The company rehabilitates used equipment in-house. This summer, the company will launch a retail truck-equipment line, offering plows, toolboxes, bed liners, and related equipment. Additionally, Link has become a franchise affiliate of a hose-and-fitting supplier.
“We’re diversifying,” Link noted.
Responding to an enquiry, Link noted that despite past incidents with county government, the company remains committed to the community, both in terms of operating here and being willing to service local-government entities. Responding to another question about his vision for the next 25 years, Link responded that increased alternate-fuel usage and recycling should be expected, adding that the important question will be one of affordable processing.
Regarding Linkster’s, the family’s downtown-Winamac boutique cigar shop, Link called it “our fun place” and “Dad’s dream.” They hope to see new additions to downtown’s business district. In addition to these ventures, his mother operates the Winamac Events Center, a building available for rental for meetings, parties, and the like. Link was thanked for his entrepreneurial service to the community and taking time to address PCED.
In other business, the PCED board reviewed the following items:
Executive Director’s Report
Strategic Relationships: PCED director Nathan Origer reported on attending the monthly MidWest Indiana (now called ‘Indiana’s Technology Corridor’) meeting. He lunched with Jack Moore, of CenturyLink, who later provided him with maps showing where CenturyLink offers fiber-optic service in Pulaski County. (Origer noted that Eric Galbreath also provided maps showing where TVCable provides this service.) He had a breakfast meeting with a local resident, who recently moved back to Winamac, to discuss what is going on in the community. He attended the monthly Chamber-board meeting, and is working on a fundraising program with the Chamber’s executive director and one other board member. Discussion also followed regarding the inaugural issue of the quarterly Pulaski County Economic Development Dispatch. Origer said it was quite well received.
Infrastructure: Origer assisted Greenspace Winamac with another grant application for the proposed pocket park at the corner of U.S. 35 and Washington Street; the previous month’s grant had been awarded. He noted that the county’s Advisory Plan Commission continues to wait on the final land-use maps; Rhein-Bach has promised to deliver the electronic files, and WTH has agreed to finish them as appropriate. Origer met with PCED board members Andrew Fritz and Dave Zeltwanger, along with Brad Neihouser, to discuss west-side real estate for - and possible community response to - the PC-CARE; following that, Origer met informally with one landowner.
Business Retention/Expansion and Entrepreneurial Development: Three of the Summit run-up events were completed to-date: the presentation on the Revolving Loan Fund (with decent attendance), the Small Business Administration workshop (with abysmal attendance - Origer simply discussed SBA programs with the representative), and the talk by the business consultant from the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center. Additionally, on the morning of the board meeting, Origer met with an attendee of the RLF presentation; she and her husband have purchased a building in Winamac with the intent of opening a small lunch-service restaurant, and may require supplemental financial assistance. Despite the minimal attendance, Origer expressed his view that as long as even one or two entrepreneurs are introduced to helpful resources, then the programming is worth the effort.
Marketing: Origer attended the monthly Rural and Rustic meeting in Rochester.
Other: Origer noted that he continues to work with Pulaski Memorial Hospital on its Community Health Needs Assessment; both parties have been delayed on this project, however.
Workforce Development: Pulaski County’s unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, down from 6.9 percent in April and 7.1 percent in May 2011. Origer suggested that the real unemployment rate is about 7.3 percent, based on the ratio between the official and real national-unemployment rates, but added that this is a rough estimate, with no easy way to calculate the rate precisely. Discussion ensued regarding the causes of the local-climate improvement.
Financial Report: Origer reported on fund balances through the end of May. The county’s Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) had a balance of more than $136,000. All borrowers continue to repay on time. Discussion ensued regarding legitimate uses of CEDIT moneys under current state statute, and regarding a Winamac RLF borrower.
Priority List and Monthly Calendar: Forthcoming events on Origer’s schedule for June and July were reviewed; those of note were the Winamac/County/Plymouth Tube/Indiana Municipal Power Agency meeting June 8 regarding the proposed substation for Plymouth Tube and the financing thereof; Link Environmental Equipment’s open house and the Chamber of Commerce’s golf outing (June 15); the last Summit run-up event and the Economic Summit (Jun3 18 and 28); PCED’s County Council appointment to discuss the 2013 budget at some point in July; and the August board meeting, in Monterey. Origer also pointed out the County Fair (June 30 June to July 6), Power from the Past (July 19 – 22), and the Winamac town-wide yard sales (July 21).
Old Business
Ivy Tech update: Origer noted that the primary issue continues to be that a suitable building, owned by a willing landlord, has yet to be found; or that the payback costs on a building purchased and appropriately renovated by a qualifying non-profit organization is longer than the life of a lease that Ivy Tech can promise. Discussion ensued regarding whether other communities in the county would be feasible, or if Winamac alone works, as well as potential buildings. Additionally, it was suggested that approaching Ivy Tech with a small committee of community members, to show the broad community support for the project, may be advisable. Origer will continue to work with Ivy Tech and other involved players to bring Ivy Tech to the community.
Economic Summit 2012: Origer reported on the last pre-cursor event, with the Purdue Center for Regional Development, on June 18, at the Francesville-Salem Township Fire Station. Focusing on economic gardening and the Indiana Home Town Competitiveness Program (HTC), this event would be, Origer noted, “the most important [of the pre-cursor events]”; brief overviews of economic garden and HTC were provided. Origer continues to work on organizing the June 28 Summit.
Brownfields Assessment (KIRPC): Origer met with KIRPC officials, KIRPC-region economic-development directors, and consultants from IWM, and reported that KIRPC would be applying for a regional-coalition brownfield-assessment grant. Origer asked the board to provide to him any sites worth considering for this project — abandoned factories, grain elevators, gas stations, mechanic shops, and the like. On a tangent from the mention of grain elevators, he noted that he had contacted someone from Tate & Lyle, which recently purchased the Overmyer Grain facility north of Francesville.
ITC (MidWest Indiana)/Northwest Indiana Forum — Financial-investment obligations: Continuing discussion from the May meeting regarding Pulaski County’s regional identity/ies regarding continued membership in Indiana’s Technology Corridor (ITC; formerly MidWest Indiana), joining the Northwest Indiana Forum, or embracing both directions, Origer presented two potential expenses relating to ITC membership: a one-time licensing fee of $1,650 for PCED use of Executive Pulse (economic- development customer-relationship-management software), and $2,000 local-match contribution for the grant recently awarded to ITC by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for marketing, especially through a new, vastly improved Website to be developed by Brand Acceleration. After lengthy discussion, the board approved both expenditures. At this time, the board’s position, as expressed in the discussion, is to attempt to be involved with both ITC and the Forum.
OSHA 30 training: Returning to a topic from April, the director presented information from Heritage Safety group about the company, the programs that it offers, and the OSHA 30 training that it provides. The board supports hosting the programming, but specific PCED involvement remains to be determined. Members suggested that it be delayed until late fall or winter, when more potential participants — especially self-employed contractors — would be available; enquiring as to whether any municipal employees would benefit from this was also encouraged.
Public outreach — County Fair: Origer attended the Chamber board meeting at which the idea of again having a booth at the fair was met with skepticism. Origer asked the board if this would be worth pursuing. Given the general ineffectiveness of last year’s attempt, the idea was scrapped, with the director noting that he would spend one or two evenings, in a CDC shirt, walking the fairgrounds and engaging residents as appropriate.
Election-2012 debates: The director, having spoken with one candidate for state office from this district, expressed concern about whether PCED could successfully conduct a debate without risk of creating too much commotion, given the heated nature of legislation passed in the most recent session. The issue was tabled until the August meeting.
New Business
IEDA Summer Conference: Best Practices: Origer requested permission to attend this conference, in mid-June in Merrillville, noting that the agenda looks to be quite relevant to PCED’s current objectives. Approval was granted.
Youth summer-employment flyers (CWI/WorkOne): Origer noted the flyers from CWI are distributed electronically. Companies are encouraged, when possible, to offer summer-employment opportunities to high-school students and other young adults. The flyers included examples of wage break-outs, tips for youth seeking employment, and how firms can make best use of young summer help.
Board Member (Community) Reports
Items discussed during board member reports included the Star City Sewer project, the hospital specialty clinic construction project, the Winamac park, agriculture crops status, the status of the county's proposed irrigation ordinance, banking and industry updates, and some individual business highlights.
