JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Another Stutsman County Commission special meeting regarding the tax abatement request by ADM on the soybean crushing plant was held Friday morning.
The 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. Commission Chairman Mark Klose says a few questions were raised that needed some research at a prior special meeting on Tuesday.
“We had a little get together to go over the request and there were a few questions that came out of it so we decided to get back together and discuss it a little more,” Klose stated. “No decisions will be made, but maybe some type of understanding on what direction we should go before we maybe decide on Tuesday.”
One question raised revolved around the water usage of the proposed facility versus Cargill. ADM Senior Tax Manager Richard Dye reported that they would not exceed what the previous site was using.
“We will acquire six water permits from Cargill,” Dye informed the county. “Of those six permits, we are planning on using three of the four wells. I know our process is going to require less water usage than was being used by the previous owner.”
Another issue was traffic that would be coming into the Spiritwood Energy Park with the new facility.
After answer the questions, Klose suggested they could discuss the length of the term.
Representatives of Barnes County North, one of the entities that have authority to tax at Spiritwood, stated they would like to see the term length shortened.
Clarence Daniel with Spiritwood Township echoed that.
JRFD Chief Brian Paulson stated the effect that tax abatement would have on the rural fire department would be hard on his department.
Paulson says in five years, they averaged about one to two calls at the Spiritwood Energy Park.
The county will discuss and possibly make a decision on the tax abatement request by ADM on Tuesday, June 15th.
The ADM facility would look to be operational by 2023, crush 160,000 soybeans a day, employ up to 75 full-time employees, and create nearly 600 construction jobs.