Allen County commissioners learned Tuesday morning a windfall came the county’s way the day before.
On Monday Klein Tools, Inc., Chicago, wired $225,720.31 to County Treasurer Sharon Utley to pay real estate and personal property taxes and interest incurred since 2006 by Stewart Manufacturing at a plant owned by Klein. David Stewart made unique hammers in the plant, two miles north of Moran, before his company went belly up.
Utley said the total would be reduced some if Klein Tools was successful in recovering a penalty that was part of the personal property tax. Even so, the total realized by the county and other taxing entities affected, including USD 256 (Moran-Elsmore), would be about $200,000.
That good news was tempered by some not so good from Bill King, director of Public Works.
King told commissioners large bearings in a screening component of the crusher at the county quarry southeast of LaHarpe failed, which would cost $40,000 to $50,000 to repair. The problem occurred where road rock and pea rock are separated in the 20-year-old plant.
“We should have the crusher back up by Friday,” King predicted.
Repairs are considered urgent because of pending work on hundreds of miles of county roads damaged by severe winter weather.
Klein Tools pays tax bill
