After six long years, it's finally happening. The Esko Light Industrial Park went from dreams into reality last Thursday as ground was officially broken on the long-term project.
"This is a historic day for Thomson Township," said Township Supervisor Terry Hill. "It's been a long time - and a lot of work - in coming, and I want to take this opportunity to express thanks to some of the people who helped make it happen."
Hill explained the industrial park first came about as the result of an appeal from citizens and taxpayers seeking the creation of new jobs and an expanded commercial and industrial tax base.
Hill went on to thank State Representative Mary Murphy for her help in securing a $350,000 economic development grant from the state legislature recently to help take the project over the top. He also thanked the county and the Carlton County Economic Development Advisory Committee (CCEDAC) for the $200,000 they've pledged in support of the project in the form of an economic development grant, and also the Esko Community Development Corporation (ECDC) for their diligence and support in putting it together. Members of the ECDC group include Hill, Marv Bodie, Chris Rousseau of MSA Engineering, Diane Grover, Doug Juntunen, Dawna Erickson, Kathy Jarvi, Craig Wiemaa and Holly and Tony Compo.
"This is an important step further for Thomson Township," added Murphy.
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She commented that the project gained added status because of its designation as a JOBZ zone.
"Hopefully, people will just be clamoring to get in here!" she said with smile.
Carlton County Commissioner Marv Bodie, a resident of Thomson Township, talked of how the project has been a cooperative project, with government working alongside private property owners to secure an adequate amount of accessible land to make it viable.
The land that was eventually secured for the project is former gravel mining property that lies between County Road 61 and Interstate 35, 1.25 miles west of the Esko School, with road access off County Highway 61. There will be a total of 36 lots of one to 2.16 acres in size.
Seventeen of the 58.92 acres of the property have been designated by the state of Minnesota as JOBZ (Job Opportunity Business Zone), which carries with it some attractive tax incentives for businesses in exchange for the creation of good-paying jobs.
The township awarded the $1,400,000 contract for the project to Utility Systems of America of Eveleth to extend or construct sanitary sewer, fire protection water and roadways throughout the park. Total project expenditures, including land acquisition, blacktopping and engineering are expected to approach some $2 million. MSA Professional Services is also working with the township on the project and its development.
A preconstruction meeting is set for this week, with actual ground work expected to get under way within one to two weeks. Completion is expected in June 2008.
"We've had a long road to hoe," said Bodie, "and it's taken a lot of persistence to get us to where we stand today."
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With that, the group of local dignitaries gathered together with others instrumental in the industrial park's development, manned a row of shovels, and broke the ground for the spot where the earmarks of progress will one day stand.
Pine Journal Publisher/ reporter Wendy Johnson can be contacted at: wjohnson@pinejournal.com .
