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Putnam County wins statewide award for comprehensive plan

Monday, September 30, 2024
Honored for the recent process by which the county comprehensive plan was updated, Putnam County officials receive a 2024 Local Government Corporation Award from Association of Indiana Counties Board President Nancy Marsh (left), who also serves as Hendricks County Auditor. Those receiving the award on behalf of the county include (from second left) Building and Planning Director Lisa Zeiner, commissioners Rick Woodall and David Berry and Surveyor Greg Williams.
Courtesy AIC

The Association of Indiana Counties (AIC) recently awarded Putnam County a 2024 Local Government Corporation Award for its comprehensive plan.

Putnam County has embarked on a transformative journey to revitalize its zoning and comprehensive planning processes. This initiative addresses longstanding challenges and aims to foster cohesive growth across the county and its towns.

The county initiated presentations with the municipalities of Bainbridge, Roachdale, Russellville, Cloverdale, Fillmore and Greencastle, focusing on building bridges and creating a unified approach to planning. The goal was to develop a comprehensive plan and unified development ordinance (UDO) that would provide a cohesive framework for the entire county, with tailored plans for each town.

The result is not only a comprehensive plan that was updated for the first time in more than a decade, but a UDO that upgrades standards that had been unchanged since the county first adopted zoning in the early 1990s.

The overarching vision for Putnam County is to celebrate its historic small towns, agricultural heritage and natural beauty while providing diverse housing options, employment opportunities and recreational destinations. Investments in transportation networks, utility systems and thoughtful planning for growth are essential to supporting both current and future residents.

Counties that win this prestigious award must demonstrate that the project meets the following criteria:

• Cooperation between one or more municipalities and county.

• Shows innovation.

• Positive impact on the community and the participating governmental units.

• Potential for the activity to serve as a model for other local governments.

The award was announced Wednesday, Sept. 25, during the AIC Annual Conference in Switzerland County. Counties that win this award are chosen by a committee comprised of elected county officials from across the state.

During the conference, the AIC’s Board of Directors also adopted its 2025 legislative platform and held elections for its executive board of directors. The AIC Board sets policies and legislative goals for the Association of Indiana Counties, which represents all 92 Indiana counties.

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  • Congrats!!!

    For the critics, you are probably of the position that the other counties must be in real trouble

    -- Posted by beg on Thu, Oct 3, 2024, at 4:33 PM
  • *

    Did you catch this? The AIC Board sets policies and legislative goals for the Association of Indiana Counties, which represents all 92 Indiana counties.

    Why do the counties need a lobbying group?

    And what is it that our State Representatives and State Senators are doing that the counties feel the need for a lobbying group?

    Maybe it is because the counties are now just one more piggy at the trough of government. "The county" has become a thing to itself, a governmental machine driven by self-interest.

    Side note: Does anyone know who did the write-up of the Democratic get-together? Author isn't listed, and comments are turned off. Guess there will be no fact-checking of the blatant lies and misrepresentations... aka political spin. Critical thinking takes another one.

    -- Posted by dreadpirateroberts on Thu, Oct 3, 2024, at 5:48 PM

  • Good eye pirate.

    They need to lobby so they can conference with the real policy makers at the top. You know, the ones that direct who get the seed money to guide the county to their favored vendors?

    How else can Lisa dictate the Big Ideas that the Commish dutifully follow?

    It's about the grants they dangle in front of the locals to move the agenda along.

    -- Posted by direstraits on Fri, Oct 4, 2024, at 8:26 AM

  • AIC not only holds an annual conference, but regional conferences as well. Most office holders see these as extended paid vacations with meals, lodging, travel expenses etc. all paid for by the county taxpayers. Maybe a requirement is in order that they all report back at a commissioners meeting, and tell them what they learned at these conferences and how it benefits the taxpayers.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Fri, Oct 4, 2024, at 9:22 AM

  • Until people stop voting for those candidates with (or simply because) they have an R or D next to their name, these shenanigans will continue. Wake up, voters.

    -- Posted by Koios on Fri, Oct 4, 2024, at 6:10 PM
  • *

    All smiles while they spend our money posing for a picture and creating an out of touch agenda for the future of Putnam County.

    -- Posted by Mayor Humdinger on Sun, Oct 6, 2024, at 7:45 AM

  • What is the out of touch agenda?

    -- Posted by your mom on Mon, Oct 7, 2024, at 12:54 PM
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