Clear Lake and Adair win grants to bring in jobs

The Department of Economic Development has approved funds for two Iowa businesses who’ve promised to expand and add jobs. Tina Hoffman, a spokesperson for the D-E-D, saysthe Pella Plant in Clear Lake has been approved for a 160-thousand dollar investment to expand its storm door plant. Hoffman says the money comes from the federally funded Economic Development Set-Aside (EDSA) program. She says the company promises to add over four dozen workers. The company plans to hire 50 additional employees at an average starting wage of 11-dollars and 44-cents per hour. Hoffman says funds from the same program were approved for a new business in Adair. She says the Trausch company plans to create 70 jobs over the next three years producing food display cases using a new type of refrigeration technology. She says the jobs will have an average starting wage of 10-dollars and 74-cents per hour. A majority of the money for both companies is in the form of a loan that will be forgiven if they meet their job creation goals.