The Round Lake City Council met in Special Session Wednesday, December 19, 2017 at 6:15pm, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss New Fashion Pork tentative plans to purchase the elevator property, currently owned by Crystal Valley Coop, to build a feed mill.
Councilmembers present were Court Baumgard, Walon Habben, Gary Larson and Mayor Doug Knuth. Others present were Andrea Christoffer – Federated Rural Electric, Don Lindsen – Nobles County Commissioner, Marty Waage, Robert Widman, Troy Kunze, Justin Ahlers – Nobles County Commissioner, Larry and Donna Anderson, Dr. Chad Hastad – New Fashion Pork, Vincent Baack – New Fashion Pork, Dr. Howard Leibowitz, Bruce Bentele, Derek Nelson and Clerk Elaine Walker.
Meeting was called to order by Mayor Doug Knuth at 6:14pm.
Motion by Larson, second by Cunningham to approve the agenda. All ayes: Carried.
Vincent Baack from New Fashion Pork was delayed in preparation for the meeting, so Dr. Chad Hastad opened the meeting by introducing himself and informed the audience about New Fashion Pork. Vincent arrived with a handout for the Councilmembers and others present; and continued Dr. Hastad’s discussion of what New Fashion Pork had in mind for Round Lake.
New Fashion Pork would like to purchase the land East of Rohrer Street where the current Crystal Valley Coop sits. Their plans include a feed mill that would employ 8-9 people and incorporate the elevator structures on the West side of Rohrer Street as well. They are in talks with Nobles County and the City of Round Lake for possible tax abatements and permits needed, in relation to the project. If the plans move forward, the anticipated date of construction will start early spring 2018 and date of operation tentatively early 2019. Hopes are to be fully functional fall of 2018, but Vincent Baack felt that was unlikely given the amount of work to be done.
Citizens asked questions concerning the dust and noise of the feed mill. Vincent Baack and Dr. Chad Hastad assured them that it would be using a state of the art dust collection system and the amount of dust produced by the feed mill would be less than the elevator currently produces. Estimated times of operation would be roughly 11 hour days, with longer days during harvest.
Motion by Habben, second by Larson to adjourn meeting. All ayes: Carried.
Meeting was adjourned at 7:08pm.