Supervisors give stamp of a approval to Merrill urban renewal

Work continues on Plymouth Oil, a food-grade corn oil production plant being built north of Merrill, near the Plymouth Energy ethanol plant site. Both plants, along with a cattle feed mill and the city of Merrill, are included in an urban renewal area, which will collect any increase in tax dollars from new growth for a time and use that money for economic development. [Click to enlarge]

Following a public hearing, the Plymouth County Supervisors approved an urban renewal district to encompass the entire city of Merrill and around Plymouth Energy ethanol plant, Plymouth Oil, a food-grade oil plant and Midwest PMS, the liquid cattle feed mill.

By designating that property as an urban renewal area the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars can be collected from new development within the district to help pay for economic development in and around Merrill.

At Tuesday's public hearing, Joe Rotta, who owns the farm north of Plymouth Oil, had several questions concerning creation of the urban renewal area.

He wanted to know if the TIF tax dollars would be used for improving roads and whether the county would be taxing his agricultural land.

Supervisor Chairman John Schneider said TIF money will be used to improve infrastructure like utilities and also roads and bridges.

Darin Raymond, Plymouth County attorney, assured Rotta the county is not "taking your money," but instead using any increase in tax dollars from the new developments to make those improvements.

Rotta was also concerned the urban renewal district area would take away from the schools.

"They will receive the same amount of dollars from the state," Schneider said. "The schools will not be shorted."

TIF from the newly created urban renewal district will be used for improvement projects.

The projects, their estimated costs and construction completion years are:

*Replacing bridge with a culvert at K-42 and 220th Street, $300,000 - 2008

*Replacing C-38 bridges, $1 million - 2012

*Overlay K-42 from C-38 to Merrill city limits, $400,000 - 2013

*Overlay Fifth Street north from Main Street to Merrill city limits, $567,727 - 2013

*Overlay C-38 from K-42 east to new pavement, $350,000 - 2013

*Paving and possible turning lane on C-38 west from K-42 for 1,500 linear feet, $200,000 - 2013

*Work on Main Street from Fifth Street east to Highway 75, $275,380 - 2014

*Work on Third Street from Main Street south to Lincoln Street, $82,860 - 2014

*Work on Main Street from Fifth Street west to Merrill city limits, $172,000 - 2014

Merrill City Council members also approved the agreement with the county to create the urban renewal area at its council meeting Monday.