GEORGETOWN, S.C. (From news reports) -- An official with International Paper told state and local leaders Monday that the company has decided to forego hiring a commercial broker and will instead handle the sale of its Georgetown mill internally.

County officials met with company representatives on Monday to get an update on the sale of the mill. The county council had a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.

Those attending Monday's meeting included South Carolina Rep. Rev. Carl Anderson, Georgetown County Council Chairman Clint Elliot, County Administrator Angela Christian, county Economic Development Director Kelly Robertson-Slagle, Georgetown Mayor Carol Jayroe and Georgetown City Administrator Scott Whittier.

"Company officials reported that they have received multiple bids from unique and diverse groups and expressed that they are pleased with the level of interest in the property," the county said in a Facebook post.

The redevelopment of the paper mill site has been a major concern of officials and residents since International Paper announced plans last fall to shut down the mill, which employed nearly 700 people. State Sen. Stephen Goldfinch told News13 in March about plans to turn the site into a biomass plant.

The company stressed that it has not made a final decision on a buyer and that it plans to conduct a "comprehensive evaluation" of each bid, the post said.

"This evaluation will consider a number of key factors, some of which include the bidder's capacity to successfully complete a project of large scale, financial strength, and the long-term viability of the future use of the site," the post said. "Once a top proposal is selected, the prospective contract purchaser will enter a due diligence period. While IP was unable to provide a definitive timeline, company officials anticipate that the process will take several months to a year to complete."

The county also said International Paper reinforced its commitment to the city and county, especially the continued access to water from the IP Canal. County leaders were told that all prospective buyers are aware of the commitment and "the need to ensure ongoing access to water from the canal."