Expanding 'fowl' biz seeks $100K from Sarasota

SARASOTA — Sarasota County commissioners are expected to vote on a proposal to provide $100,000 in performance-based subsidies to a manufacturing firm that plans a $5.7 million expansion into a new facility.

The proposal, listed under the codename Project Fowl, is on the agenda for the regularly scheduled commission meeting Tuesday, according to a county memo. The name of the firm, with plans to hire at least 50 people over five years under the proposed agreement, was not disclosed in county documents.

The firm, according to the county memo, has 161 full-time employees in Sarasota, which includes its headquarters and manufacturing facility. The company has been named a platinum dealer for one of Sarasota County's largest employers, the county adds, and the majority of its sales and installation work occurs outside the county. “The company has indicated that this Financial Incentive Grant is critical in expanding its business, including hiring new staff in Sarasota County, and is time-sensitive,” states the memo to county commissioners.