About Me

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I have served the City of Isanti as Mayor since 2007. We have accomplished great things together and I look forward to building on our success. United, we move forward to a better future. You may contact me at 763-442-8749 or e-mail me at george@georgewimmer.com.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Ever Cat Fuels Grand Opening Update

I want to thank Senator Amy Klobuchar, Don Shelby and State Senator Olseen for doing a wonderful job speaking today on behalf of the incredible Ever Cat Fuels project. People from across the country and around the world were at the Grand Opening today representing the true global reach of this technology. Mr. Shelby did an amazing job hosting today's event and Senator Klobuchar not only is a master of the issues but she is tremendously funny and wonderful to talk with.

I have included the remarks I made at the Grand Opening. Isanti should be proud of this accomplishment.



As Mayor of the City of Isanti, I would first like to take the opportunity to welcome each of you to our community; and to this highly anticipated event, the Grand Opening of the Ever Cat Fuels facility.

I was first introduced to this project 3 months into my first term at our 2007 chamber dinner when Landmark Bank President Kevin Johnson mentioned an incredible new bio-energy concept having something to do with zirconium. Paraphrasing it was something like ‘we have to make this work’. The only zirconium I knew at the time was cubic but soon realized we had a real diamond in our hands.

I will never forget my first meeting with the McNeffs. We met at City Hall and the initial details of the process and facility were explained. The fact that it was cost effective, not water intensive and eliminated the food or fuel choice; I was sold on the concept. We then went to look at possible site location. To get a better look at the lay of the land within the industrial park, we trekked up to the waste water treatment ponds because the elevation gave us an excellent view of potential sites. I knew they were dedicated individuals because they stood in the frigid Minnesota wind as it blew across those treatment ponds.

This lead to several more discussions about the types of development tools Isanti could bring to the project. We worked to educate, not only ourselves, but our city on the potential this project had and the positive impact on our community.

As part of this process we participated in several tours of the facility by media and elected officials from the local, state and federal level.

One of my greatest moments in public office was a trip down to SarTec to see the lab and attend a meeting with Congressman Oberstar. I listened to the Congressman ask specific detailed questions of the process. The weight of his knowledge and intellect on the subject matter was incredibly impressive.

As the Congressman educated us on the decades long battles he has waged for renewable energy and a cohesive national transportation plan, I was energized to make sure that we, the City of Isanti, work with our state and federal partners to ensure the future growth of Ever Cat Fuels by developing a rail industrial park. A rail park is needed to ensure that the full potential of this facility is realized – a ten fold increase in production.

We will build upon our current success and relationships to continue to grow good paying local jobs in exciting high tech renewable energy production. We stand here today celebrating a technology that can be one of the keys to energy independence, a strong economy and a positive environmental impact for generations to come.

This project has already fostered an environment of intergovernmental agency cooperation and will continue to create and enhance these partnerships, as the project evolves and grows into the future. The list of acknowledgements for those individuals and agencies that have worked with Isanti in the establishment of this facility from the preliminary planning stages through environmental reviews, financing, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy has been incredible and includes: Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Congressman Oberstar, East Central Regional Development Commission, State Senator Olseen, Representative Eastlund, Great River Energy/Connexus, the Initiative Foundation, Isanti County Emergency / Home Land Security, The Isanti Environmental Coalition, Isanti Police and Fire Departments, Landmark Bank, Minnesota DEED, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota State Building, Triangle Energy Group, the University of Minnesota and Augsburg College.
The end result only proves what can be accomplished, if we all work together and if the lines of communication between us all are open. The result is a successful project that may be an example to others. As Alexander Graham Bell once said, “great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds”.

The Ever Cat Fuels facility means a great deal to the City of Isanti and our region as a whole. The demonstration plant not only provides good paying local jobs in a developing industry; it also has brought state and national attention to our community. Only a project of this nature could bring together the group we have assembled here today. Isanti’s ability to bring private and public sector resources together has truly been realized on this project.
The potential economic development spurred by this facility and the attention it brings to Isanti is exciting – personally, I take great pride in knowing that our City has played a small part in helping to reach energy independence in an environmentally sensible way.

I would like to take a brief moment and thank the McNeff Family and the entire Ever Cat Fuels family for their dedication and hard work - their perseverance in making this project a successful reality is an inspiration to us all. They have been a joy to work with on this project and are the highest professional and ethical individuals that I have had the pleasure to work with. From March of 2007 to the fall of 2009, we have faced a number of interesting challenges and at each and every hurdle we have found excellent solutions. Through their genius of invention to their tenacity to bring positive change to the world I, and we all, thank you - and look forward to your next great invention.

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