Fisher adding to its Redkey facility

REDKEY –– Fisher Packing is adding to its Redkey facility.

The local company will be adding a new linking line and smokehouse to its Redkey location, along with eight more jobs. (There are currently 22 workers at the facility.)

“The snack meat industry is kind of big right now,” said Michael Fisher, treasurer of Fisher Packing. “So we’re getting a lot of people wanting us to make snack sticks for them.”

The company is investing a total of $1.79 million in the facility. It will include the new smokehouse, linking line and various other equipment.

Construction is expected to be finished by the middle of 2022, Fisher said.

Redkey Town Council approved new tax abatements for the expansion and equipment. They are expected to save the company about $157,000 in taxes. (One is a five-year abatement, the other a 10-year.)

The expansion is projected to generate about $245,000 in additional tax revenue over a 10-year period.

Fisher Packing had a previous tax abatement that expires at the end of the year.

The company started processing meat at the facility in Redkey in early November 2016 following a July 16 fire that year at its Portland facility. It took over and repurposed the former Bell Aquaculture facility after the fire caused more than $1 million in damage.

Also Thursday, council approved a request from Reece Leavell to build a gaga ball pit at Redkey Morgan Park as his Eagle Scout project. Leavell requested $2,320 to build a 30-inch high octagonal pit in the playground area near the park cabin.

“I’m just thrilled Reece wants to do that,” said council member Dottie Quakenbush. “We have a lot of kids in the summer for ball games that will utilize that.”

(There is a similar gaga ball pit at Redkey Elementary School.)

Council tabled discussion on an adjustment on a more than $600 water bill at Redkey Baptist Church. Clerk-treasurer Mary Eley said the water meter showed no errors. Redkey resident Nick Sinos alleged the meter has been changed from before it was taken in for testing and referenced different serial numbers.

“We’re talking about God’s money, not my money,” he said. “And I’m going to fight it.”

Another resident said he also had water billing issues, and his meter came back without any faults found. He alleged he discovered a new meter had been installed.

Council member Erik Hammers said because the meter wasn’t broken, according to the town’s policy council doesn’t have the authority to give an adjustment. He said council would look into the problem and see what it could do to fix it.

In other business, council members Gary Gardner, John Pierce, Erik Hammers and Quakenbush, absent Randy May):

•Was reminded Redkey’s 2022 budget reading is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 27.

•Approved purchasing a new $12,812 control panel at the water plant –– the current one has been malfunctioning — and approximately $1,960 in repairs for the plant generator.

•Learned that American Electric Power will be removing pear trees located on Oak and Central streets near the railroad tracks in order to replace utility poles and lines.

•Heard from Mark Leavell the back to school street dance is Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. Council approved blocking off Ash and Main streets in front of the fire station for the event.

•Closed a revolving loan account of about $3,800 with the United States Department of Agriculture from 2006 and moved those monies into the town’s rainy day fund. The account has laid dormant since 2016, according to Eley.

•Agreed to give a $500 scholarship to A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope. The recovery support group offers approximately 45 chapters across Indiana, Ohio and now Virginia. In the last 18 months, said executive director Randy Davis, about a dozen members from Redkey and Dunkirk have moved onto jobs in the recovery field.

•Learned that Redkey’s Halloween celebration will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30.

•Approved three water adjustments of $679.82 total and claims of $98,136.44.