BUSINESS BRIEF

Interest-free loan to help water lines in Allen Co.

8/29/2013

LIMA, Ohio — Eight government bodies and a business, all from Allen County, are the recipients of a $500,000 interest-free loan from the Ohio Development Services Agency to help extend water lines to serve their constituents, and in the case of the business, help create more jobs.

The 10-year loan was awarded by the Local Government Innovation Fund, created by the state Development Services Agency to promote collaboration among governments and cut costs for services they provide.

The Allen County Water District was the lead applicant for the loan request. Its partners included Rudolph Foods Co. of Lima, a maker of pork rinds and other pork-skin snack foods, which needs more water to expand its operations. The other partners in the loan application were the Allen County Commissioners, the Allen County Regional Airport Authority, Auglaize Township in Allen County, Perry Township in Allen County, the Lima-Allen County Regional Planning Commission, the city of Lima, and the Perry Local School District.