Gary L Herman
The Alexander County Board of Commissioners adopted a new branding package at the January 5th meeting. Public Information Officer Gary Herman said part of the branding initiative includes a new logo and a tagline of “Space to Grow.”
Herman said the county entered into an agreement with Haven Creative of Charlotte in mid-2025 to develop the new branding package.
“The Haven Creative team has worked closely with county staff, the branding committee, and the community to develop the branding information before you tonight,” Herman said. “This is a complete, research-driven brand system that reflects Alexander County’s identity and positions us well for the future.”
Haven Creative’s Ian Redman and Gemma Pisano presented the brand package to the board.
Redman said, “This is a brand that reflects the community. It’s not just a logo or a tagline, it’s more about perception.”
Haven and the county’s branding committee worked together to administer three surveys to county staff, stakeholders, and the community at large. The community-wide survey attained 505 responses, which is the most responses Haven has received for a county of Alexander’s size.
Redman said there were several key recurring themes during the survey process – small-town living, a feeling of home and community, and an openness to change with growth done in the correct way.
“Alexander County has space for you. It’s authentic, optimistic, friendly, open, confident, and encouraging,” Redman said. “A lot of work has been put into the branding initiative so far, but Gary and his team have a lot of work to implement now.”
Pisano, who is the creative lead for the project, said the logo has design elements that are unique to Alexander County, such as Rocky Face Mountain, green/agricultural space, an apple leaf, and more. She reviewed the logo variations, color palette, and social media graphics.
Chairman Larry Yoder said he is excited to be a part of the rebranding of Alexander County.
“Alexander County has a strong sense of place and community, and this new brand reflects that,” said Chairman Yoder. “I’m excited to see it rolled out and used to promote our county to residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”
Implementation is expected to take about 12 more months. Additional details about the new brand package will be forthcoming.
In other business:
• Commissioners approved an economic development incentive grant for KMC Furniture LLC. Michael Worley, Economic Development Director, said discussion began in October 2025 with the company, which was formed to acquire the Kincaid Upholstery plant in Alexander County. The company currently employs 97 people.
“KMC Furniture will be locating its headquarters in the newly acquired Kincaid Upholstery company in Taylorsville, which will enable them to keep and strengthen the company in Alexander County,” Worley said. “The project includes approximately $2.6 million in capital investment and is anticipated to create 5-7 new jobs.”
Based on the anticipated capital investment, a Level 1 Economic Development Incentive Grant for Real Property Tax will be in an amount not to exceed $50,700 to be paid in five annual payments based upon the appraised value each year. Based on current information, the company will pay an estimated $86,542.60 in property taxes over the grant period.
“We are excited about this opportunity as we continue to grow our business here,” said Max Dyer, President/CEO of KMC Furniture. “I would like to commend Mr. Worley, who has done a lot of good work for us. We appreciate his resourcefulness.”
“This is a win-win for Alexander County and KMC Furniture,” Chairman Yoder said. “We are also excited about the future as your company thrives here.”
• Commissioners approved a resolution to participate in the North Carolina Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) program. The program creates a new funding option that can help local businesses invest in building improvements at little to no upfront cost. Administered by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the program can assist eligible property owners with energy-efficient heating, cooling, lighting, and insulation; solar or other renewable energy systems; upgrade of water systems to reduce usage and costs; building improvements that strengthen resilience against storms or extreme weather; and modernization of older buildings to attract tenants or expand operations. The program is available to a wide range of property owners, including: small businesses, manufacturers and industrial facilities, agricultural operations, warehouses and distribution centers, office buildings and retail centers, and multi-family residential properties (five or more units). For more information, contact Michael Worley at mworley@alexandercountync.gov or 828-352-7755.
• Commissioners approved a rezoning request for a 1.46-acre parcel on Lackey Mountain Road. Planning Director Patrick Creech said the property owner wishes to rezone the property from OI (Office Institutional) to R3 (Residential) to place a single-wide mobile home on the property. The planning board recommended approval of the rezoning request on December 11.
• Commissioners approved a three-party right-of-way encroachment agreement for the new Bent River subdivision to be constructed near the intersection of Rink Dam Road and Chigger Ridge Road. The developer, Town Creek Real Estate Investments, requested permission to extend water and sewer lines to the property. The agreement, required by NCDOT regulations, will permit temporary construction and installation within the right-of-way. Once installed, the lines will be dedicated to the county.
• Commissioners approved four budget amendments, as presented by County Manager Justin Mundy. The first amendment transfers $60,000 from the public buildings/maintenance budget to the detention center budget for the replacement of water heaters. The second amendment results in a net increase of $103,583 in general fund expenditures to adjust the general fund budget for personnel costs that differ from original budget estimates and for vacation payouts. The third amendment budgets for an interfund transfer from the general fund budget to the America 250 NC project fund for the portion of the July 2026 fireworks that exceeds available grant funding. The fourth amendment results in a net increase of $1,525,715 in American Rescue Plan water line extension project fund expenditures, a net increase of $1,333,268 in general fund expenditures (using the remaining balance of ARPA revenue replacement funds), and a net increase of $192,447 in county water & sewer fund expenditures to increase the budget for the water line extension project.
• Chairman Yoder said the county is planning numerous events for the America 250 commemoration. The first event is a celebration of the county’s 179th birthday on Thursday, January 15, at 5:00 p.m. at Brushy Mountain Golf Course. Visit visitalexandernc.com/calendar for all America 250 events in Alexander County.
• During the public comment period, William King expressed concerns about his ability to send gifts to his grandchildren through the Alexander County Department of Social Services. He asked the commissioners to help resolve the situation.
The next meeting of the Alexander County Board of Commissioners is set for Monday, February 2, at 6:00 p.m. at the CVCC Alexander Center for Education (room #103). Regular meetings are recorded and can be viewed on the county’s Government Channel on Spectrum channel 192 or the county’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/alexandercountync. Meeting agendas, minutes, videos, and more are available on the county’s website at https://alexandercountync.gov/commissioners.