Martin County commissioners will hold a public hearing Jan. 8 on a request for a property tax break by Great Plains Transportation of Fairmont. The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. in the commissioners meeting room at the courthouse.

Great Plains Transportation Services, 923 N. State St., is asking not to pay new property taxes resulting from a proposed expansion of the business. It is a 10-year request, with the abatement from the county estimated at $164,000.

Great Plains also is asking for tax relief from the city of Fairmont and Fairmont Area Schools. The total value of the tax relief would be an estimated $539,000 over 10 years.

According to a letter from Great Plains, its project would involve the construction of a 12,000-square foot addition at its current site.

The company employs 42 people in Fairmont. To receive the property tax break, it would commit to retaining all of those workers, plus hiring eight more, with a starting wage of at least $12.50 per hour, plus benefits, within five years of project completion.

Great Plains has been operating in Fairmont since 1995. The firm provides the trucking industry with factoring, licensing and permitting services.