Hi-B Fuels, of Bedford, has recently purchased 19 acres of land from the city and will begin construction on the biomass plant next spring.

Linton Mayor Tom Jones presented the city clerk with a $60,000 check from the company during Monday's city council meeting.

"We're well on our way to seeing significant employment in the area," Jones said.

The news of employment was met with a round of applause from those attending the public meeting.

"This is a big thing. It's going to mean jobs," Jones said in an interview with the Greene County Daily World after the meeting.

"There won't be much activity until spring," he added, noting the company is currently conducting test burns with Citizen's Gas.

Hi-B Fuels' biomass plant will accept yard/lumber trimmings free of charge and then mix the wood with coal to form a viable fuel option.

The 19-acres of undeveloped land is located across from Boltenwood on State Road 59 North.

In April, the city council approved the sale but the deal did not close until this week.

The plant is expected to bring 15 to 25 jobs, Jones noted during the April meeting.

In other business, the council approved a sewage rate increase which will be effective on the Dec. 16 billing.

The 37 percent increase means you'll pay an additional $6.01 on 4,000 gallons, Jones said.

The sewage operating fund is $61,841.93 in the red as of Sept. 30, he told the Greene County Daily World after the meeting.

"The cost of doing business is up," he said. "We've lost citizens. We've lost rate payers."

Operating costs such as electricity and maintenance still have to be paid, he noted.

"Our rates haven't' stayed in line with increases," he added. "We're trying to get all utilities in line for today's market then give small periodic rate increases."

The next rate increase is expected in 2012. The last rate increase was in 1995.