JOPLIN --- Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing Incorporated is currently in the early stages of building a new facility. It is located at the corner of E 32nd street and County Road 190, just on the edge of Joplin's eastern city limits.
Tonight, City Leaders approved a 10-year 100% tax abatement for the company. This means company leaders will not have to pay property taxes for 10 years beginning in January 2014.
As part of the deal, Heartland has 2 years from that date to create more than 100 jobs and provide wages greater than the city's average income level. City leaders say the company will boost Joplin's economy by providing 131 jobs in total with an average wage of $36,000.
"It's an incentive we use to draw businesses to joplin that create jobs. Really... The amount of abatement is based on the number of jobs created and the wages paid," says Troy Bolander, Planning and Community Development Director. Heartland is set to be fully operational in early 2015.
Also at tonight's meeting, City Council members got a peak at the plans for two replacement fire stations. Fire Chief Mitch Randles provided an update on Station 2 and Station 4, which were both destroyed in last year's tornado.
The new stations will feature enough space for 5 firefighters, a safe room, and 2 bays for fire trucks. Station 2, previously located on Maiden Lane, will now be a one-story, 7300 square foot facility located at the northeast corner of Junge and Schifferdecker. Station 4 will be 6500 square feet with two stories near the intersection of 32nd and Main Street. It replaces the previous station off 15th street.
"You know we're probably looking at 1.3 million to 1.5 million for the cost of the stations and we'll just have to wait and see how the bids come in once they're put out," says Randles.
Construction on both facilities is expected to start in the Spring. Construction is then set to be complete in late 2013
