Fillmore council approves ERA for Liberty Industries

Monday, March 9, 2020

FILLMORE -- Having recently come under new ownership, Liberty Industries in Fillmore is now looking to expand its operations.

This has brought an issue of procedure in designating the property as an economic redevelopment area (ERA), even though the company has seen steady growth in the past year.

Kristin Clary, the executive director of the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center attended the council’s regular meeting last Thursday regarding a revamped abatement for the company. She was accompanied by new president Mike Teso.

Clary began that the abatement was coming in light of this growth, and that Liberty Industries was required to account for new assessed value. However, the company has already begun new projects.

An 8,000-square-foot facility for research and development and a 1,200-square-foot facility to house a secondary wash bay are considered real estate improvements. The purchase of a forklift, as well as both a plasma table and a plasma brake to process steel in-house, are considered personal property.

The procedural problem, Clary said, was that redevelopment projects cannot proceed prior to the property being designated as an ERA. This is set out under Rule 4 of the Indiana Administrative Code.

The council approved the resolution to make the property an ERA, but will be required to hold a public hearing on the approval during its next regular meeting.

The trailer company has seen push-back before with regard to employment and its benefit to the town. Town Attorney Jeff Boggess pointed out in August of 2019 that Liberty had not met the goal of 34 employees set out in its 2014 tax abatement.

Clary provided that Liberty is looking to add another position to its current 33. However, she also stated that the company would look to pay out $1.5 million in salaries. Part of this is rewarding those who have been with Liberty the longest.

She also said that approval of an abatement usually goes before a project is begun. It is expected that as the ERA issue is cleared, the council will approve the abatement. Clary also stated that Boggess was aware of the proceedings.

In other business, the council held the first reading for Ordinance 2020-1, which would set standards for internal controls. Essentially, they hold town officials accountable with handling funds.

Council President Meredith Trusty said the town had been “red-flagged” by the State Board of Accounts for not having them. Council member C.J. Huller said the new ordinance would “make sure there’s nobody running off with the money.”

During public comments, a resident shared his disdain with having to pay $1 a month toward upkeep of the town’s storm drains. He reasoned that as there are no drains on Westwood Road, on which he lives, he should not have to pay for a benefit he does not get.

Trusty provided that the town had previously applied for a grant to install drains, but that only one part could be completed due to funds. In turn, Huller emphasized that all residents had to pay the fee regardless or face a lien on their home.

The resident went back and forth with the council and repeated that he would not pay the fee. Trusty said he understood his position, but that the town would have to consult with Boggess.

In his monthly report, Town Marshal Darrel Bunten said that he had seen minimal activity in the way of speeding. More concerning was that he had “kicked loose” his reserves, as they were not showing up for duty. They included Clyde Siddons, Jack Smith and Steve Fenwick.

Bunten said that it was just him who was patrolling the town, but that he had reached out to the sheriff’s office to help. Though he said the had not heard back, the council related that they had seen police cars go through Fillmore.

Town Maintenance Director Joe Cash and Clerk-Treasurer Jayna Haldeman were also not present at the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Fillmore Town Council is scheduled for Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in the Fillmore Town Hall.

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