11-6-13 fdl county board rejects merc loan request-vote falls short of two-thirds requirement

The Fond du lac County Board has rejected a request from Mercury Marine for a $10 million loan from the county to help fund its $30 million expansion.  The 17-7 vote in favor with one abstension fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage.  Merc chief financial officer Steve Cramer says while he is disappointed with the vote he respects the board’s decision.  "If the decision is no that's okay, we'll put our heads to work, we've got lots to do at Mercury Marine,"  Cramer said after the meeting.   Cramer says the expansion will still go forward, but at a slower pace.  "We're moving forward with the expansion. no question about it, the pace will be much slower now without the funding.  But that's okay."    Board supervisor Ted Eischeid voted against the loan request noting Merc is doing well economically and plans to move ahead with the project regardless of the board vote.  "They are going to get these 300 jobs.  It made sense in 2009 when we were faced with them leaving but this seemed like a special request and its something that mom and pa shops on Main Street don't get through the county,"  Eischeid told WFDL news.  "They (small businesses) can't come in front of us.  So I didn't think it was really needed."  The boat motor maker has said the expansion will add 300 jobs in the area.  The loan request was an amendment to a 2009 loan agreement. The county previously gave the company $50 million in performance-based loans to help encourage consolidation of its operations in the area. Mercury Marine has doubled its Fond du Lac County workforce since 2009 and now has more than 3,000 employees.