Divided Whiteville City Council agrees to interlocal agreement with Columbus County over Provalus
WHITEVILLE, NC (WWAY) — Whiteville City Council signed on an interlocal agreement with Columbus County on Tuesday, Oct. 4, to help an IT services company move to downtown Whiteville.
On Sept. 27, Governor Roy Cooper announced that Provalus will create 92 jobs in Columbus County, investing $500,000 to establish operations in the City of Whiteville.
The jobs available are for a wide variety of positions ranging from entry-level to experienced IT management roles, as well as support functions to keep the office running smoothly. The Governor’s Office says the new jobs have the potential to create an economic impact of more than $3.7 million for the region each year.
To facilitate the move, the Columbus County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously during Monday’s meeting to approve an interlocal agreement laying out how the county will partner with the city to purchase a facility located at 127 W. Columbus St. in Whiteville.
Tuesday night, Whiteville City Council was divided over the interlocal agreement proposal.
Mayor Terry Mann said the city decided to buy the facility but couldn’t afford to do so on its own, so the county agreed to pay for half of the property. Mann claimed that an interlocal agreement with the county was the city’s only option.
Some council members were opposed to the agreement. Council Member Kevin Williamson said the terms were too biased towards the county. He and others expressed concerns that if the city eventually had to sell the building at a loss, the county would be fine, but the city would be out of luck.
Ultimately, City Council voted 4-3 in favor of the interlocal agreement, with Mann, Mayor Pro Tem Jimmy Clarida, and councilmembers Helen Holden and Vickie Pait voting in favor. Councilmembers Emory Worley, Tim Collier and Williamson, voted against the motion with the county.
Soon after, City Council unanimously approved a separate motion authorizing the city to purchase the W. Columbus Street property.
Founded in 2017, Provalus offers technology and business support to large Fortune 1000 clients. The company provides full-service technology solutions including cybersecurity, cloud & infrastructure support, data analytics and intelligent automation services, business optimization, and application development. Driven by community revitalization, Provalus operates in rural communities and provides training and upskilling opportunities for long-term IT careers. Individuals interested in applying do not need prior work experience in the field of IT services. The company will locate to a 20,000-square-foot building in downtown Whiteville.
“We are proud to announce the first phase of our partnership with the Whiteville community. Choosing a city for a new office is about more than selecting a place to put desks. We’re choosing a new town to add to our Provalus family,” said Will Ruzic, Vice President of Facilities and Operations. “This launch means Whiteville will forever be part of the Provalus story and we hope to be a meaningful part of Whiteville’s future.”
