November 5, 2019 at 6:37 p.m.
City council OKs tax request
FR Industries planning to expand and add equipment
City council OKs tax request
A local industry will receive a tax abatement for its expansion.
Portland City Council on Monday approved tax abatements for Fort Recovery Industries to add on to its facility and purchase new equipment.
Fort Recovery Industries is planning a 27,000-square-foot expansion to its building at 710 E. 100 North. The project is expected to cost $1.45 million.
The company is also planning to invest just over $3 million for a zinc die-casting station and other related equipment.
The expansion and new equipment are expected to create five new jobs for the company, which currently employees 55.
The abatements — five years for the expansion and three years for the equipment — are projected to save Fort Recovery Industries $118,706 and $77,653.40, respectively.
The company moved into its current location in 2011 and has since invested more than $20 million.
Council members Bill Gibson, Judy Aker, Kent McClung, Judy Hedges, Don Gillespie and Janet Powers, absent Michele Brewster, followed the unanimous recommendation of the city’s tax abatement advisory committee in giving the thumbs up to the request.
Also unanimously approved Monday was the transfer of $15,000 to the economic development income tax (EDIT) other contractual fund from the EDIT capital improvements fund to pay for Myron Terrain Management, New Albany, to clear the Kelly Baggs Nature Trail. The trail has been closed for more than a year after heavy winds took down trees last fall.
The area has also sustained severe damage from the emerald ash borer, as more than 200 trees have been marked for removal.
While voting in favor of the transfer because he said he feels the project is worthwhile, McClung called the process into question. He pointed out that the decision about tree removal should have fallen to the city’s park board — the nature trails are part of the city’s Weiler-Wilson Park and they connect to the Hudson Family Park walking trail. Instead, it was the city’s board of works that approved the contact.
He also was critical of the contract being awarded before approval of the funding to pay for the work.
“I hate to see the park board cut out of this decision,” said McClung. “We wouldn’t have the park board making decisions about the police retirement fund or about the street department. …
“I’m glad that we’re doing it. The trees need to come out of there. But every time we cut out the park board from making decisions like that, we just lessen their involvement.”
Mayor Randy Geesaman said the board of works, which awarded the contract Oct. 24, did so because it needed to be handled quickly in order for Myron to get to work as soon as possible.
The park board, which canceled its Oct. 1 meeting “due to lack of an agenda,” would normally meet today but pushed back its meeting for this month to Nov. 12 because of election day.
In other business, council:
•Heard Powers, for the fourth meeting in a row, ask about the flashing light on Water Street near East Elementary School. The light hasn’t been functional for months. Geesaman said Indiana Department of Transportation has had crews in the city to look at the light, but it has not yet been fixed.
•Offered a reminder that leaf pick-up is underway. Residents should rake leaves to the curb — not into the street — for pick-up purposes.
•Heard Gibson remind residents that election day is today. He encouraged voters to go to the polls and cast their ballots.
•Learned from Geesaman that the city has acquired the blighted home at 204 E. High St. and is working to gain control of the house at 1150 Massachusetts Ave. He said the first of those, which sits at the northeast corner of High and Harrison streets, will be torn down by the end of the year.
•Approved pay requests of $44,729.44 from Jutte Excavating and $2,975 from Jones and Henry Engineers for work at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
•Was reminded by Geesaman that the Jay! Region’s presentation in an effort to earn the state’s Stellar Communities Designation, which opens the door to millions in grants and other funding, is Nov. 14. The region is one of four finalists. The winner will be announced in early December.
•Heard Hedges compliment Taqueria El Agave Azul, which opened last month at 605 N. Meridian St.
•Paid claims totaling $796,500.56
Portland City Council on Monday approved tax abatements for Fort Recovery Industries to add on to its facility and purchase new equipment.
Fort Recovery Industries is planning a 27,000-square-foot expansion to its building at 710 E. 100 North. The project is expected to cost $1.45 million.
The company is also planning to invest just over $3 million for a zinc die-casting station and other related equipment.
The expansion and new equipment are expected to create five new jobs for the company, which currently employees 55.
The abatements — five years for the expansion and three years for the equipment — are projected to save Fort Recovery Industries $118,706 and $77,653.40, respectively.
The company moved into its current location in 2011 and has since invested more than $20 million.
Council members Bill Gibson, Judy Aker, Kent McClung, Judy Hedges, Don Gillespie and Janet Powers, absent Michele Brewster, followed the unanimous recommendation of the city’s tax abatement advisory committee in giving the thumbs up to the request.
Also unanimously approved Monday was the transfer of $15,000 to the economic development income tax (EDIT) other contractual fund from the EDIT capital improvements fund to pay for Myron Terrain Management, New Albany, to clear the Kelly Baggs Nature Trail. The trail has been closed for more than a year after heavy winds took down trees last fall.
The area has also sustained severe damage from the emerald ash borer, as more than 200 trees have been marked for removal.
While voting in favor of the transfer because he said he feels the project is worthwhile, McClung called the process into question. He pointed out that the decision about tree removal should have fallen to the city’s park board — the nature trails are part of the city’s Weiler-Wilson Park and they connect to the Hudson Family Park walking trail. Instead, it was the city’s board of works that approved the contact.
He also was critical of the contract being awarded before approval of the funding to pay for the work.
“I hate to see the park board cut out of this decision,” said McClung. “We wouldn’t have the park board making decisions about the police retirement fund or about the street department. …
“I’m glad that we’re doing it. The trees need to come out of there. But every time we cut out the park board from making decisions like that, we just lessen their involvement.”
Mayor Randy Geesaman said the board of works, which awarded the contract Oct. 24, did so because it needed to be handled quickly in order for Myron to get to work as soon as possible.
The park board, which canceled its Oct. 1 meeting “due to lack of an agenda,” would normally meet today but pushed back its meeting for this month to Nov. 12 because of election day.
In other business, council:
•Heard Powers, for the fourth meeting in a row, ask about the flashing light on Water Street near East Elementary School. The light hasn’t been functional for months. Geesaman said Indiana Department of Transportation has had crews in the city to look at the light, but it has not yet been fixed.
•Offered a reminder that leaf pick-up is underway. Residents should rake leaves to the curb — not into the street — for pick-up purposes.
•Heard Gibson remind residents that election day is today. He encouraged voters to go to the polls and cast their ballots.
•Learned from Geesaman that the city has acquired the blighted home at 204 E. High St. and is working to gain control of the house at 1150 Massachusetts Ave. He said the first of those, which sits at the northeast corner of High and Harrison streets, will be torn down by the end of the year.
•Approved pay requests of $44,729.44 from Jutte Excavating and $2,975 from Jones and Henry Engineers for work at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
•Was reminded by Geesaman that the Jay! Region’s presentation in an effort to earn the state’s Stellar Communities Designation, which opens the door to millions in grants and other funding, is Nov. 14. The region is one of four finalists. The winner will be announced in early December.
•Heard Hedges compliment Taqueria El Agave Azul, which opened last month at 605 N. Meridian St.
•Paid claims totaling $796,500.56
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