Plastic roto-molding company to build in LF business park

A plastic roto-molding company received tax credits Monday to locate just north of the North Bluff Business Park in Little Falls.

The Little Falls City Council approved a JOBZ business subsidy for Larry Paulson, the owner of Phoenix Plastics LLC. The business subsidy will exempt the company from most of the property taxes, state corporate income tax and sale tax until Dec. 31, 2013.

Paulson plans to lease or buy a 5,000 square-foot facility on property owned by Earl Feuchtmann for the business. Paulson plans to hire six full-time employees at a minimum of $12 an hour, including benefits.

A public hearing on the business subsidy was held and no one spoke in favor or against it.

In other city business, the council hired Bonestroo Rosene Anderlik and Associates of St. Paul for its engineering services to conduct a traffic study and concept layout from Highway 27 East to 18th Street East, a street that would allow access to the proposed Wal-Mart Super Center, at a cost not to exceed $7,876.

The city hired Widseth Smith Nolting and Associates of Baxter to conduct a storm water drainage study on the property between Highway 10 and Anderson Lake and between Highway 27 and Seventh Avenue Northeast. The study will include future drainage concerns of 18th Street Northeast north of Highway 27. The city agreed to pay the firm no more than $7,500.

The council awarded a quote of $6,997 to Home Furnace Co. Inc. of Little Falls to conduct plumbing improvements to the restroom facilities at Pine Grove Park and Zoo. Jensen Builders was awarded the bid for roof repair at $6,605 for the restroom.

The city accepted a recommendation from the Airport Commission to fence a portion of the airport land that recently was acquired for the relocation of the crosswind runway. Fencing and gates will be installed around the terminal building at the airport. Project cost is $15,400 and the Federal Aviation Administration would pay 95 percent of that.

The council approved the purchase of an automated aviation fuel-dispensing pump for the airport.

The city approved a change order of $45,235 for the wastewater treatment facility project. The change orders include adding concrete pads for the fan in the facility, re-routing the drain lines from the biofilter facility and fixing the floor in the sludge processing building to eliminate tripping hazards and for better maintenance. The city has a credit of $58,195 from an earlier change order.

The council accepted the city's 2004 audit.

JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.