Timm spoke about his personal and business history, agriculture in Pulaski County, federal agriculture policies, and Medaryville. He explained that he purchased the business from his stepfather about 1990 and has since expended his staff, services offered, and capacity. In addition to Timm Services’ crop-insurance business, the family is involved in seed corn, test plots, and agronomy through Fulmer Seed.

Emphasizing the importance of agriculture, Timm noted that one farmer feeds approximately 100 people. In 2012, with a 39.3-bushel-per-acre soybean yield, Pulaski County ranked about 45th in Indiana; about 121,000 acres of beans were planted. The 113,000-some acres of corn in 2012 yielded 110.9 bushels per acres, about 20th-best in the state. With about 15,000 acres, Pulaski County ranks as a top popcorn-producing county in the state, if not the nation, consistently.

Responding to a query from a commission member, Timm said that about 98 percent of his clients drew on their crop insurance in 2012. Responding to another question, Timm explained that PCED can be of help by advocating for common-sense local policies that support agriculture, citing the 2012 irrigation controversy as an example of the opposite. Answering another question, Timm estimated annual costs per acre in planting season of about $600 for corn and$400 for soybeans, for a grand total, based on 2012 numbers, of nearly $120million. This, Timm said, has had a significant effect on small, agriculture-serving banks, leading to the consolidation necessary to handle financial requirements of producers while remaining independent.

PCED executive director Nathan Origer asked how PCED can help to improve Medaryville. Timm reiterated the importance of supporting agriculture. Discussion ensued regarding the proposed PC-CARE rail-served development under consideration for western Pulaski County. Timm offered his support for such an endeavor, stressing the importance of retaining what rail access remains.                   

Old Business

PC-CARE engineering-study proposal: Origer reported that at least one CSX-adjacent property owner is open to involvement. Origer will contact another owner believed worth approaching. It ws reported that Origer and commission members David Zeltwanger, and Andrew Fritz had met with Bob Aloi and Mike Lewallen of Territorial Engineering for further discussion of potential parcels. Origer and Aloi and Lewallen will meet with Jeff Wagoner of CSX later in the month.

Zeltwanger has contacted former Alliance Bank president Roger Cummings to update him on the project. He suggested that Origer should meet with Cummings and Ron Kruger. Additionally,  Zeltwanger reported having spoken informally with some area landowners about sales prices and expressed some concern regarding the land-acquisition part of the project.

Commission member Lawrence Loehmer urged that cost not be the sticking point in this project, arguing that finding the best location for the project is most important. He further suggested that it would be wise to be very clear with landowners that this project’s objective is to improve the county’s economy and to add value to the community, not to make a profit. He offer some past examples that he felt were relevant.

Francesville businessman Ron Schlatter, a guest in attendance, expressed agreement with Loehmer, stating that focusing on the long-term plan is more important than short-term costs.

Student–business-plan competition: Given that little time remains in the school year, and that Origer was unable to find enough volunteers from the local business community, the mentoring portion of this year’s pilot will be removed from the project. Ron Gifford, from the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center, and Origer will review the students’ drafts and offer suggestions. Of the six plans, five of them, Origer highlighted, focus on quality-of-life improvements.

The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors agreed to offer prizes, in the form of ChamberChecks, for the top two submissions. Assuming that the scoring committee has reviewed and judged the plans in time to do so, the top students will be recognized for their achievements at the end of the school year. Further discussion ensued about the future of the program. In general, the director was pleased with the progress of this first attempt.

Pulaski County signage/billboard project: Significant discussion continued regarding the possibility of using highway billboards to market the county, including the review of costs and contract terms, retrieved by Zeltwanger, for specific available signs along I-65, U.S. 231, and S.R. 14 in Jasper County. Suggestions included focusing on a specific target group (e.g., outdoor-recreational tourists from urbanized areas seeking rural respite), honing in on very specific things to market (e.g., the opportunities offered by the Tippecanoe River), and whether to switch out multiple images throughout the year or to maintain one sign year-round. The committee for this project, suggesting seasonal themes, proposed summer marketing of the Tippecanoe River and the state park; fall marketing of sandhill cranes and the Crane Cruise; and winter marketing of the all-volunteer Christmas-lights display in Pulaski. Schlatter asked if the infrastructure is in place for a potential increased influx in tourism, should this project move forward and succeed, suggesting that Pulaski County may find itself in an “all-dressed-up-and-nowhere-to-go” position. Committee members were asked to take into consideration this discussion and concomitant materials, and to return in June with a recommendation.

Tippecanoe River State Park wireless project: Having met with property manager Vernon Gillum and receiving from him a forwarded e-mail from someone in Indianapolis, Origer reported that, although interest exists, a number of obstacles would need to be removed before TRSP could have wireless connectivity, primarily regarding start-up costs (which would be less than previously anticipated, because a tower would not need to be erected) and cost recovery. Zeltwanger provided some further insight into infrastructure installation and meeting system demands. Following discussion about PCED’s role in this project, it was suggested that some financial support could be provided if Gillum were to develop a plan.  Origer was instructed to report back to Gillum.

New Business

Part-time assistant/secretary position: The commission's executive board recommended that a part-time employee be hired to assist Origer and to ensure that the office be open when the director is attending events, on business-retention visits, or taking a day off. Funds can be transferred from within the 2013 budget for the rest of this year. After discussion, the commission voted to authorize Origerto conduct the hiring process.

2014 Budget proposal: The director presented a 2014 draft budget, approved by the executive board, for consideration by the full commission, with a grand-total request of $235,070 plus any changes made to personnel expenses by the county council, any increases in health-insurance costs, and a to-be-determined amount for the marketing line item. He explained that the executive board decided not to propose a figure for the latter without further full-commission discussion regarding potential marketing efforts discussed earlier in the meeting. The primary reason for the significant increase from previous years’ budgets was the need for funds for professional services and land options, should the PC-CARE project’s progress warrant them. The consensus was that  the director request $40,000 for marketing, but reduce that number accordingly if a decision, in the negative, regarding either or both marketing projects should be made prior to his submitting the formal budget request to the county council.

Origer noted that, in addition to the CEDIT fund and any borrowed money, about $110,000 is available, in two industrial-development donation funds, for industrial-park development. Zeltwanger suggested that an economic-development organization cannot function on a flat-line budget.

The commission voted to adopt the budget as amended, with the contingency plan.

2013 Summit: The 2013 Pulaski County Economic Development Summit will be June 20 or 27 in Monterey. Origer will contact the Culver Community School Corporation about using the Monterey Elementary School cafeteria. Loehmer will provide contact information for a caterer in the Monterey area. Because of the town’s proximity to the Tippecanoe River, a guest speaker about the river, outdoor-recreational tourism, or both will be sought. An annual state-of-the-economy address will be given, too. Commission member Krysten Hinkle agreed to assist Loehmer and Origer in planning the event.

Other Pertinent Business

Hotel Feasibility Study: Origer reported that Winamac town manager Jim Conner has received the consultant’s proposal for the feasibility study and will be presenting it to the town council. Zeltwanger spoke of a hotel in a miniscule town in rural Nebraska that has managed to maintain a successful hotel; discussion ensued.

Illinois-business relocation project: Origer noted that, after months on hiatus, the relocation of an Illinois-based business, currently in implement sales and services, but with potential plans for expansion into manufacturing, has returned to his radar. He has contacted NIPSCO and Carroll-White REMC about natural gas and electrical service, and a property has been targeted.

Regional meetings: Zeltwanger offered his thoughts on the Northwest Indiana Forum and Indiana’s Technology Corridor (ITC) meetings that he had attended in April and May respectively, in the director’s stead. He sees reasons for being affiliated with both regions, but also acknowledges the difficulties of a rural-fringe county in both groups. The Forum’s economic development committee operates more formally and smoothly and was more impressive to Zeltwanger.

In relaying his experiences, Zeltwanger mentioned the development of a rail-repair facility in Earl Park and the Magnetation project in Reynolds, both of which will add a significant number of jobs, especially the latter, the development of which is costing about $1 million daily.

CAGIT: Loehmer expressed his frustration with the number of vacant homes near Monterey and with Pulaski County’s County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT) rate, which is one of the highest in the state and above the normal cap by special legislative exception, and which he has been led to believe has driven some would-be residents out of the community and into neighboring counties, thus leaving more properties vacant and at risk for dilapidation. Discussion ensued.