Simpson County could see as many as 1,000 new jobs come to the area as early as next year.

State officials approved an incentive package Friday, Aug. 15th they hope will bring an electric-car plant to South-Central Kentucky.

Integrity Manufacturing, a Kentucky partner of a California-based electric car company called ZAP, is being offered the deal but a final agreement still hasn't been reached.

Kentucky and Indiana are the two states being considered for the plant, but Governor Steve Beshear and the City of Franklin are on board to bring the industry here.

It's the talk of the town.

"Nearly every day for the last couple of weeks the topic of conversation is, 'Are we going to get the car plant? What about the car plant?' Folks seem very excited about it," assured Simpson County Judge-Executive Jim Henderson.

"I was for the electric car idea and I have no problem with it. It looks good to me," said Franklin resident, Craig Coleman.

The idea is to build electric-cars in Simpson County.

An idea that could soon be a reality.

"I know that the owner of the company we've dealt with has been very aggressive to find the right site. He's looked at several states--finally narrowing to Indiana and Kentucky, and of course our site is the site for Kentucky," Henderson said.

It's getting many interested in new jobs for the area.

"We're needing something. I know a lot of people that's out of jobs right now, so I believe it'd be a great idea," Coleman said.

"We have a lot of young adults graduating from high school that can't afford college with the costs and I think all the industries we can get to provide jobs to our area and surrounding area is great," added Clara Murray, also a resident of Franklin.

So for now with money on the table, but an agreement not yet met, all Franklin officials can do is wait.

"The package was approved and so the company's executives know what Kentucky's deal is and they're weighing all their options. We hope to hear something real soon," Henderson said.

Henderson says he hopes to know something on plans for the electric-car plant by the end of this week.

Calls to officials with Integrity Manufacturing went unreturned, but we're told the CEO of the company is in California until Aug. 20th, meeting with ZAP.

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