The Koochiching Economic Development Authority Board Wednesday agreed to draft legislation to allow Ranier City Council membership on the board.
The motion came from Bob Anderson, International Falls mayor and KEDA board member, who said he felt a presence from a Ranier elected official was necessary on the board.
“Seems to me we need to bring this whole area together,” Anderson said.
“A representative from that municipality would be helpful...It would only compliment where we’re going as an organization.”
Anderson said he has had conversations with Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk about whether amending previous legislation that established the KEDA would impact Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation funding to Koochiching County.
“He said that wouldn’t happen,” Anderson assured the board.
“I think it is a great idea,” board member Soren Olesen said of including a Ranier representative.
Olesen also suggested looking into membership from other areas within the county and members of the business community. “While we’re looking at this, maybe we should think about that, too,” he said.
Anderson agreed he would draft the legislation and present it to Bakk and Rep. David Dill in a timely manner.
In other business, KEDA Director Paul Nevanen voiced his frustration on the delay of the Renewable Energy Clean Air Project.
He said he met last week with staff of Coronal LLC, the company that is partnering with Koochiching County to develop the project, and officials for AlterNRG, of which Westinghouse Plasma Corp. is a subdivision.
“I’ve been through a series of these meetings and this is the most positive meeting we’ve had...Everybody knows we need to move this project forward,” he said.
The project would use a plasma arc torch to vaporize garbage and other waste to produce synthetic gas and slag. The “syngas” comes from organic waste and would be sold as sources of energy. It has been on local radar for more than five years.
“Timeliness is costing some credibility,” Nevanen said.
He noted similar projects have been implemented internationally, and at last week’s meeting Richard Fish, president of AlterNRG, said a project is needed in the U.S. market.
“They said RECAP remains the No. 1 project, but it needs to move forward,” Nevanen said. “Work will continue.”
Also Wednesday, Nevanen gave the board an update on a Voyageurs National Park Clean Water Joint Powers Board meeting he attended. The board is a collaboration between Koochiching and St. Louis counties to bring sewer to communities adjacent to the park. That includes the Island View area.
Nevanen said the shovel-ready Island View project has undergone preliminary feasibility and design and funding options are currently being explored for the estimated $15 million price tag.
“The focus has been on clean water until this point and they want to shift that to economic development,” Nevanen said of the board’s view of the project. “I think we’re going to be asking for letters of support from the gateway communities and different levels of government...In my mind, this project will have a significant long-term effect on this region.”
Anderson said there would be a potential for a bonding bill this year which could help fund the project.
“The governor is looking for projects that are ready to go,” he said. “If we want to do something this year, we need to have letters ready to go.”
In other business, Nevanen said the first lease payment from Jaguar Land Rover for construction of a cold box at the Falls’ cold weather testing site has been received and will be disbursed to the county and city of International Falls, which acted as fiscal agents for the 2012 project.
The KEDA Board Wednesday elected new officers. Allen Rasmussen will again serve as the chairman, Olesen was elected to serve as vice chairman and Rob Ecklund, Koochiching County commissioner, is treasurer.
