A manufacturer relocating to Lewiston is seeking a tax break from Nez Perce County that will be negotiated in the coming weeks.

The Nez Perce County Commission declared its intent Monday to enter into an agreement with Northwest Fourslide in a unanimous vote.

A manufacturer that makes metal components for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, precision lab instrumentation, surgical devices and items for the military, Northwest Fourslide broke ground on a 43,000-square-foot plant in Lewiston in July.

The specifics of the agreement between Northwest Fourslide and the county will be negotiated in coming weeks before a public hearing at 10 a.m. Oct 4 at the Brammer Building at 1225 Idaho St. in Lewiston, said Nance Ceccarelli, Nez Perce County civil deputy prosecutor.

Bullet points about the proposed tax break for Northwest Fourslide are expected to be available at least 24 hours before the public hearing, Ceccarelli said.

The commission will vote on the agreement after the hearing at a time that hasn’t been scheduled yet.

The tax incentive would be similar to ones given to Clearwater Paper and Vista Outdoor for upgrades at their Nez Perce County factories.

In both instances, the companies received partial exemptions on new property taxes generated from their investments for five years.

Northwest Fourslide and the county have separately proposed what they want, but the two sides haven’t discussed or negotiated the terms, Ceccarelli said.

“We are really preliminary,” she said.

Northwest Fourslide is anticipated to have an annual payroll of a little more than $2 million, said Commission Chairperson Don Beck.

“That would be very helpful in the valley,” he said. “I think we’re going to have a good business here.”

The company expects it will have 40 positions in Lewiston, including 15 filled by individuals moving to Lewiston from Tualatin, Ore., near Portland, where the company is currently located.

Northwest Fourslide is investing $11 million in its land and building, expected to be completed next year, along with $2.5 million in equipment.

The Port of Lewiston sold the company 5.8 acres at its market value of $750,000. Northwest Fourslide and the Port of Lewiston are equally splitting the cost of constructing a road along with water and sewer lines to the site from Wild Dove Way, near the city of Lewiston’s garbage transfer station.

Those upgrades, estimated to cost $1.5 million, are intended to serve Northwest Fourslide and future tenants.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.