Adult education program seeks county EDIT assistance

Each year, the Putnam County Commissioners field a number of requests from other agencies for funding from the Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT).

From homelessness and hunger to transportation to pathways to mental health, the commissioners use the EDIT plan to fund a number of organizations that provide for public good.

On Monday, however, Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development Director Kristin Clary offered a unique angle in requesting funding for the Area 30 Adult Education program, as such funding will return money to the EDIT fund.

“It’s not just about getting a GED, it’s about getting them training to contribute to the economy,” Clary said. “So it’s providing income tax that pays into the EDIT fund.”

In attendance with Clary was Adult Education Coordinator Laura Elsbrock, who noted that the $20,000 being requested would raise pay for the teacher as well as allow the program to remain operational during the summer months.

“Thank you for considering this. Our program has gone through a lot of changes over the last 10 years,” Elsbrock said.

When Elsbrok started, it was primarily a GED program. At that time it was overseen by the Department of Education, but that has changed to the Department of Workforce Development for nearly a decade.

Now Elsbrock now works closely with Clary and employers in the community to find out what needs are in terms of workers and skills.

This means that while GEDs are still an important part of the program, training in specific skills — welding and CNC machining, for example — have taken on increased importance.

In 2022, for example, the program awarded 31 GEDs but worked with 115 students overall.

Elsbrock noted, though, that funding from Workforce Development is not consistent. Additionally, the program shares no funding with Area 30 Career Center itself.

Elsbrock noted that she applies for any grants available, but the consistency of a steady $20,000 a year would be a start.

Raising teacher pay would help keep the job competitive with other opportunities for instructors. Meanwhile, she estimated the program could help about 40 more people each year if it remained operational in the summer.

“The advantage of our summers being open is huge because I have teachers that teach on Area 30’s other side, so they’re not available during the school year,” Elsbrock said.

Besides the “hard skills” of specific training, Clary noted that Elsbrock works on the “soft skills” that simply make someone more employable.

For example, Elsbrock noted that participants in the program must have a job or be actively seeking one.

“In our program, I require anyone who is able to work to apply for a job,” she said. “That is part of the training in our program.”

She noted that of 74 people currently in the program, only three are unemployed.

While decisions on EDIT funding for 2024 will not be made until early next year, the Area 30 Adult Education request will be added to the list.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Made decisions on dealing with a number of professional services bills before the end of the year.

First of all, more than $105,000 in bills related to the Cold Spring Solar Farm proposal will be paid from the EDIT Warchest.

Before the Putnam County Board of Zoning Appeals denied the solar farm project, the county’s economic development agreement with Tenaska/Arevon would have required the developer to pay these bills.

However, the county will now pay $42,000 to Baker Tilley for financial services and $62,279.03 to Barnes & Thornburg for legal fees.

Should the developer reapply after the first of the year, which is expected, the fees could be rolled into a new economic development agreement.

Two other bills from Baker Tilley are also due — $2,160 for an analysis of increasing the county wheel tax and $12,559.24 for analysis of annex and bridge funding.

The commissioners recommended that the wheel tax bill come from the county general fund and the annex/bridge study come from the annex fund. However, these are only recommendations for the Putnam County Council to consider during its Tuesday, Dec. 19 meeting.

• Opened annual highway bids for various services related to roads and bridges. All bids were taken under advisement, with County Engineer Jim Peck set to make recommendations ahead of the Monday, Dec. 18 meeting.

Of note, however, is that the county received three fuel bids, including from Co-Alliance from Avon, Heritage Petroleum from Evansville and Petroleum Traders Corp. of Fort Wayne. This is up from two bids last year and just one for several years since.

County officials are hopeful the increased competition will decrease their investment in fuel.

• Heard an update from Commissioner David Berry that Atlas Building Services was at the courthouse performing maintenance on the exterior.

During the meeting, Atlas workers were using a lift to access some of the ornate limestone near the top of the north wall of the building.

The crew remained on location as of midday Wednesday.

• Denied a request by Peck to purchase a $91,457.43 crack sealing machine from Hazardous Waste Fund dollars.

Peck noted that such work can add several years to the life of roads if used in the third year and sixth year after paving is performed.

• Tabled 2024 appointments until the Dec. 18 meeting.