County to resume partnership with West Central Economic Development

Thursday, January 21, 2021

It probably took more than a name change, but Putnam County will resume its funding of West Central Indiana Economic Development District, which is now doing business as Thrive West Central.

In approving their annual Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) plan on Tuesday, commissioners David Berry, Rick Woodall and Tom Helmer agreed to fund Thrive West Central for $15,000 in 2020, the amount requested by the Terre Haute-based regional economic development partnership.

With the decision, Putnam County is sending funding to the organization for the first time since 2018 and funding it at the level requested for the first time since 2017.

The commissioners had opted not to fund West Central each of the last two years, expressing displeasure with the service provided to the county.

Some things have changed at the organization in the last two years, including not only the name, but also leadership, which was represented Tuesday by Executive Director Ryan Keller and Director of Business Development Jon Ford.

Thrive West Central provides economic development, community development and aging and disabled resources to a six-county coalition that includes Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties.

While the decision to fund Thrive West Central was significant, it was a small part of the overall EDIT plan of $1,142,081, which includes:

• Thrive West Central: $15,000

• Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development: $50,000

• Putnam County Senior Center: $20,000

• Edgelea Project: $27,196.25

• Edgelea Debt Contingency: $10,000

• Rural Transit: $10,000

• Beyond Homeless: $15,000

• Food Pantry: $15,000

• People Pathways: $20,000

• Courthouse Annex Project: $150,00

• Reelsville Community Center: $40,000

• County Website: $20,000

• Warchest: $249,884.75

• Warchest - Highway Equipment/Roads: $500,000

The commissioners increased by $5,000 each the amounts given to the senior center, Beyond Homeless, the food pantry and People Pathways.

In the case of the first three, they reached a consensus that with the impact of COVID-19, the organizations likely needed extra funding. The additional amount to People Pathways was by request of the organization.

The funding for Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development remained steady from last year, while the two line items for Edgelea meet the county’s obligation to pay for 25 percent of a paving project undertaken in the subdivision north of Greencastle in 2013. The homeowners of Edgelea are paying for the remaining amount through annual assessments spread out over 20 years.

The $40,000 for the Reelsville Community Center is a one-time payment to assist with the conversion of the old Reelsville School to a community center.

Ben Fox, a local resident who owns the property and hopes to use it to revitalize the Washington Township community, had requested $77,000.

Parallels were drawn between the Reelsville project and similar undertakings in Bainbridge, Roachdale and Russellville. While the county did not provide financial assistance in those cases, one key difference is that those three communities are all municipalities, while Reelsville is not incorporated.

The money earmarked for the county website will help bring the badly outdated site up to date.

Earlier in the meeting, the Commissioners had agreed to a contract with Greencastle-based Distinct Web Design to upgrade the site for an initial cost of $12,000, which will be taken from EDIT funds.

Additionally, there will be a $500 monthly fee taken from the Cumulative Courthouse Fund as well as a $1,000 annual fee for ADA compliance, also taken from Cumulative Courthouse.

While the $20,000 figure is beyond the $12,000 mark, Woodall urged his fellow commissioners to set it higher, as they also hope to tackle the issue of county emails for all employees.

The initial contract with Distinct, which will be ready for signatures during the Monday, Feb. 1 meeting, is for two years.

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