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Beau Baird turns GDC speech into group conversation
Introducing his appearance at the annual luncheon of the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center with the caveat that he doesn’t always do things conventionally, State Rep. Beau Baird made an unconventional speech to the gathering of community business and government leaders.
“I tend to do things a little differently and a little untraditionally,” the freshman representative said.
So, after a short personal biography and thoughts on his first few weeks in the Statehouse, Baird opened the floor for a discussion, thinking the gathering was too good an opportunity not to do a bit of listening.
“I’m a strong believer that information should flow in all directions,” Baird said. “It’s too unique of an opportunity — to have all of us in one room — to have everyone just listening to me.”
With that, Baird opened the floor to responses to a question he had posed: “What can we do, in both the public and private sector, that will make agribusiness stronger and therefore our communities stronger?”
Mark Legan, long a leader in the local agricultural community, was the first to respond, speaking to the need for reliable broadband internet in rural areas.
“There are two fiber optic lines that run along our road (State Road 240), but we’re still on DSL,” Legan said of the Legan Livestock and Grain location in Marion Township. “And if it rains, it’s down to half speed.”
Legan hinted at a double standard for agriculture as compared to other businesses.
“We talk about the speed of business and agriculture is the same way,” he said.
The comments from Legan echoed sentiments from Baird in his earlier discussion about legislative concerns, saying it’s time to stop talking and start acting when it comes to bringing better internet to rural Indiana.
“We’ve talked about it for over a decade and it’s time to do something about it,” Baird said. “I can’t think of one agribusiness not affected by lack of broadband, lack of reliable broadband, lack of affordable broadband.”
Purdue Extension-Putnam County Director Mark Evans added his thoughts to the conversation, saying agriculture education is essential, even to those not going into ag-related fields.
“There’s a growing disconnect from farms,” Evans said, saying that what used to be a population largely removed from the farm by two or three generations is now becoming four or five generations. “Agriculture education is so important. That generational change is there.”
Baird pointed out how Purdue University is keeping pace with modern agriculture, with School of Agriculture crossing over with other programs such as the School of Engineering.
Evans concurred, talking about a machine that is able to sort corn, kernel by kernel, and separating the most orange kernels. While such a device may seem pointless, the more orange corn is then sent to Africa, as the darker color indicates higher levels of beta carotene, which can help save the eyesight of African children at higher risk of blindness.
“I get a little concerned when I hear people say, ‘We don’t need ag education in our schools,’” Evans said.
County Councilman Keith Berry, also a local farmer, emphasized this point with a story from a trip he and wife Sharyl made to Fair Oaks Farms in northern Indiana.
A tour guide recounted to Berry an interaction she had with a teacher who had taken a tour of the facility with her students.
The teacher told the tour guide she enjoyed the tour, “but I don’t like you lying to my students.”
A bit taken aback, the tour guide asked how she had lied to the students.
“You told them that you get milk from the cows,” the concerned teacher said. “Everyone knows milk comes from Kroger or Walmart.”
After letting the laughter in the room die down, Berry said, “We laugh, but she was serious. We have to do more education of where our food comes from. They don’t know as they get further and further from the farm.”
While Baird opening the floor for discussion was probably the most compelling portion of the luncheon, he also shared some insights from his early legislative experience.
Baird said he quickly found out how little he knew about actually being a legislator, even after watching father Jim Baird (now a freshman U.S. Congressman) spend the last eight years in the same District 44 House seat.
He shared how more than 700 bills were filed in the House of Representatives for the 2019 session, while more than 600 more were filed in the Senate.
“I came in with the freshman naive idea that I was going to read all the bills,” Baird said.
Baird also spoke to the bipartisan efforts he sees on a daily basis, despite what we see out of Washington or even what is reported out of Indianapolis.
“We see on the news how contentious things are on just a few issues,” Baird said. “But 79 bills have passed out of the House, most on unanimous or near-unanimous votes.
“When people say Indiana is ‘A State that Works’ and a state that gets things done, I truly believe that.”
In introducing Baird’s program, Development Center Director Kristin Clary had emphasized several ways that Putnam County gets things done.
Clary pointed out the strength her organization draws from relationships with elected leaders, workforce development, small business development, community growth and relationship building.
She especially emphasized the last point, saying one goal of current leaders should be to build up young leaders such as Baird.
“In 2019, our focus will be on leading with intention,” Clary said. “We know one of our greatest local opportunities is finding new leaders, as many who have led for a long time are ready to step aside and let the next generation step up. And we are willing to be part of this process.
“We know this room is full of leaders,” Clary continued. “And we ask for your assistance in identifying and helping mentor that next level of leadership in Putnam County.”
In celebrating change and new leadership, Clary also recognized changes in leadership among officers on the Development Center board. Outgoing board president Liz Cheatham of Endeavor Communications was unable to be in attendance due to a death in the family, so Clary handed the “nonexistent gavel” over to new president Laura Elsbrock, who represents Area 30 Career center on the board.
Joining her on the executive committee are vice president Michael Clampitt, representing North Salem State Bank; treasurer Rod Earley, representing Old National Bank; Greencastle Mayor Bill Dory; and Carrie Thompson of Crown Equipment.
Elsbrock, in her new capacity, then brought recommendations for new appointees to the 25-member board — Danita Timmons of Bridges Craft Pizza and Wine Bar, Greencastle Schools Assistant Superintendent Donovan Garletts, Jennifer Isbell Scott of Centerpoint Energy (formerly Vectren) and new Putnam County Community Foundation Executive Director Brandon Wells.
The nominations passed with no objection.
Leaving the board after several years of service are Ken Eitel of the Community Foundation, Gary Lemon of DePauw and Todd Lewis of First National Bank.