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EDIC approves five-year property-tax exemption for Burt's Trucking expansion
Summary
The Economic Development and Investment Committee approved a five-year property tax exemption for Burt's Trucking to relocate and expand into a roughly 50,000-square-foot building on Third Avenue North, a move the company says will add skilled manufacturing jobs and let it pursue new regional markets.
The Economic Development and Investment Committee approved a five-year property-tax exemption for Burt's Trucking to move into and upgrade a roughly 50,000-square-foot building at 2601 Third Avenue North, enabling the company to consolidate operations and expand production.
Committee members approved the application after hearing presentations from Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation staff and company representatives. Ryan O'Sine of the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation said the project "represents a true expansion," and described the company's need for a single building of about 50,000 square feet after "they've run out of room." Jeremy Gregoire, identified in the record as an owner of Burt's Trucking/Burt's Truck and Equipment, told the committee the work at the new site will include installing overhead cranes, wiring, a paint booth and parking-lot and exterior improvements.
Burt's Trucking supplies and customizes truck equipment — installing plows, boxes, hydraulic systems and electronics on cab chassis supplied by customers. "We add all that to the truck and then make it a working, working unit," Gregoire said, describing sales to city and state departments of transportation and private contractors.
Economic-development staff told the committee the project is expected to create 18 new jobs at an average annual wage of $75,000 in the first year, rising to a total of 30 additional positions by year five. Gregoire said the firm's current workforce is about 41 employees and that the planned hires are skilled labor — welders, painters and similar trades. Commissioner questions clarified that the company's staffing projection of "41" referred to current employees and the "18" referred to additional hires, producing an estimated first-year total of about 59 workers.
The committee voted in favor of the exemption after a motion from the mayor; no roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting transcript. The committee chair announced, "Motion carries." The committee packet noted the company scored well on the city point sheet used to evaluate exemptions.
No ordinances, statutory citations or other legal authorities were introduced into the public record during the discussion; the request was described as an application for a five-year exemption under the committee's existing property-tax incentive processes.
The company and economic-development staff said the new facility would let Burt's Trucking bid on work in a wider territory — Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin — and reduce the need to turn down contracts because of space limits. The committee's approval allows the company to proceed with building upgrades and hiring under the terms presented to the committee.
The committee did not attach additional conditions in the public discussion; staff will follow standard administrative steps to finalize the exemption paperwork.
