FDL County Board Approves Alliance Loan

By a unanimous vote the Fond du Lac County Board Tuesday night approved a three-party agreement for a $6 million loan for Alliance Laundry Systems for a major expansion. The loan would be administered for the County by the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation and would allow Alliance to do a $46 million expansion that would create an additional 150 jobs. The company last year finished a $25 million project that created 270 jobs. The loan would be for eight years and Alliance would get a $1,000 credit for each job created beyond the company’s current work force of 1,570. Excess money from the County sales tax will pay for the job credits and will be capped at 150 jobs. Company officials say they have a product distribution opportunity that made the expansion possible. The board also approved applying for and accepting a federal grant for $350,000 that would fund an adult drug court for three years. It would create a full-time drug court coordinator’s position. Carrie Nitz who has been chairing the effort and County Judge Gary Sharpe told supervisors there will be a fee of $750 for non-violent offenders participating in the intervention and treatment program. Twenty-five people will participate in it the first year with a goal of 30 participants each year.