ANDERSON — Anderson has not had to ask companies expanding or locating in the city to return incentive money supplied for the creation of jobs.
This week it was announced that Italian wind turbine manufacturer Brevini Wind will pay Delaware County $375,000 for failing to meet a goal of hiring 200 workers by the end of 2014.
Greg Winkler, executive director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said during Thursday’s Anderson City Council meeting the city has not requested a return of incentive funds.
“As of yet, we’ve not had that type of failure,” he said.
The Muncie Star Press reported the company could pay another $800,000 if it fails to create the equivalent of 410 full-time jobs by Dec. 31, 2016.
Brevini planned to create 450 jobs when plans for its Muncie factory were first announced in October 2008. But with the recession and declining growth in the wind power industry, the company never employed more than 60 workers.
A report by Winkler on economic development activity during the month of March was the only item on the council’s agenda.
The meeting lasted approximately five minutes, and although residents in attendance brought up the issues of two-way streets in the downtown area and the proposed Mounds Lake Reservoir, no public comments were heard.
Councilman Joe Newman, D-6th District, asked Winkler if two companies included in his monthly report that didn’t locate in Anderson have opened in another community.
Winkler said Impact Containers couldn’t secure the necessary financing to start business.
The company was to have invested $1.5 million in Anderson and create up to 175 jobs over four years.
He said Echo Automotive decided to raise funds through the sale of penny stocks, which was a bad business decision.
Winkler said the company is attempting to recapitalize the venture to open in the future.
Echo Automotive had planned to invest $2.8 million and create 34 jobs over five years.
Winkler said neither company received incentive funds from the city, and neither is included the projection of an anticipated 1,491 jobs coming to Anderson since 2012.