Rochester Mayor Ted Denton, left, and county commissioners Bryan Lewis, Rick Ranstead and Steve Metzger presented city updates at the second of three legislative breakfasts held around Fulton County. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

ROCHESTER — About 50 business owners and involved citizens from the Rochester community gathered Saturday, Feb. 15, at Rochester Meats & Deli for donuts, coffee and an update from local government leaders on infrastructure and redevelopment projects around the city.

The meeting was the second of three in the Legislative Breakfast Series sponsored by the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Fulton County Farm Bureau.

The annual sessions have been held for several years and are invariably well attended, according to Jillian Kreamer, executive director of the chamber.

Members of Rochester Boy Scout troops 219 and 220 conduct the flag ceremony to open the Saturday, Feb. 15, Rochester meeting of the 2020 Legislative Breakfast Series. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

“People are always interested” in the progress of the city, she said. “The state legislators especially praise us for our attendance.”

A panel consisting of Mayor Ted Denton and county commissioners Bryan Lewis, Rick Ranstead and Steve Metzger gave the main presentation, followed by a Q&A session.

Lewis spoke about the new county jail, to be constructed near US 31 and Sweetgum Road northwest of Rochester. He brought architect renderings to enhance his presentation.

The new facility, slated for groundbreaking in April with a 15-month target construction timeline, will house 198 inmates.

The two-story facility will include a master control room; two- and four-person housing units; dorms; indoor and outdoor recreation areas; CSI lab; physical training area; forensic center; medical holding cells and infirmary; and offices for the sheriff, coroner, 911 dispatch and detectives.

Metzger announced the impending purchase of a 5.2-acre improved parcel of land near Kewanna for use by the county highway department.

Among the 50 or so attendees waiting to hear development updates from local leaders were Nicole Ranstead, left, Carrie Ranstead, Pat Calvert, Jeri Good and Pat Hoover. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

“Right now we have a salt shed that can hold 400 tons, enough for just one snow event, and it takes us seven to 10 days to get more salt,” he said. “The building on the property can hold at least two years of salt and sand. We can also store stone for paving.”

He also noted the property can support an expanded lot for highway department equipment.

Denton highlighted several redevelopments and other projects that will benefit the city. “We have a lot of things going on,” he said. “I could show you my calendar; it looks like a cat with dirty feet walked across it.”

Several attendees enjoy a chat before the presentation at the Rochester meeting of the Legislative Breakfast Series. Pictured from left are Mason Heyde, David Heyde, Andy Perkins, Chris Lee, Rochester Mayor Ted Denton and Greg Heller. (Photo by Ray Balogh)

Among his updates:

• The city will contract with Republic Services County Line Landfill “to deal with or treat leachate,” which presents a danger of seeping into the watershed. The leachate is currently being disposed of by an outside contractor, but the city “will sign a contract the first week in March and start handling the process in April,” he said, estimating the contract will bring in municipal revenue of $250,000 to $400,000 a year.

• A renovation operation at the wastewater treatment plant is underway. “Issues that haven’t been addressed for 30 years are being identified and dealt with, and a capital plan is in place,” Denton said.

• A recent feasibility study gave a thumbs-up to building a hotel on the south end of town. “It has great potential with the US 31 corridor,” said Denton. He also announced a $1.1 million project to extend Apache Drive north to SR 14.

• New downtown lighting is being considered, along with a “capital plan to redevelop all our streets. We are assessing with the city engineer where the next infrastructure project will be.”

Denton also discussed “two elephants in the room.” He announced Acument Global Technologies will be closing its plant in Rochester “in the next two years.”

“The decision was made three years ago,” he said, “because of two problems: a quality spill (a disruption in production caused by a non-conformance of a part) with General Motors” and the business’s inability to hire enough reliable employees.

Another business is closing its distribution center on SR 14. “There has been interest in the building, but there are some restrictions” concerning the renovation of the 40,000-square-foot structure,” he said. “I’m not sure in either instance we could have made a difference.”

Still, Denton remains upbeat about Rochester’s prospects for growth. “This is still an exciting period for Rochester. It is all ahead of us,” said Denton.

The next meeting, which will feature Indiana Sen. Stacey Donato and Reps. Douglas Gutwein, Jack Jordan and Ethan Manning, will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Akron Community Center, 815 E. Rural St.

For more information, call the chamber at (574) 224-2666.