Village officials travel to Denmark to inspect digesters

Written by Sarah Nigbor

ELLSWORTH – The Ellsworth Village Board of Directors voted on Monday, February 5, to send two board members and the administrator/treasurer to Denmark to tour the Bigadan anaerobic digester facility. The only person who voted against the trip was Trustee Tom Schutz.

Bigadan is a Danish renewable natural gas company that wants to build an anaerobic digester and nutrient recovery facility in Ellsworth under the name Ellsworth Bioenergy. Bigadan will design, construct, own, operate and finance the site at no cost to the village, representatives said. The project will occupy 20 to 25 acres and will use anaerobic digestion (no air) to produce renewable natural gas from turkey litter, dairy waste, and cheese processing byproducts. .

Renewable natural gas is injected into the existing natural gas pipeline system. This process yields a nutrient-rich by-product that can be returned to participating farmers as fertilizer free of charge. The village has been in talks with Bigadan about the project for several months. The project is expected to invest $190 million in the community over five years and create 37 jobs in trucking and manufacturing. Because digesters are considered public utilities and public utilities are exempt from property taxes, the company is proposing an “annual voluntary tax payment” called a “payment in lieu of tax,” or PILOT. One hundred percent of that payment would go to the village of Ellsworth, and the revenue, along with property taxes, would be shared with the school district, county and Chippewa Valley Technical College. Bauer said details are still being worked out.

Trustee Ryan Bench said those participating in the trip must write a report on their observations and findings, not to exceed $8,000 in meals, meals, rental cars and airfare.

“It’s only right that we give the community a chance to hear what they’ve learned and what they’ve seen, and we’re just going to do what we can to make sure that we have a fair representation of the factory coming back here. .”

Board member Andrew Borner said village representatives need to talk to people in towns and businesses surrounding the digester to get an unbiased opinion.

“I hope there’s not too much of a language barrier,” he said.

“I think it’s important for someone here to see what that plant looks like. We’ve been doing our best to move this process along, but this is a big decision,” said the mayor. Becky Beisel said.

Administrator/Secretary/Treasurer Brad Roy said the trip and research could clear up some assumptions about the project, whether positive or negative.

Roy said the trip will be paid for from economic development funds budgeted by the village, which will limit what the village can do going forward in terms of economic development.

It has not been decided which trustee will accompany Roy on his trip.

Other business

The Board approved the following actions:

• Temporary Class B Retailer License, Ellsworth Fire Services Association, Annual Chicken Feed Fundraiser, March 23, 427 W. Spruce St.
• Temporary Class B Retailer License, Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Cheese Curd Festival, June 21-22, including Crosscut, Wall, Broadway Street, East End Park, Associate Bank Parking Lot, Alley East of Association Bank (Beisel abstained).
• Street Dance License, Cheese Curd Festival, same location as above (Bissel abstained).
• Street Use Permit, Cheese Curd Festival, June 19-23, Crosscut Street, Wall Street to Morse Street (leaving lane for emergency vehicles), all of Broadway, alley east of Associated Bank (Beisel abstains) ).
• Certified Survey Map for Mark Kelly, 630 S. Maple St. to adjust property lines and increase lot area.
• Certified Ordnance Survey map for Jason Heiss, 205 S. Utility St., subdividing the existing 3.06-acre site currently used for transportation services, resulting in two parcels. The lot at 207 S. Utility St. is for sale.
• Chris Beckler Dispersion and Certified Survey Map, W6888 490^th, town of Ellsworth. Mr. Beckler owns 32 acres of land in the extraterritorial zone. He plans to divide the land into his 8-acre lot and his 16-acre lot.
• Site plan review for Xcel Energy’s one-story, 2,400-square-foot garage at 163 County Road C. This building will be used to store staff and equipment for local repairs and services.
• Up to $5,000 contract with Cedar Corporation to update existing concept plans and cost estimates for East End public facilities and street improvements.
• Two residents expressed their desire to suspend winter parking regulations for this season during public comment and asked the village to consider amending or abolishing the ordinance. Another resident raised concerns about demolition noise and business hours at the middle school.
• Beisel and other area leaders will visit Madison on Feb. 21 in conjunction with Greater St. Croix Valley Legislative Day to address affordable housing and child care needs, workforce recruitment and retention, He will speak with representatives about broadband, mental health care and tourism.