NATCHEZ — Adams County is nearing a deal to lease part of the former International Paper Natchez mill property to a company promising to bring at least 20 jobs to the area.

Pending a review by Adams County Board of Supervisors attorney Scott Slover, supervisors Monday voted unanimously to contract with Netco Express, LLC, a manufacturer based in Wilkinson County, on a five-year lease.

The contract presented at Monday’s meeting stipulates that Netco will rent 12 acres of the property for at least $14,400 annually provided the company employs at least 20 full-time employees within its first six months of operation. Those employees must be from Adams County or the Miss-Lou.

“It’s a good day, and we’re excited about it,” Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said.

Russ said Netco would also create at least 40 jobs indirectly based on anticipated opportunities for others in the industry.

“In the logging community, in the truck haul and deforesters (communities) — that’s what we anticipate,” Russ said. “That’s a conservative number.”

Russ said the company essentially transports wood chips and sawdust to various other facilities, where they are typically used for end products or boiler fuel.

The $14,400 figure is for the land alone, Russ said. Every two years, the lease amount will be adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Southeastern United States in order to adjust for market value.

Netco Express plans to utilize the old IP property in two phases, according to the contract. Phase I consists of leasing the 12 acres, of which they plan to implement their own wood chipping operation and log storage facility. Phase II involves eventually leasing an additional 18 acres once the company is ready to upscale.

Netco Express can reserve this portion of the land for $5,000 annually. Should the company exercise its option to lease the 18 acres, Netco would then owe an additional $21,600 annually, with a $5,000 credit for the first year.

Supervisors President Mike Lazarus was just one board member to commend Russ for bringing in the project.

“It’s revenue for the county on the lease; there’s 20 jobs, 40 indirect jobs — all good,” Lazarus said.

Russ said plans for the property included installing a wood chip yard and a lumber storage yard, just to name a few of its dealings.

“It’s a nice operation,” Russ said.

Netco Express owner Matthew Netterville, who is also the operations manager at Netterville Lumber Company, said the move to Adams County would be a step up for his company.

“We want to move to Adams County (because) we feel like y’all have got a lot more amenities up there that can help our company,” Netterville said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity for growth.”

Pending Slover’s review, Netco Express would become the second lessee of the former IP property that is currently owned by Adams County. Delta Energy currently rents a portion of the land.