Biomet To Expand, Seeks County Tax Help
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Attorney Richard Helm, representing Biomet, said the expansion of facilities would include the relocation of manufacturing from New Jersey to Warsaw.
Biomet's Bill Kolter, corporate vice president of public affairs, said the estimate is that 278 new jobs will come to Kosciusko County with the expansion.
The expansion will also keep 82 jobs in the county, according to Helm.
Thursday night, Biomet asked for approval on a resolution to have a public hearing on a tax abatement for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
The project would include the expansion of the Warsaw facility, including research and development as well as locating the company's trauma department from New Jersey to Warsaw.
Kolter also said the project would retain and expand Warsaw's distribution center.
"We are hoping, with your approval, we can retain jobs in Warsaw," said Kolter.
Tom Bauters, tax director for Biomet, said UPS has approached Biomet to move its distribution center to Memphis.
"We'd like to keep those jobs here," said Bauters.
"Memphis makes no bones about going after everything they can get up here," said county councilman Larry Teghtmeyer. "This is a perfectly wonderful way to help our economy."
The council passed the resolution 6-0-1, with councilman Brad Tandy abstaining.
The tax abatement hearing will be in August.
After hearing Biomet's presentation, the council, as it does every year, listened to non-profit budget presentations.
The tone of most of the presentations was that those receiving state and federal funding will continue to receive less.
Of the 10 presentations, most requested the same amount as they did in 2009 for the 2010 budget.
During Cardinal Center's presentation, the board was told the company had to cut 30 jobs while the other employees took a 4-percent pay cut.
It is also planned that Cardinal Center will cease the Sus Amigos program by the end of the year with other organizations providing similar services.
Kim Nance, acting director of Kosciusko Economic Development Corp., said her organization hopes to have a full-time director in place within the next two months.
The Animal Welfare League's Darla McCammon said that due to a poor economy the shelter expects to take in more than 4,000 animals this year. That's nearly 1,500 more than in 2009.
Also presenting their budget requests to the council were 4-H Council, Home Health Care, Historical Society, Beaman Home, Council on Aging, St. Joe River Basin and Bowen Center.
In other business Thursday night, the council approved a transfer of $25,000 by the county commissioners from workmen's compensation to unemployment compensation to handle to volume of unemployment claims.
The council also approved two additional appropriations from prosecuting attorney Steve Hearn totaling more than $23,000 for new equipment and a project to provide cell phone coverage to the basement of the justice building.
Hearn was also given permission by the council to replace a secretary and a Title IV-D case worker.
The county council will hold its next meeting Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse.
The council will also hold three budget hearings Aug. 23 and 24 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.
At the end of Thursday night's meeting, council president Harold Jones offered his full support to the county commissioners for their decision to keep animal control officer Jerry Clase.[[In-content Ad]]
Attorney Richard Helm, representing Biomet, said the expansion of facilities would include the relocation of manufacturing from New Jersey to Warsaw.
Biomet's Bill Kolter, corporate vice president of public affairs, said the estimate is that 278 new jobs will come to Kosciusko County with the expansion.
The expansion will also keep 82 jobs in the county, according to Helm.
Thursday night, Biomet asked for approval on a resolution to have a public hearing on a tax abatement for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.
The project would include the expansion of the Warsaw facility, including research and development as well as locating the company's trauma department from New Jersey to Warsaw.
Kolter also said the project would retain and expand Warsaw's distribution center.
"We are hoping, with your approval, we can retain jobs in Warsaw," said Kolter.
Tom Bauters, tax director for Biomet, said UPS has approached Biomet to move its distribution center to Memphis.
"We'd like to keep those jobs here," said Bauters.
"Memphis makes no bones about going after everything they can get up here," said county councilman Larry Teghtmeyer. "This is a perfectly wonderful way to help our economy."
The council passed the resolution 6-0-1, with councilman Brad Tandy abstaining.
The tax abatement hearing will be in August.
After hearing Biomet's presentation, the council, as it does every year, listened to non-profit budget presentations.
The tone of most of the presentations was that those receiving state and federal funding will continue to receive less.
Of the 10 presentations, most requested the same amount as they did in 2009 for the 2010 budget.
During Cardinal Center's presentation, the board was told the company had to cut 30 jobs while the other employees took a 4-percent pay cut.
It is also planned that Cardinal Center will cease the Sus Amigos program by the end of the year with other organizations providing similar services.
Kim Nance, acting director of Kosciusko Economic Development Corp., said her organization hopes to have a full-time director in place within the next two months.
The Animal Welfare League's Darla McCammon said that due to a poor economy the shelter expects to take in more than 4,000 animals this year. That's nearly 1,500 more than in 2009.
Also presenting their budget requests to the council were 4-H Council, Home Health Care, Historical Society, Beaman Home, Council on Aging, St. Joe River Basin and Bowen Center.
In other business Thursday night, the council approved a transfer of $25,000 by the county commissioners from workmen's compensation to unemployment compensation to handle to volume of unemployment claims.
The council also approved two additional appropriations from prosecuting attorney Steve Hearn totaling more than $23,000 for new equipment and a project to provide cell phone coverage to the basement of the justice building.
Hearn was also given permission by the council to replace a secretary and a Title IV-D case worker.
The county council will hold its next meeting Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse.
The council will also hold three budget hearings Aug. 23 and 24 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.
At the end of Thursday night's meeting, council president Harold Jones offered his full support to the county commissioners for their decision to keep animal control officer Jerry Clase.[[In-content Ad]]
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