $9 capital improvement will include improvements and renovations of existing buildings rather than construction of a new facility. The project will allow the company to expand production and offer an additional product bringing an expected 260 new jobs to the Russellville facility, Price said. 

The abatement does not relieve the company of paying eduction taxes for the 10-year period.  Similar abatements have been granted previously by the commission for both new industry and expansion of existing industry in Franklin County.

In other agenda items at its October 20th meeting, the commission:

—accepted the resignation of part-time Emergency Management Agency Assistant Ron Coats and agreed to advertise for the position.

—tabled a proposal for repairs to four weather/emergency sirens across the county in order to obtain estimates for the necessary repairs and whether battery replacement will resolve the issues for any of the sirens.

—approved the resignation of temporary Franklin County Highway Department employee Eli Warren. 

—approved a request by Delane Clark to vacate Parker Road after a public hearing brought no objection to the proposal. 

—tabled an agenda item to consider a request of right-of-way for a portion of County Road 21 by a party that has leased hunting rights on the property and wants to ensure the ability to access it.

—tabled until December a request to vacate Husey Hammock Road to allow adjoining property owners and utility companies the opportunity to be contacted about the proposal.

—approved the hiring of Callie Barber as part-time Temporary Property Clerk in the Revenue Commissioner’s Office and Kathy Morgan as part-time mapping clerk/property clerk.

—approved the hiring of Marina Staphill as Corrections Officer/Dispatcher and Dustin Chase Oliver as Courthouse Security Officer in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

—tabled filling two vacant Deputy positions in the Sheriff’s Office.

—declared a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe surplus property and authorized the sale of the same on GovDeals.com.

—accepted the resignation of Samantha Weeks as Corrections Officer/Dispatcher and authorized advertising for the same.

—approved hiring Tiffany Buchanan as temporary Corrections Officer/ Dispatcher.

—authorized soliciting bids for the purchase of two garbage trucks in the Solid Waste Department at a cost of $298,590 per truck.

—approved the resignation of temporary Heavy Equipment Operator Joel Woods.

—reappointed LaVon Duboise to the NACOLG Board.

—appointed Michael Shane Bendall as District Two board member and Judy Bullen as District Four board member on the Industrial Development Board.