A domestic for-profit corporation planning to establish an alternative fuel production plant at the Delphi Municipal Airport will present plans to the Delphi City Council and board of works members Thursday night at 6 p.m. in a public meeting in city council chambers.

Swift Enterprises Ltd. principals, Mary and John Rusek located at the Purdue Research Park, appeared on Inside Indiana Business at the beginning of May to discuss their project and future plans. During the interview, the fuel developers stated they would be producing leadfree aviation fuel at a pilot facility in Delphi in 17 months. The Ruseks stated the plant would produce approximately 2,000 gallons of fuel per day. A second plant was to be built in Lafayette and produce 200 gallons per day.

Delphi Mayor Randy Strasser said Monday he first heard that the city would possibly be asked to assume ownership of land purchased for the project adjacent to the airport at the May airport board meeting. He said it was his understanding the corporation intended to fly prospective clients into the plant and hangar their airplane in a private hangar at the airport. Strasser said the Federal Aviation Administration requires all hangars located near an airport to be on airport property.

Strasser said he first met with a Swift Development Corporation representative last Friday about the project. He described the product to be produced to be "cutting edge technology for alternative aviation fuel.

He further stated the city was "not really going to be involved" in the project and there would be little or no impact to the city or county.

According to the Swift Enterprises Web site, the corporation was founded seven years ago at Purdue Research Park and is led by the Ruseks who have been involved in the field of energy for more than two decades.

According to the Indiana Secretary of State Web site, Swift Development Corporation Inc. was formed in September 2007 with articles of incorporation, which were amended the next month to reflect a change in the name to Swift Development LLC. The development corporation's address is the Delphi Municipal Airport.

Former Delphi Mayor Sam Deiwert said he planned to attend the meeting.

"I would encourage every citizen to go to the meeting to find out what the impact of this project would have for the city and county as far as tax base, quality of life and job opportunities," he said. "These types of technological industries could provide niche employment opportunities for the county in order to make it attractive to others."

"I didn't know progress was going to be as swift as I'm hearing now," city council president Carolyn Pearson said, referring to the Inside Indiana Business interview. "I think the meeting is a good idea. I want to learn too about what impact this could have on our community."

Delphi Airport manager Brian Stirm and John and Mary Rusek would not comment for this article.