West Liberty, which had been considering sites in Utah, Arizona and Nevada, has said it is committed to building a 300,000 square foot plant in the small community north of Ogden.

The company had asked the state and Pleasant View for $5.2 million in incentives. The Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) board on Wednesday approved an incentive of up to $2 million in the form of a rebate of a portion of the taxes it pays in Utah after it opens for business. Money from Pleasant View is still under consideration.

Some board members were concerned about the company's wages.

According to West Liberty's application for incentives, its wages average about $29,900 annually, said Michael Sullivan, GOED spokesman.

But Sullivan said the company qualifies for incentives because it pays about 39 percent above the median wage of $21,500 for Weber County.

Some board members questioned whether an average wage of just under $30,000 annually is enough to justify an incentive - let alone one worth as much as $2 million.

"Are we in the business of [attracting] high-paying jobs or not?" questioned board member Richard Nelson, CEO of the Utah Technology Council.

Ultimately, Nelson and other board members unanimously approved the incentive based largely on how badly the community of Pleasant View wants the processing facility and its jobs.

"This is something that we can all be proud of," said Pleasant View Mayor Tim Wheelwright.

Nevin Limburg, Pleasant View city administrator, said the jobs will be in great demand.

"These are jobs people want," he said, adding that one breadwinner could support a family with children on the wages the company is paying.

Limburg refused to divulge an incentive package that the city of Pleasant View plans to offer the company as a supplement to the state's offer until that incentive is presented to City Council, most likely on May 9.

Garrett of West Liberty estimates that the facility will employ about 250 people around the time it opens in mid-2007, reaching an estimated 500 people within three years. The company, owned by the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative, plans to break ground within 90 days, he said.

West Liberty processes turkey meat for about 50 farmers as well as other types of meat. The facility will not slaughter animals; instead, it will take meat from other facilities and process them into products such as deli meats and ground turkey. The processed meats are sold to food-service operations and some retail outlets.

lesley@sltrib.com