In general, the PCED board agreed that this is an important asset to bring to the community, although some dissent was expressed in light of the new circumstances. PCED president Rod Button suggested that the elementary school in Monterey may be worth considering and fellow board member Jim Fleury agreed. The possibility will depend on ownership and costs. Discussion ensued on the benefits of a community college’s presence in the community.

Last month Origer had conducted a follow-up site visit at the former Center Group on Keller Street, Winamac. with Ivy Tech - Logansport. Also present were Ivy Tech Dean Kevin Bostic and Karickhoff (who is also a state representative to the Indiana General Assembly) and David Bennett of Winamac. Origer reported the building seemed to be approved of by Rep. Karickhoff.

Other items to come before the PCED in May included the following:

Executive Director’s Report

Strategic Relationships: Origer attended the April meeting of the Northwest Indiana Forum’s Economic Development partners, having previously met with the organization’s president and Charles Weaver, executive director of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation and chair of the Forum’s economic-development partners committee. Origer noted that the Forum considers itself in the service of Pulaski County, so he sought to investigate. (More under New Business).

Origer also had a brief meeting with Van Janovic, an engineer from Koontz Lake. At the April meeting of the Chamber of Commerce board, the PCED/Chamber tourism agreement was approved, and discussion was held regarding tourism and fundraising efforts.
Infrastructure: Origer assisted Greenspace Winamac with a grant application for the proposed pocket park at the corner of U.S. 35 and Washington Street. He explained that the town supports the project, but has asked project organizer Fred Zahrt to develop a firm proposal, including accurate costs and available financial resources, before reporting to the town council again. It is hoped that the grant would help to address this request.

Origer noted that the Advisory Plan Commission continues to wait on the final land-use maps; he has no copy of the county’s contract with Rhein-Bach. PCED member/county commissioner Ken Boswell reported that the county will work with the existing marked-up maps, and that the county and WTH will see what the company can do to hasten this process.

PCED’s support of the Winamac Safe Routes to School Taskforce continues. The organization has just finished a grant application for phase-one infrastructure improvements. Origer expressed hope not only for this project, but for broader walkability development in the county. A second Walk-to-School Day will occur in mid-May.

Origer reported successfully initiating communication with CSX regarding west-side rail-based development. He then explained some of the basic requirements for the State’s Shovel Ready and CSX’s Select Sites programs for industrial parks.

Business Retention/Expansion and Entrepreneurial Development: Origer spoke with the Indiana Municipal Power Agency’s (IMPA) Susan Reed and U. S. Department of Agriculture/Indiana Rural Development’s Phil Lehmkuhler regarding alternative-financing strategies for the Plymouth Tube project. He successfully scheduled a follow-up meeting with the company, the Town of Winamac, the county, and IMPA for June 8.

Origer has been working with various state agencies to set up entrepreneurial-development workshops in the run-up to the 2012 Pulaski County Economic Development Summit. (More under Old Business.)

Origer attended the Young Entrepreneurs Program Preview Event at Purdue, but was disappointed that no ventures would be appropriate for Pulaski County.

Marketing: Origer attended the monthly Rural and Rustic meeting in Rochester. In addition to finishing the outdoor-recreation brochure, the group discussed regional-interest trails.

Professional Development: With PCED member David Broad and Dan and Virginia Dolezal, Origer attended the Inside, Outside, All Around the Town workshop on senior-supportive development and design, which provided an opportunity for idea-sharing with practitioners from across the state.

Other: Origer noted that he continues working with Pulaski Memorial Hospital on their Community Health Needs Assessment; both parties have been delayed on this project, though.

Workforce Development: The level-two welding class has concluded successfully; a review meeting will follow.

 Origer presented the labor-force report for April. Pulaski County’s unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, down from 7.3 percent in March and 7.9 percent in April 2011, with an estimated real rate close to the official rate.

Boswell noted that Fratco still struggles to find workers with appropriate skills; discussion ensued regarding this persistent problem. Origer suggested that programs addressing the “brain drain” should better focus on skilled and semi-skilled labor, and not solely on white-collar and “knowledge” workers. PCED member Becky Anspach asked if any tracking mechanisms are in place for the welding program. PCED member Carolyn Hildebrandt noted that Extension has attempted to follow graduates, but that this has proven to be difficult.

Financial Report: At the end of April, $91,109.37 remained in PCED’s budget; the CEDIT Fund had a balance of nearly $1.93 million not appropriated. The balance of the Donation Fund remained just below $3,000, and the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) had a balance of almost $134,000. PCED member Dave Zeltwanger enquired about the tax income being returned to Counties by the State; it was not known exactly how much money would be returned to any one fund within each county.

Priority List and Monthly Calendar: Forthcoming events on the director’s schedule were reviewed; those of note were the Midwest Indiana Economic Development and KIRPC-CEDS/Brownfields meetings, the executive session at which he would be appearing before the County Commissioners, and the Safe Routes to School taskforce meetings and Walk-to-School Day.

Old Business

Economic Summit 2012: The director provided a list of events to be hosted by PCED:

• Monday, May 21, 5:30 p.m., Pulaski County Public Library – Winamac: PCED Presentation on the Pulaski County Revolving Loan Fund.
• Thursday, May 31, 10 a.m., Francesville site to be determined: Small Business Administration workshop.
• Monday, June 4, 5 p.m., Pulaski County Public Library – Winamac: Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center presentation.

Origer intends to work with other agencies, including the Service Core of Retired Executives, to schedule other events in mid-June. The board assented to a June 28 Summit date; it will occur at 6:30 p.m. at the Medaryville Lions Club. Discussion regarding the program ensued. Origer will work on securing catering and presenters, and advertising will be addressed.

Quarterly Newsletter: Origer reminded members that he hopes to publish the inaugural quarterly PCED newsletter later in the month. He asked that they submit to him anything they would like to have considered for inclusion in the letter. He provided a list of items he already has considered, including local-business anniversaries. Zeltwanger asked, “Who’s the audience?” The director mentioned economic-development peers, county officials, business leaders, and anyone whose e-mail address he could get. Distribution methods were discussed.

Youth Retention Committee: PCED member Derrick Stalbaum agreed to join president Rod Button (and possibly Commissioner Boswell) on this committee.  Button encouraged the director to move forward on this committee. Origer said he will reach out to a community member who previously had expressed interest in serving with this group. He also briefly relayed some potential projects for this committee.

IMPA ED program questionnaire: Returning to the previous month’s discussion on the survey, Origer asked if there were any services offered through IMPA that PCED should investigate. He noted that, based on conversations with Jim Walton of Brand Acceleration, that neither the Website audit nor the Website template should be considered. No action was taken.

Pulaski Online - Virtual-building site: Having spoken with Walton, Origer realized that this would be too costly for the County.

Pulaski Online - Current billing, future development: Having followed up on the previous month’s discussion about the cost of Pulaski Online, the director presented an e-mail from Golden Technologies, wherein it was noted that Pulaski County’s fee is significantly higher than the normal monthly fee; Origer will enquire as to a more reasonable price. He also reiterated his interest in pursuing the development of a new Website in 2013. He encouraged the board to continue discussing this and to approach the county; discussion ensued.

RLF Administrative Guidelines: Origer presented an updated draft of the proposed administrative guidelines, having incorporated comments from the board, Boswell, and county attorney Kevin Tankersley. He asked for approval to present this document to the commissioners, pending final approval from Tankersley. The board voted its approval, after the director satisfactorily addressed PCED member Jim Fleury’s concerns about voting before receiving Tankersley’s approval.

New Business

Northwest Indiana Forum: Origer attended the April meeting of the Economic Development partners of the Northwest Indiana Forum. This group, similar to the Midwest Indiana group, is a regional economic-development and marketing group. The director presented a list of positive and negative attributes of each group. Lengthy discussion ensued, and no action will be taken any time soon, particularly because Pulaski County has paid its 2012 dues to the Midwest group, but the members believed further discussion to be worthwhile. The director will continue to research these options and to present information to the board.

2013 Budget Proposal: The director presented the 2013 budget proposal, as well as a comparison with previous years’ proposed and approved budgets. He noted that depending on what the State Board of Accounts says is permissible, a meals-and-entertainment line item may be added. Excepting the additional Professional Services funding requested to develop a new Website, the 2013 request is for less money than requested in 2012. The proposal, with the potential addition of the expense-account item, was approved unanimously.

PCED/PCPL programming proposal: Pulaski County Public Library director MacKenzie Ledley proposed a partnership with PCED to offer presentations at quarterly or semi-annual intervals, at the library. The board thought it to be worthwhile. Origer expressed an interest in doing them perhaps every four months, and to include the Medaryville branch. Discussion ensued regarding potential programming, as well as the director’s need to balance his personal life and work schedule.

Membership-Officer appointment: Mrs. Hildebrandt will be leaving PCED after this meeting; she is retiring at the end of August and moving with her husband to Louisiana. Origer asked vice president Cheryl Stone to assume an at-large seat, and for Stalbaum to replace Stone as the Medaryville town appointee. The board approved this unanimously. Approval was also given to the appointment of Jamie Bales to replace Mrs. Hildebrandt as the membership officer.