The Burns Harbor Town Council will discuss tax abatement for Indiana Flame Services, which plans to upgrade technology and equipment at its Gary and Burns Harbor operations.

Indiana Flame Services also has indicated it will relocate a portion of its Research and Development department from Fresse Sur Moselle, France to Burns Harbor.

The company designs and installs patented steel-slab cutting and conditioning equipment for the automotive, manufacturing, green energy and military sectors. Up to 24 new jobs are projected to be created by 2015.

The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the town hall.

On Sept. 19, 2012 at Indiana Flame Services’ request the Town Council voted to send a letter of conditional support to bolster the company’s application for a state grant; two months later Councilman Jeff Freeze said it was learned a local commitment was required for the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to consider the application.

At that time Freeze said there could be a significant personal property increase tied to the R&D relocation so the town’s financial consultant, Cender & Company, was putting together scenarios for five and 10-year tax abatements.

The IEDC announced in December that Indiana Flame Services was being offered up to $240,000 in state training grants tied to new hiring for its $14 million upgrade, and that Burns Harbor would consider granting tax abatement.

Tomorrow, Indiana Flame Services director Eliot Weiner will meet with council members to discuss the matter further.

Additional items on the council’s monthly agenda include amending unspecified text in the subdivision control ordinance, discussion regarding a January invoice from Cender & Company, and engineering-services proposals continued from last month.

Department heads will report and the public may comment on other matters at the conclusion of the meeting.

Posted 3/12/2013