Louis Dreyfus Co.’s Claypool location is shown in this InkFreeNews file photo.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission has recommended that two tax abatements for Louis Dreyfus Co. be approved.

At its meeting on Thursday, June 3, the commission recommended that the Kosciusko County Council approve the abatements for the company totaling more than $32 million. The matter will go before the council at its meeting on Thursday, June 10, in the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse.

The commission’s recommendation vote was unanimous with the four members who were present, Joni Truex, Adam Turner, Mike Metzger and Jan Orban, all giving their approval.

The abatements include a real estate one for 10 years with new construction valued at $18,272,000 and a personal property one for five years with improvements valued at $14,098,000 for the company’s facility in Claypool.

Broken down, the personal property abatement includes $12,710,000 in manufacturing equipment, $870,000 in IT equipment and $518,000 in logistics equipment.

Louis Dreyfus Co. lawyer Steve Snyder and Commercial Manager Jeremy Mullins asked the council to reconsider the matter again at its May meeting.

The council denied tax abatements from the company last fall. The council voted 5-2 then to deny, with Sue Ann Mitchell, Mike Long, Jon Garber, Ernie Wiggins and Kimberly Cates voting in opposition and Truex and Doug Heinisch being for them.

However, two of those members no longer serve on the council.