Village okays $3.6 million for GEMA plant
Dundee Village Council approved amendments for the LDFA (Limited District Finance Authority) plan for District 3, the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) plant at its Tuesday, March 16 meeting.

This clears the way for $3.6 million in infrastructure improvements for the plant. Included is a new $2 million industrial pre-treatment facility. This plant will pre-treat the industrial wastewater from the GEMA plant, before it is sent to the village wastewater treatment plant for final treatment and release into the River Raisin. Arcadis, the village’s engineering firm (formerly Finkbeiner, Pettis and Strout), has been touring similar pre-treatment plants to investigate various methods of pre-treatment.

There will be enough capacity at the new pre-treatment plant (about one-third) for other nearby industrial users to take advantage of it. Village Manager Patrick Burtch said the users of the plant will pay for its operation and maintenance through user fees.

Other improvements for the GEMA plant include some $1.2 million in electrical improvements. There also will be money spent for street lighting and landscaping.

The total amount of bonding for the improvements for the plant will not exceed $12 million, with $10,625,000 actually expected in four different bond issues.

The latest issue of bonds, $3.2 million worth, will be sold with the full faith and credit of the village, which means if the tax money doesn’t come in, the village pays the interest on the bonds. Village officials don’t expect this to happen. A lower interest rate could have been obtained if the full faith and credit of the county were used, but that option was not eligible, because of things this bond issue is to pay for, said Mr. Arnold.