Lockheed Martin will begin work on an expansion in May that will invest $117.9 million in capital into the economy and create an estimated 97 new jobs within three years.

The Pike County Commission voted unanimously Monday to waive non-educational sales and use taxes and property taxes on the new expansions for 10 years.

Chairman Robin Sullivan said the abatements are a small price to pay to support the expansion.

“It’s really some positive growth for the county there,” Sullivan said. “We do these things for new industries, but we also do it to enhance local business and industry that is already here. It means more jobs and more money in Pike County and these are really high-quality jobs. We’re proud to help out.”

According to the abatement requests submitted by Lockheed Martin, the company will be building a new $105 million manufacturing facility and magazine at their site beginning May 16 with construction projected to finish by December 31, 2021.

The new facility would add on 20 employees in the second year of operation and another 45 employees in the third year.

The project will also include the expansion of two existing manufacturing facilities for a combined $12.9 million and the creation of 32 additional jobs within three years.

Sullivan said this expansion is possible because of the process the county went through in March 2018 to transfer a road to Lockheed Martin.

“This is a direct result of working together to get something done to expand business in Pike County,” Sullivan said.

In other business, the commission:

• Voted to begin bidding out contracts to continue the repaving of roads under the count’s “24-month plan.” County Engineer Russell Oliver said two roads will be repaved in this round of bids, County Road 2219 east of County Road 2201 and County Road 2253 from County Road 2276 to Warrick Creek.

• Voted to hold a special meeting at noon on May 7 to move forward with the funding of a project to repave roads near the Rex Lumber site including county roads 7749, 2237 and 7714 (old Highway 231). Oliver said the meeting needed to be held due to the state’s involvement in funding the project.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding allowing a Troy University graduate student to work part-time in the EMA office for an annual stipend of $7,500.

• Approved Todd Kreis to serve as the representative of District 6 on the DHR board.

The commission will meet again on Monday, May 13, upstairs at the Pike County Health Department. The work session will begin at 5:15 p.m. and the business meeting will follow at 6 p.m.