JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – After numerous special sessions, the Stutsman county Commission and ADM have come to a tentative agreement for payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) on the Soybean Crushing Plant in the Spiritwood Energy Park.

An original request from ADM would have $200,000 payments in lieu of taxes for 20 years rather than property taxes estimated at about $600,000 annually. Commissioner Joan Morris spent time creating different proposals that would be agreeable for all those involved.

Officials representing Barnes County North, Jamestown Rural Fire Department, and Spiritwood Township were also present at the meeting as tax receiving entities from the project.

In earlier sessions, concerns were raised that the tax breaks would be less than what Cargill had originally been paying. ADM Senior Tax Manager Richard Dye stated as a compromise, a 15-year, $200,000 PILT would be agreeable for the company.

Discussion on the distribution of those taxes received by the company followed. Spiritwood Township and Barnes County North representatives stated 15 years would work for them and allowing for the fire district to maintain the current tax money they receive with the Cargill agreement.

Morris stated the county should be able to determine where the funds within the PILT should go between those three entities.

A motion was made to extend to ADM a 15-year PILT at $225,000 a year. Of the $225,000, the Jamestown Fire District would remain whole and Spiritwood Township, Barnes County North, and Stutsman County would be portioned appropriately. The commission unanimously approved.

The agreement is dependent on approval by ADM.