The Linn County Commissioners have been asked to approve a $50,000 no-interest loan to help an Albany company expand its ability to design and manufacture custom machinery used in the metals forming industry.

John Pascone, president of the Albany-Millersburg Economic Development Corp., brought the request from Tekfab, 353 29th Ave., to the commissioners Tuesday morning.

The money would come from the Linn County Investment Fund, which since the retirement of Keith Miller is administered by the commissioners.

Tekfab was founded in 2001. The company has 14 full-time employees and has customers throughout the United States, Canada, China and Saudi Arabia.

The company plans to build a 20,000-square-foot addition to increase its production capacity. It also has started working with a Portland company that manufactures solar structural mounting systems. Tekfab would like to use some of the funds for research and development of other products for that market.

Commissioner Roger Nyquist said he would like to get more information about the number of new jobs that would be created before committing to the loan.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Heard from the Linn County Fair & Expo management that 2009 fair sponsorships totaled $112,000, about 10 percent less than in 2008. Several large events will be held at the expo center in September and October, including a gun show, home show, the chamber of commerce's Business on Display and the Mennonite Festival.

• Accepted a $10,000 Juvenile Accountability Block Grant for the Linn County Juvenile Department.

• Accepted a $5,880 grant from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Program. It will be used by the Linn County home composting demonstration garden site at the fairgrounds to increase awareness of the program and purchase new equipment, including a tumbler.

• Learned what the Council of Governments is doing to prepare for a possible outbreak of the H1N1 flu.

• Approved a first-time youth grant with the Lyle Neuschwander farm.