The Douglas County Commission fell in line with the city of Lawrence on Wednesday and approved final agreements designed to keep a pharmaceutical company in Lawrence.

Commissioners are hoping their action will help Deciphera Pharmaceuticals grow as it moves into a 68,000-square-foot building in the East Hills Business Park.

Work on the incentive package began nearly a year ago and included not only the city and county but also the Lawrence-Douglas County Bioscience Authority, the Kansas Bioscience Authority, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and Kansas University.

Deciphera, pharmaceutical development company with 28 employees, will purchase the East Hills building for $2.475 million. The building is currently owned by Douglas County Development Inc.

Under a series of agreements, the county will provide $1.25 million in grants over 10 years to Deciphera, or $125,000 per year.

In other business, an event that will bring up to 6,000 people to Douglas County next spring for the Old German Baptist Brethren Conference received approval for temporary business permits. About 1,000 youths are expected for events chaperoned by adults.

The conference will be conducted on property belonging to Darren and Jennifer Flory, 815 E. 1452 Road, Baldwin City. Local organizers have been working with county departments to secure the necessary permits and plan for parking zones, trash and wastewater disposal. Neighbors also were notified and no complaints were received about the event, county zoning director Keith Dabney said.

The conference will be May 9 through 13.

Commissioners also set a Nov. 28 public hearing for a petition to vacate a road access and utility easement in the Midnight Farms Subdivision, which is at North 600 and East 2100 roads.