Exol deal made sense

Published 12:00 am Sunday, June 3, 2001

Of all the positive things brought about by the Exol ethanol plant near Glenville, add another to the list: The land around it has become fertile for industrial development.

Sunday, June 03, 2001

Of all the positive things brought about by the Exol ethanol plant near Glenville, add another to the list: The land around it has become fertile for industrial development.

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With utilities already available on the site, nearby roads and rails, proximity to a residential area and location near the intersection of Interstates 90 and 35, the spot is bound to be attractive to developers.

The previous Freeborn County Board of Commissioners recognized this and planned to exercise its option to buy some of the land and use it to encourage economic development.

Now, those plans have changed, but the county and Exol still will embark on a partnership that will make the site even more attractive to developers. And the county will work to steer any potential manufacturers toward the Exol site.

The Freeborn County commissioners are correct: The county doesn’t have to own the land to aid in its development. In fact, that could even be more of a hindrance than anything. Instead, the county will provide a loan to finance more infrastructure developments.

It’s good to see that both sides are happy with the deal. After more than a year of discussion, some may have expected Exol to be disappointed when the county decided not to buy. It’s a testament to a good working relationship – one that helped Exol get started in the first place.

Now, we’ll see how much Freeborn County can gain from the partnership.