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February 14, 2006Graceland pursues grantsFruit firm asks county to help with requestBEULAH - Graceland Fruit Inc. wants taxpayers to help build a $4 million wastewater treatment facility to treat discharge from its fruit-processing operation.The company asked for Benzie County's help last month because a government unit rather than a private company needs to apply for the grants, county administrator Chuck Clarke said. Clarke said he isn't certain what types of grants Graceland seeks. He said he believes one application would go to the United States Department of Agriculture. "We told them that we would work with them and they have not come back with us, so nothing's really on the horizon right now," Clarke said. The request for help from Benzie County was discussed at the Jan. 13 board of commissioners finance committee meeting. Clarke said Graceland would reimburse whatever the grant application process costs the county. Graceland president and CEO Donald Nugent could not be reached for comment. Graceland employee Troy Terwilliger, who made the request to the county board for Graceland, did not return a message seeking comment. The company's discharge of blueberry waste in a gravel pit near Honor sparked an investigation in 2004 that lead to a request from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for felony charges against Graceland and its waste hauler. State Attorney General Mike Cox's office turned down that request, saying a civil settlement would be negotiated. Cox spokeswoman Melissia Christianson said a settlement has not been reached. "We are in the process of finalizing the settlement right now and beyond that I have no other details that I can confirm," Christianson said. See Related Stories: See related editorial:
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