HUMBOLDT — H & H Grill in Humboldt was filled to the brim with customers Thursday morning for the second installment of Coffee with Commissioners. It was standing room only as about 35 gathered to speak with Allen County commissioners Jerry Daniels and Bruce Symes.
Sheriff Bryan Murphy and county clerk Sherrie Riebel were also on hand.
The monthly gathering is a chance to keep county residents informed on what is going on in local government.
Daniels said the county is due to receive a $250,000 payment from the Prairie Queen Wind Farm in 2020, which will go to school districts within the county.
The wind farm will pay $250,000 per year for 10 years. In the eleventh year it will go on the tax roll when it is expected to pay over $1 million per year.
Daniels said the contract does not give a specific date of payment, but they will push for the initial payment in January.
Daniels explained part of the money goes to the Regional Rural Technology Center, which has partnered with Cloud County Community College to start a wind turbine technology certification program.
?Students can take what they learn there and perhaps go to other places where they are building wind farms, or stay here and maintain these,? Daniels said. ?It gives them a chance to learn about things that they couldn?t necessarily learn in college.?
Daniels then took time to explain the county?s valuation of $145 million. He said before Enbridge pipeline came through the county?s valuation was $99 million.
A large crowd at H&H Grill in Humboldt greets county commissioners Jerry Daniels and Bruce Symes Thursday. REGISTER/ERIC SPRUILL
He said with all the new businesses in the area the county has seen a 10 percent growth on sales tax returns.
?We have been so fortunate where we have reached the point where we have given good raises to our employees and we?ve bought equipment. But there is a point where we have to level off. What if Enbridge declared bankruptcy tomorrow and never paid another tax dollar? We have people ask why we don?t lower the mill levy by six or seven mills? OK, what if we did that. Next day Enbridge goes bankrupt. We?d be in a real fix then,? he said.
