ALEXANDRIA - North Madison County could produce its first gallons of ethanol in as little as a year.

On Wednesday, Broin Companies, in conjunction with Ultimate Ethanol LLC, announced plans to create a $105 million ethanol production facility near Alexandria.

Ultimate Ethanol plans to hire 38 to 40 high-skilled workers at around $18 an hour.

"We've been having topical discussions as much as four months ago," said Alexandria Planning Commissioner and Building Commissioner Jeremy VanErman. "In that time I've become more of an expert on ethanol than I ever expected. "No idea is going to be the next great thing in transportation, but ethanol and biodiesel are the kind of good thing we've been looking for."

Permits filed with Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) suggest the plant will be located near the corner of County Road 1300 North and Summitville Road (County Road 100 East) in Monroe Township.

Officials from Madison County and the City of Alexandria, along with a handful of concerned citizens, attended the meeting at Emery Lee Auditorium in Beulah Park.

"I want to thank all of you for coming to share this momentous moment for us and to celebrate," said Bob Berens, director of site development for Broin. "We hope to break ground in the November timeframe, be complete within 12 months and go online sometime later next year."

Berens explained that Broin is not the parent company of Ultimate Ethanol, but rather a partnering company that has built 28 other ethanol plants in six states.

On July 14, the Sioux Falls, S.D.-based company filed an initial air permit application with IDEM to create a 253-acre facility near Alexandria.

Seven area households received letters informing them of the proposed plant.

Berens brought good news for farmers. He said the plant will yield 178,000 tons of distilled grains that can be used as supplemental feed for livestock. Berens expects the plant to help raise corn prices five or 10 cents per bushel, which translates to between $3 million and $6 million.

"As a farmer, myself, I came directly from the tractor, through the shower to be here," said Madison County Commissioner, John Richwine, R-North District. "I look forward to delivering a load of corn."

In June, Broin announced plans to build Premier Ethanol LLC, a 120-million gallon production facility, near Portland.

Kenneth E. Klemme, assistant director of economic development for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, said Indiana is in an ideal position to be a leader in the biological fuels industry.

"In 2005 when Mitch Daniels and Becky Skillman took office, they believed agriculture was key to Indiana's comeback," Klemme said. "Last May, they asked for our strategic plan and one of our strategies was bio energy. We're at the east end of the growing region and the west end of the logistics region that serves the bio fuels market."

Klemme said Ultimate Ethanol will provide benefits to the community, to local business and to the environment.

"We're excited to have 40 jobs coming in, most of them over $18 an hour," said Alexandria Mayor Steven Skaggs. "And that number could double within five years."

Brian Minish of Ultimate Ethanol said the company plans to open an administrative office in downtown Alexandria that will provide information to the public.