The Donaldson Company on State Road 28 in rural Frankfort moved one step closer to having its proposed expansion project approved by the Frankfort City Council on Monday night.
The council unanimously approved a pair of declaratory resolutions designating an economic revitalization area for real property tax abatement and for personal property tax abatement.
“It’s another huge economic development project for Frankfort,” said Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes. “We’re very proud the Donaldson Company is looking at a $35 million expansion of their existing plant that would add close to 85 new jobs. We beat out another country in this economic development prospect and sister plants for Donaldson across the country.”
The Donaldson Company is a global leader in providing engine and industrial air, oil and liquid filtration solutions. They have 45 manufacturing plants: 24 in the Americas, 14 in Europe/Africa/Middle East and 7 in Asia; 23 distribution centers: 10 in the Americas, 3 in Europe/Africa/Middle East and 10 in Asia Pacific; 4 joint ventures: Czech Republic, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and the United States; and over 100 technical laboratories globally.
Donaldson has been in Frankfort since 1980 and has over 320 employees.
The next step for Donaldson is a public hearing on the matter at the next city council meeting on June 25.
In other news, the city council passed the first reading of an ordinance authorizing the acquisition, construction and installation of certain improvements to the sewage works system in the City of Frankfort, the issuance of revenue bonds to provide for the cost thereof, the collection, segregations and distribution of the revenues of such systems, the safeguarding of the interests of the owners of such revenue bonds and other matters connected therewith, and repealing ordinances inconsistent herewith by a 4-1 vote. Councilman Eric Woods cast the lone ‘no’ vote.
The bonds are not exceed $27 million and the cost of the wastewater expansion project is $25.6 million.
“Plain and simple if we do not expand our plant we won’t have the ability to bring in good paying jobs,” said McBarnes. “This is really a step to poise ourselves for the future so that we can continue to build our manufacturing and residential opportunities for that matter.”