At no cost, businesses may participate in the program, which provides free advertising, including an online presence; the only expectation of the participating company is to offer a discount to cardholders. Hess provided a few examples of these discounts; information, including a recent brochure indication participating companies and their offered discounts, was also distributed. Cardholders pay a $20 annual fee. In addition to direct sales, the company also works with charitable and community organizations, permitting them to sell cards for fund-raising purposes. Milestone also has developed a program whereby it returns some of its proceeds to families or community organizations in need in the communities where it operates.

Executive Director’s Report

Strategic Relationships: Origer reported on various happenings of the previous month. He and other board members and former director Dan Dolezal represented PCED at Ivy Tech – Logansport’s “For the Love of Education” fundraising ball. The school raised about $18,000 for scholarships for students from Cass, Fulton and Pulaski counties.

Infrastructure: The director noted that he met with Joe Hunting of 1st Source Bank and now on the Winamac Industrial Park Advisory Board, and then attended the board’s organization meeting, at which were discussed potential types of businesses ideal to the park’s location, and marketing measures.

Origer also attended the February meeting of the Pulaski County Advisory Plan Commission (APC); Building Inspector Dave Dare will serve as the plan administrator, and county attorney Kevin Tankersley will represent the APC. Origer has been helping the APC to fill empty APC and Board-of-Zoning-Appeals seats.

Origer submitted an online grant application to the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company on behalf of Greenspace Winamac; notice of award or rejection will come in April. He also participated, via telephone, in a meeting of the Indiana Complete Streets Campaign; he made contact, through this, with Richard Vonnegut, of the Hoosier Rails to Trails Council, who has worked in the past with the Friends of the Panhandle Pathway. The director also met with Gavin Ford, general manager of the Plymouth Tube Hot Mill, regarding the proposed substation for the Hot Mill.

Business Retention/Expansion and Entrepreneurial Development: Origer met with Milestone Development Group officers, and then put them in contact with the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. He spoke with two local residents interested in starting food-service businesses in Winamac, providing information to them and directing them to the Indiana Small Business Development Center’s local consultant, based in Knox. Additionally, Origer reported that someone had opened a gold-buying business in the Winamac Plaza. He noted, too, that, despite various rumors in town, according to the owners of the Indian-Head building, nothing is happening there. Through the state’s site-selection website, Origer submitted the Winamac Industrial Park in response to a project lead for a galvanizing plant.

Marketing: Jacki Frain, representing the Chamber of Commerce Board, accompanied Origer to the monthly Rural & Rustic meeting where the proof of the forthcoming outdoor-recreation brochure was reviewed. Mrs. Frain suggested partnering with local REMCs to help fund tourism initiatives. Origer reminded the members that he had spoken with someone from Carroll White REMC who has expressed interest in engaging in economic-development partnerships with counties served by that utility.

Professional Development: Origer participated in the Economic Development Administration’s 2013-budget conference call. He reported some shifts in proposed funding and an increased emphasis on regional partnerships, entrepreneurships, and competitions for earmarked funds. In Carroll County, he attended Economic Development 101, hosted by his counterpart in that county and Carroll White REMC and put on by Ball State’s Building Better Communities program. He reported the spring 2012 Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA) conference “was definitely the best that he has attended, and the most relevant.” (More detail in Old Business)

Workforce Development: Origer attended the Center of Workforce Innovations/Conexus winter workshop which focused on manufacturing-job-skills needs and training, in Michigan City.

Financial Report: President Rod Button asked about administrative guidelines for the RLF (revolving loan fund). Member and county commissioner Ken Boswell noted that the director had drafted some guidelines, and expressed a belief in the greater need for PCED involvement in post-award oversight. Origer noted that his proposal was on the agenda.

Priority List and Monthly Calendar: Forthcoming events on Origer’s schedule were reviewed; those of note included a meeting at Pulaski Memorial Hospital to discuss PCED’s role in a community–health-needs assessment and two other meetings on the same day, a workshop at Ball State–Indianapolis, a meeting regarding the shovel-ready industrial park. On March 20, Origer was double-booked, with both a presentation to the Winamac Red Hats group and a workshop in Indianapolis. He asked if any board member could substitute at the Red Hats meeting. Christy Perdue volunteered. Origer said he would follow up would also ask Dan Dolezal if he could be available. Finally, the director noted that April’s meeting would take place in Medaryville, at Pulaski County Public Library.

Old Business

Communities for a Lifetime, etc.: Origer reported that Winamac’s proposal for the Communities for a Lifetime program was not funded; he encouraged the board to continue focusing on senior-oriented development, noting that grant funds or not, this issue will remain important. He noted that independent, market-rate senior housing and Complete Streets/walkability should remain on PCED’s radar. At the IEDA conference Origer learned that the most entrepreneurial age group is the 55-plus cohort.

RLF Guidelines: Origer drew members’ attention to the proposed RLF-administration (revolving loan fund) guidelines that he has proposed to the county commissioners. He seconded Boswell’s earlier comments, claiming that PCED should have more post-loan oversight responsibility. Discussion ensued; it was decided that the auditor should continue to receive payment, rather than the PCED director, and the director would be expected to confirm receipt of payment by the auditor. The director would make changes to the proposal suggested by the board before discussing it with the commissioners.

PCED board member David Zeltwanger enquired about reviews of and revisions to the RLF program, and whether the program serves an appropriate function. Origer noted that a review occurred in 2011; he added that AdaptaSoft had expanded and attracted out-of-state white-collar employees, and that Clear Decision Filtration continues to be a successful small business because of the help from the RLF. Zeltwanger expressed his concern that PCED is under an intense microscope because of the Chesapeake-loan issue. Further discussion ensued. Board member Cheryl Stone asked if current borrowers would be grandfathered in against new oversight guidelines. Origer responded that he saw no reason for them to be exempted, noting that they currently are expected to adhere to what guidelines do exist.

IEDA Spring Conference — Review: Origer continued his comments about the worthiness of the conference, elaborating that the conference’s emphasis on entrepreneurism made it particularly pertinent to PCED’s plans. He provided a sketch of his impressions and how they could be put into effect better to support potential and young start-up businesses in the county. He also provided information on Economic Gardening, a development strategy the focuses on smaller companies that are in “growth mode”, which a number of Pulaski-County companies are.

Ongoing Projects: Origer provided a brief overview of the status of ongoing projects, noting that in the coming weeks he would be focusing his attention on them anew.

New Business

New Appointments — PC-CARE Committee: Origer asked for two new committee members. He provided an outline of the plans for this proposed ag.-tech park. Andrew Fritz and Zeltwanger agreed to serve. Non-PCED committee members would be solicited from west-side residents involved and interested in development.

New Committee — Small Business and Entrepreneurial Development: Having already discussed the importance of entrepreneurial development both historically in Pulaski County and in contemporary economic development, the director asked for the creation of a committee dedicated to improving PCED strategies on this front. Becky Anspach agreed to serve on the new committee; non-members would be sought, too, including at least one member of Chamber board of directors.

Benefit Bank/Poverty Information: Origer presented a news article, regarding the Benefit Bank, supported by Purdue Extension, wherein it was noted that Pulaski County ranks first in the state for percentage of population living in concentrated poverty. He charged the members to recall that addressing issues such as this is ultimately why PCED exists. Board member Carolyn Hildebrandt noted that Pulaski County Extension offers Benefit-Bank services.

Vacant-Building Ordinance: Origer provided a copy of a recently adopted vacant-building ordinance in Cook County, Illinois, and suggested that, given the newly implemented land-use ordinances in the county and the hiring of a plan administrator, and that he does not have a comprehensive list of commercial and industrial buildings that could be marketed for development, the county may wish to consider implementing a vacant-building ordinance, which would require enrollment of vacant buildings on a county register and a minimum level of building upkeep. Lengthy discussion ensued, with many concerns expressed. Ultimately, it was agreed that PCED has no business with respect to vacant residential buildings, and any action on that end should be taken up by the APC; that requiring enrollment may prove to be unpopular, unenforceable, and too time-consuming; and that some means by which to compile a list of marketable commercial and industrial buildings would be beneficial to the director.

Public Outreach: Origer brought up having a booth at the 4-H Fair and festivals in the county better to market PCED’s presence to residents. Zeltwanger asked how many visitors the director received when manning tables in 2011; he said that it was hit-and-miss, with few visitors, but with generally good conversations with those who did stop at the booths. Trustee Fleury noted his disappointment at the poor attendance in the fair’s community-booths buildings. No decisions were made about specific events, but members did express willingness to man tables with the director.

Quarterly Newsletter: Explaining that most surrounding counties’ economic-development offices have a newsletter, often monthly, the director asked if starting a quarterly electronic publication to apprise stakeholders, partners and peers, and residents of PCED’s doings would be advisable. Members all supported this initiative, suggesting publishing it on Pulaski Online and submitting it to local media, as well.

Some of the board member reports included the following:

• Mrs. Anspach: Star City sewer users should be connected to the system within 90 days.

• Mr. Poor: Construction of the medical office building has resumed, after labor issues, and occupancy is expected by September.
• Mrs. Hildebrandt: The enrollment period for 4-H is continuing; Alan Kurtz is leaving Extension for the private sector; with funds from Purdue, the office may be able to elevate one employee from part-time to full-time status.
• Bill Champion: Winter 2011-2012 has been the best that Fratco has ever seen.
• Commissioner Boswell: Dave Dare is getting situated as plan administrator, and the APC’s budget has been approved. The county is still waiting on final land-use maps. The county may soon be using WebGIS to make some map files available to the public.
• Mrs. Stone: The Medaryville storm-water project continues ahead of schedule; a new pizza restaurant, the Pizza Pit, has opened; her daughter has been leading a committee to find funding to buy new Christmas decorations for town.
• Jim Fleury: The historic-site application for the Monterey bandstand will be on the agenda for the April meeting of the designating body; the Town may acquire the railroad depot. The new bridge construction on the north side of town is drawing nearer. The Town has applied for a planning grant for a sewer- system study; planning for Monterey Day 2012 is underway. He hopes to hear news regarding the community’s petition to have Tippecanoe Township de-annexed from the Culver schools within the next two months. Someone is negotiating to purchase the now-closed mini-mart in town.
• Mr. Bales: Alliance Bank was ranked 11th, up from the 20’s, amongst 150-some Indiana banks in an annual stability/strength report. Parkview Haven has put its renovation/expansion plans on hold; bids came in higher than expected, and regulatory issues have caused the directors to reconsider.