GRAND FORKS — Fufeng Group, the company that sought to build a wet corn mill plant just north of Grand Forks, owes $2,769.01 in taxes to Grand Forks County.
The first half of 2022 taxes were due on March 1. Debbie Nelson, the county auditor, said of the $2,769.01 owed, $80.65 of that was added as a 3% penalty on March 2. Nelson said Fufeng will continue to be assessed a penalty throughout the year on May 1, July 1 and Oct. 15 if it doesn't pay its taxes. On Oct. 15, the other half of the 2022 taxes will be due.
Nelson said interest will be applied next year and if Fufeng continues to not pay, the county will take the property by the third year.
Of the taxes collected, that money is distributed to several entities, including townships, the school and the school district.
Fufeng owns a total of four parcels in rural Falconer Township and rural Grand Forks County equating to more 300 acres. The land was purchased in late April last year for its proposed wet corn mill.
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The project was stopped by a 5-0 City Council vote after the Department of the U.S. Air Force in January declared Fufeng a national security threat. While the future of the land has been discussed at council meetings, Fufeng still owns the four parcels.
The question of whether Fufeng is delinquent on its taxes was asked by council member Rebecca Osowski during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting on April 3 . At the meeting, Mayor Brandon Bochenski said the information can be looked up on the Grand Forks County website.
Monday’s City Council meeting was attended by several property owners in the Highway 81 area as the council reviewed a petition for de-annexation. The annexation process was undertaken last year by the city as part of the Fufeng project.
Ultimately, the council on Monday decided to move forward with the annexation.
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