The Homecrest plant could reopen as Homecrest by the end of January or sooner, if several pieces come together, said Wadena Economic Development Director Dean Uselman.
He has been working with Mike Bullinger and a group of investors to reopen the plant for furniture manufacturing. The deal is contingent upon several pieces coming together, though.
Part of the deal would be adding the property to the Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ) and the approval of a Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) loan from the Department of Employment and Economic Development, he said.
A public hearing is set for 5 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2008, to consider the execution of a business subsidy agreement between the city of Wadena, Bullinger Enterprises, LLLP, and Homecrest Outdoor Living, LLC. A business subsidy agreement is required language from the state in order to get a loan, Uselman said.
The proposed agreement would include the business in the MIF loan program and provide the corresponding benefits provided by the MIF loan program.
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A second public hearing also at 5 p.m. on Jan. 8, is to consider including the business in the JOBZ program and provide the corresponding benefits provided by the JOBZ program.
Citizen input and participation regarding the project is encouraged. Both written and oral comments will be considered.
Mayor Wayne Wolden asked Uselman at a Dec. 11 council meeting to have information about tax impacts for the city of Wadena if the JOBZ district was amended. The public needs to know what the impact will be, Wolden said.
A full story about plans for the reopening of the Homecrest plant will be in next week's PJ.
