Miami County company expanding, adding jobs

ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com

PERU - A newly created Miami County manufacturing business hopes to create 85 jobs during the next two years.

The Miami County Council Tuesday passed through the first reading an ordinance to provide up to $150,000 in incentives over the next five years to support Riverside Travel Trailers.

The council was hoping to give the ordinance final approval - meaning it would have needed to suspend the rules requiring them to vote on it a second time - but failed to do so by one vote. The action would have required a unanimous vote by the council, but Councilman John Donaldson cast the lone dissenting vote.

The ordinance will receive a second reading at the council's September meeting.

"I have a problem with some of the investors," Donaldson said following the vote. "They don't need money from Miami County for the trailer company. There are past issues I have with them."

Christy Householder, deputy director of the Miami County Economic Development Authority, said the county's Economic Development Income Tax funds would be used to pay down the lease on the building where the business is located.

The county would provide $2,500 per month, starting in September. Householder said the county would provide $10,000 this year, $30,000 from 2010 through 2013, and $20,000 in 2014.

When asked if the county money would be tied to job creation, Householder said every month the company is required to send a payroll report to the U.S. Department of Labor. She said if employment levels are not where they were promised, the company would not receive the county funding.

Householder said currently Riverside Travel Trailers has 40 employees and plans to add 30 more by the end of August. She said the number of new employees is scheduled to reach 60 by March 1, 2010, and 85 new jobs will be created by July 31, 2011.

The company is located in the 90,000-square-foot building, which formerly housed Timber Land RVs on Eel River Road and closed in January.

The first unit manufactured by Riverside Travel Trailers was completed in July and Householder said the 25th travel trailer was produced Monday. She said the company plans to produce six different models of travel trailers and started manufacturing the second model this week.