The Des Moines City Council tonight will consider a forgivable loan and tax increment financing package as part of an agreement that would keep some operations of Marel Meat Processing Inc. in Des Moines.

Marel, the former Townsend Engineering Co., announced earlier this year that it would consolidate the manufacture of food processing equipment at a plant in Gainesville, Fla.

At the same time, it placed its facility at 2425 Hubbell Ave. on the market and launched a national search for a site for a center that would focus on research and development, sales and customer service.

That site is a building owned by Rich Eychaner’s MLK River Park LLC at 401 S.W. Seventh St. Des Moines is offering a $150,000 forgivable loan and tax increment financing of 50 percent of Marel’s improvements to the building.

The company plans to spend $2.5 million renovating the structure. The city’s incentive package would be paid out over the length of a seven- or 10-year lease. In addition, it is contingent upon Marel maintaining 75 jobs at an average annual compensation of $79,000 plus benefits.

Marel is an international company that is based in Iceland.