The county continues to negotiate with a research and development company expected to bring 65 jobs to the old Roanoke Rapids Airport.

To help the recruitment county commissioners tonight approved a lease with an option for the company to buy the 243 acres of land.

While the fair market lease value of the land is $125 an acre and the 243 acres has a fair market value of $910,206, the county chose to offer the company, whose name has not been disclosed, a dollar a year lease, county Paralegal Michelle Moseley told the board.

In return, the county hopes to land a company which will offer wages of around $21.63 per hour.

County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott told commissioners the average salary will be between $45,000 to $55,000 a year. She said if the company decides to locate it will invest about $3.2 million in the county and create $320,000 in new tax income.

Under the agreement approved tonight, the county will accept liability on the fair market cost of the Roanoke Rapids’ share of the property and transfer to the city 7 acres of land there where the police club is located, including access to the facility, which also contains a firing range.

The agreement also calls for the county to pay the city $50,000 for part of the transaction.

Meanwhile the county also received news it received $500,000 from the Industrial Development Fund for sewer improvements to the Halifax County Corporate Park. The county also approved a $1 million performance agreement for the Reser’s Fine Foods expansion. Under the agreement the company must create 500 jobs and invest $62.5 million in the county by 2015.