County action to help Bongards receive lesser bond rating

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County commissioners, on April 14, approved issuance and sale of bonds to assist Bongards Creamery of Perham with a waste-water improvement system, part of an overall modernization plan for the cheese and whey manufacturer.

Community Development Director Amy Baldwin explained to county commissioners that the bonds will be loaned to Bongards to finance the capital costs of the proposed development, acquisition, construction and equipping of solid waste and wastewater treatment facilities.

These include, but are not limited to, rehabilitation or construction of ponds and the improvement, betterment and rehabilitation of dryers to be located at the Bongards cheese plant and waste treatment ponds in the Perham area.

Otter Tail County, said Baldwin, will act as a pass through which will result in a lesser bond rate for Bongards. 

“The county will act as a bond trustee,” said Baldwin to county commissioners, adding that the county’s assistance to Bongards will not impact Otter Tail County’s bond rates.

“The Bonards project will take place outside the city limits of Perham,” said Baldwin. She and county commissioners noted that the township did not have the capacity to provide the financial assistance that is needed for Bongards.