ALBEMARLE — At their Monday night meeting, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners publicly declared a county-wide “B.J. Hill Day” designated for Feb. 13 — the same day that the former West Stanly student, and now Cincinnati Bengal defensive tackle, will play in Super Bowl LVI.
The official proclamation honoring Hill was presented by Commissioner Bill Lawhon, who read a letter to a packed crowd containing some of Hill’s family members.
“The Stanly County Board of Commissioners celebrates former West Stanly High School football standout B.J. Hill, who now plays in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Bengals as a defensive tackle,” Lawhon stated. “The board is extremely proud of B.J. and his representation of Stanly County and hereby recognizes his hard work and accomplishments.”
Lawhon acknowledged Hill’s recent performance in Jan. 30’s American Football Conference Championship game versus the Kansas City Chiefs, where he recorded four tackles and a key interception.
The proclamation continued: “The board wishes B.J. and his teammates the best of luck as they compete in the Super Bowl; now therefore the Stanly County Board of Commissioners does hereby proclaim February 13, 2022, as ‘B.J. Hill Day’ in Stanly County, NC, and commends its observance to all citizens in recognition of the extraordinary achievements of B.J. Hill.”
Following the reading of the letter, the board voted 7-0 in favor of adopting the measure, much to the approval of the crowd in attendance. Chairman Tommy Jordan joked that he wished the rest of the meeting — which ran over three hours in length — could be as “fun” as the proclamation sequence.
In other agenda items, the commissioners unanimously voted to name Uwharrie Bank as the institution that will finance an upcoming Liberty Hill Pump Station upgrade project.
The board followed that up by approving an economic development incentive that will result in a five year, 60% business development grant for a manufacturer of industrial parts and engineered systems such as bearings, power transmission and conveying components.
According to economic development director Candice Lowder, the grant will aid and encourage new taxable investment within Stanly County as the company will invest a minimum of $2,150,000 and create around 20 new jobs over the next five years.
Instead of adjoining Monday’s meeting until its next scheduled meeting on Feb. 21, Jordan instead called a recess that will last until the board’s annual planning retreat at Juneberry Ridge on Feb. 18.