MSDC renews insurance, hears reports on projects

The Marshall-Saline Development Corporation Board renewed its MSDC workers' compensation insurance at its meeting Tuesday, July 14.

The renewal of insurance with Missouri Employers Mutual cost $723.

In his report to the board, Executive Director Roy Hunter gave updates on the projects he has been working to bring to Saline County.

The final application for the U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee to be used in Project Green, also known as the Saline Green Project, has been submitted, said Hunter.

The plan for SGP has been changed slightly to delay the production of biodiesel fuel from algae until the second year of operation, Hunter said. He explained this is due to the difficulty of finding and procuring 2,500 acres of flat land.

Hunter also said there is a test plot of sorghum at the old landfill north of Marshall, the site of SGP's future complex. This sorghum has high sugar content -- 40 percent -- and will be used in the biorefinery complex.

There is already a plot site for miscanthus giganteus at the same area, though no rhizomes have yet been planted in the area.

All application work for the Slater Enhanced Enterprise Zone has been completed, and Hunter is now waiting for approval from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, he said.

Project Drill has had little activity since the last meeting of the MSDC Board, but Hunter has requested some information from the company's management and has provided available information to the DED.

The company involved in Project Pour has had no contact with MSDC in some time, said Hunter, but he has learned that the company has chosen a site east of Columbia for its project.

Hunter is working to ensure the commencement of engineering work at the cloverleaf exchange at the intersection of Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 65. This work will be done in preparation for further development of the area.

Project Grow '09 is a project with a local entity seeking to expand its operations within Saline County, and Hunter is assisting this entity in its acquisition of a Small Business Administration loan for this expansion.

"It is estimated that this project will provide an additional 30 to 40 jobs in the community," said Hunter in prepared material.

Hunter reported receipt of construction bids for expansion of Monsanto's operations, and said he is in the process of preparing a proposal for Monsanto.

Besides Hunter, board members Jene Crook, Kyle Gibbs, Greg Swift, Stan Moore and Larry Holland, Administrative Assistant Carolyn Pearson and AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Josh King were in attendance.

Board members Bill Riggins and Michelle Pointer were absent from the meeting.

The board's next meeting will be held Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7 a.m.

Contact Geoff Rands at marshallreporter@socket.net