County sells finger jointer

The finger jointer, idle for five years, soon will be producing again.

During their meeting Wednesday, Lincoln County commissioners unanimously agreed to sell the heavy machinery the county purchased from Stimson Lumber, Co., as it shuttered its operation, to the Lincoln County Port Authority for $127,000.

Port Authority Board Secretary Kevin Peck presented the purchase offer to commissioners.

“We’re very close to having a lease agreement to open,” Peck said. “We need to upgrade the electrical for the tenant.”

Peck said two Libby businessmen plan to lease the equipment from the Port Authority, and the operation will employ 12 to 14 people initially, with possible additional hiring later. Asked about those tenants, Peck would not elaborate further.

Peck said the operation would use a Big Sky Trust grant for the electrical upgrades, and hopes are to have the jointer operational within six weeks.

“These investors will incur all costs,” Peck said. “We want to slowly rev this up. Yes, there is a lease option to buy.”

Presiding Commissioner Tony Berget said he anticipated the finger jointer would eventually return to production.

“When we bought that we knew one day that finger jointer would be used,” Berget said. “We knew at the time, if the county didn’t purchase that, someone would and take it out of Lincoln County. It was the last of the mill’s operations, but even near the end, it was still at the break-even point.”

The equipment, in a Port Authority-owned building, is located just northeast of the former Stinger Welding, Inc., building.

Commissioner Mike Cole asked Peck about the condition of the equipment.

“Is the equipment ready?” Cole asked.

“Well, yes and no,” Peck said. “We need the power infrastructure upgraded to test the equipment.”

A tour of the facility Wednesday afternoon revealed equipment with no apparent signs of rust or effects of idleness.

The finger jointer was installed in 1974 by St. Regis. The process cuts grooves in the ends of wood and glues them together to make a larger product.

The Western News learned Thursday one of the investors is the son of a man who was employed previously at the finger jointer.

Port Authority Board members, in addition to Peck, are Chairman Jim Mayo, Russ Barnes, Clint Oster, John Konzen and Doug Watson.

Job applications will be accepted within four weeks.