CAMSO is looking to expand its footprint in the local community and will be taking over the remainder of a tax abatement agreement for a previous property owner.
According to a presentation to the Lyon County Commission as part of their regular action meeting Wednesday, CAMSO representatives explained the company is in the process of acquiring property at 840 Overlander Street, currently owned by Detroit Diesel. The purchase comes as Michelin, the parent company of CAMSO is looking to increase its service to the local ag community.
The purchase will see CAMSO relocate manufacturing equipment from its main plant to the Overland property. With the move to the new property, CAMSO requested that a 10-year tax abatement, originally approved by the City of Emporia in 2015 to Overlander Street LLC, be transferred over to CAMSO for the final year of the agreement.
County commissioners agreed to the request and approved a rebate agreement that will see both the city and county honor the final year of the abatement, however, USD 253 Emporia, which was also involved in the original abatement, will not be involved in the new agreement. Therefore, the district will receive the tax dollars from CAMSO for the final year of the original abatement agreement.
CAMSO representatives noted Wednesday that the purchase of the Overlander property is not related to the recent mass layoff of employees earlier this year. Representatives stated Wednesday that the layoffs were due to the “downturn” in the ag sector.
They added it is their hope the new plant will help to set the “standard for needs” in years to come and set the stage to increase its workforce in the future. Representatives declined a recorded interview with local media Wednesday and directed KVOE News to the Michelin Public Relations department for further questions.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners approved the Lyon County Emergency Operations Plan presented by Lyon County Emergency Manager Jarrod Fell. Fell says the plan has to be submitted every five years to the state of Kansas as a requirement for applying for the state’s Emergency Management Performance Grant, however, he tells KVOE News the plan is updated frequently.
In terms of major changes to the county’s plan since 2021, the last time it was submitted to the state, Fell says it is mostly positions and roles within emergency management. If approved for the state grant the county could receive around $36,000 which would go into the agency’s general fund.
The Lyon County Commission will reconvene for its weekly action meeting next Thursday at 9 am inside of the Lyon County Courthouse Commission Chambers.
