Kewaunee County officials are looking at potentially providing financial assistance for a natural gas project being installed at a dairy farm in Algoma.
WI RNG EN LLC is looking to build a solid waste disposal facility to convert cow manure produced at El Na Farms into natural gas, similar to what has been done at other large farms in Kewaunee County such as Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee and Dairy Dreams in Casco. The project would be financed with up to $45 million in revenue bonds from the county to help pay for the project. Revenue bond financing is typically used with tollways and local stadiums where the project’s revenue would help pay for its construction. The initial resolution for the project will be discussed as a part of Tuesday’s Kewaunee County Board meeting at 6 p.m. inside the Kewaunee County Administration Center.
The meeting will start with a public hearing on the 2024 budget. At last month’s meeting, Interim County Administrator Ed Dorner shared with the Kewaunee County Board that total expenditures are expected to go up $774,703 over the adopted 2023 budget along with the tax levy going up $357,669. Part of the reason for that is the addition of almost two new full-time employees and a boost in the cost of living increases and health insurance premiums. Kewaunee County property owners will see their tax rate drop $1.15 per $1,000 from $6.20 to $5.05. Dorner said the pre-payment of some of the county’s debt and an increase in the county’s equalized value is the reason for good news on people’s tax bills.
