13 April 2026 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes
Present: Jim Deaton, Chairman, Dennis Kraus,Jr.,Tom Tepe, Trevor Bischoff, Jordan Hoffman, Jim Mansfield,Doug Baker.
ABSENT: (non- voting school board member)
Also present: Sue Hayden, county administrator and minute taker, Anthony Smart, attorney, Connie Fromhold, Auditor and DCRC treasurer.
Title VI statement read as legally required.
EXECUTIVE SESSION 4:30 p.m.
• IC § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(2)(D): For a discussion of strategy with respect to a real property transaction including: a purchase; a lease as lessor; a lease as lessee; a transfer; an exchange; or a sale; by the governing body up to the time a contract or option is executed by the parties.
• IC § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(4) Interviews and negotiations with industrial or commercial prospects or agents of industrial or commercial prospects by: a governing body of a political subdivision.
IC § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(19): To have communications with an attorney that are subject to the attorney client privilege.
Certification of Executive Session- Board certified that they only discussed what was advertised.
Action from Executive Session- no action.
Housekeeping
Approval of Minutes: March 9, 2026 Meeting and March 27, 2026 Special Meeting- Approved
Claims: IN & OH Railway $9,297.50 for 3 invoices for Moore Dr. project; Bayer Becker $2,480 for Task 5B - bidding of Moore Dr. project; Baker Tilly $9,991 for work done on comprehensive TIF updates; One Dearborn $13,750 for 2026 1st quarter billing; Drake Lawncare $450. for mowing W. Aurora and W. Harrison properties 2 times and beds around signage at W. Aurora property; Smart Law $8580 for legal services Jan. 8 thru April 7, 2026; Register Publication $97.28 advertising bid for Moore Dr. project. Total $44,645.78- Kraus Jr. initiated a discussion of Smart’s contract and his changed hourly rate. Smart had sent a notice that he had increased his hourly rate back in December. Board voted the accept the new fee from Smart. And then they Approved the Claims. Bischoff said he wanted to have Anthony Smart submit a new contract each year.
Financials- Approved.
Old Business
TWG Development project update- Perleberg said they are starting design and due diligence and environmental and geotechnical.
Dearborn County Park Board request for funding assistance - update- Perleberg said they have turned in paperwork and will see Council at May 6th Council meeting. Baker said the Park Board feels good about reaching their goal.
2026 Farming Lease- no motion required as it will not be farmed this year as previously decided.
New Business
DCRC 2026 Indiana DGLF report by Baker Tilly- in their packet. It is loaded onto the Gateway per Connie Fromhold.
Project Compass - update- Perleberg- legal counsel is working on this. Tom McCormack from Cushman Wakefield is present to answer any questions.He can’t say much as the process is in the hands of attorneys now. The name of the company is not ready to be divulged yet.
Purchase office for US 50 Business Park 1.0 Acre Site on Randall Ave. & US 50- Proposal from Midwest Marketing Development rep Jay- 15,000 pass by daily. Entry will be from Randall Avenue. Might want to have 2 cutouts- for exit and entrance. Midwest Market Branding. Convenience store- Maybe have coffee shop attached to it. This is his 3rd store like this. Local jobs will fill this. 15 jobs plus 10 jobs.on each side of the store. They followed the INDOT setback- with just parking spaces. They are aware of the zoning there. Deaton said there will be an economic development agreement that goes with this. It could be up and running in a year. Paperwork takes longer than the build.Chris Powell brought this in for tat property. DCRC will make a decision. DCRC countered the offer with $53,000 (appraised value) and accepting an economic development agreement. Jay said he had offered $40,000 as he does not need any help from DCRC. Smart told them they had to negotiate in an executive session or open meeting. Board thought that Chris Powell could negotiate with Jay’s realtor. Then they would get with us. Approved.
One Dearborn Report
READI 2.0 grant update - Perleberg said this is in their packet. This will include $250,000 reimbursements for Moore Dr projects in the grant. - Smart had reviewed it and said it is fine to sign. Approved and notarized Deaton to sign the sub recipient agreement.
REDI Cincinnati SSG ( Site Selection Group) Site Analysis for I-74 West Harrison Business Park site- received the final report of this per Perleberg. This is for Project Compass.He said there were not any big surprises. They had a 300 question survey that One Dearborn filled out. Nice rectangle shape. 500 year flood plain and the utility limitations on site. 26.9 acre site. Land use and zoning questions checked out. Some wetland delineations showed up. Topography- pretty flat site. No historical or archaeological study. Ingress and egress. There is a shared access driveway but they have gotten a second access approved. Rail is on the south side of the road so that probably won’t be on this side. 34.5 kVolt there. Duke energy is willing to build a new substation perhaps. 1.8 MegaWatts available. Natural gas there- small processes- or will need Sycamore gas to upgrade. Wastewater is a bit of a question mark on capacity.And water. And telecom- Fiber onsite. The site selection group looked at the client food and beverage project- and size of that project. Larger projects and manufacturing would be not targets. We were one of 10 participating sites they evaluated. We stack up in them top 5/10 in sites. All the good sites are gone. Having plans and funding in place will improve scores. We are in the middle and we are in the game per Perleberg.
I-74 Business Corridor AG Strategy Activation- Agribusiness and expansion projects are targets. They attended that meeting. Looking at supply chain issues etc. ICare will bring 3-5 Agribusiness leads.
Opportunity Zones 2.0- Game Pace- this started in 2017. Brookville was designated an opportunity zone back then. There is a census tract in Aurora and part of county by them that is a designated opportunity zone.They are working to get that designation to get the investment. These are based off low income and property tax assessment.They won’t know till January 2027.
Bayer Becker Report- Mark Rosenberger:
West Harrison I-74 EB Ramp- nothing new
West Harrison Moore Drive and Railroad Crossing- working with Smart and Listerman on this. Advertised on the 16th and 23rd of April with bids due on May 6th to be presented on May11 meeting. Roesnberger is waiting to see when they will be replacing the track.
Downtown Bright infrastructure- Originally 13 acres - now 11.7 acres as St E’s took some out. Proposing to smooth out curve by Merrilees. Listerman he said was ok with dedicating tot as county road with the proposed pavement replacements etc. Storm-Tech is a costly approach from $450 to $350. Improvements 60k and total cost. 44,000 cubic feet for detention calculated. $280,000 total cost for roadway control and improvements to DS Drew. This is just page one work. The storm detention is a stand alone project and it is very expensive.
Kraus- so we use our money fund that can be used anywhere in the county, for Bright TIF area??? The Bright TIF are projected to only get $50,000 per year.
Board wanted to do a task for Business Center Drive and not Professional Park Dr. St E’s had not helped get this done. Rosenberger to break this out and bring the amount back t0 board. Trying to use just Bright TIF money.
ATTORNEY’S REPORT- nothing
OTHER BUSINESS- none
PUBLIC COMMENT- none
ADJOURNED 6:15 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
