The Knox City Council this week reviewed the efforts made by Toll Brothers in keeping with their tax abatement and approved a motion stating that the company is in substantial compliance or has made reasonable effort to keep with the terms of the abatement. Charlie Weaver, the executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation, and Toll Brothers owner Brian Trapp approached the council requesting the compliance statement.
Trapp told the council that they have done what they can to increase their number of employees and have added four hourly employees over the last year, spending roughly $500,000 more on employees and temps. Currently, Trapp said, the business is piling up stock on their property while they wait for the weather to improve and the frost to disappear in order to allow them to transport more shipments to Michigan and Illinois.
On top of that, Trapp said they are working to find more business in Indiana, expanding their operations in the Hoosier state as they hope to sell product regionally throughout Indiana.
Weaver said that the SCEDF has worked and sweated with Toll Brothers over the last several years, and they have made outstanding efforts to expand their operations in keeping with the abatement.
The council unanimously approved a motion agreeing that Toll Brothers is still in compliance, continuing the tax abatement for the company.
