County Redevelopment Commission Pursues TIF Districts

30 January 2006 Dearborn County Redevelopment Commission Meeting Notes
Present: John Rahe, President, Grant Hughes, Vice President, Jim West, Secretary, Vera Benning, and John Maxwell. Also present: Richard Butler, Attorney, Mike Rozow, Chamber of Commerce, and Rick Hall, Attorney from Barnes and Thornburg.
Register Publications covered this meeting.

The annual meeting was first with election of officers being the same as listed above. Meeting schedule would be quarterly with special meetings called as needed. All meetings would be advertised. The minutes of the 2005 annual meeting were approved. They were similar to these with the exception of the officers being changed. Meeting adjourned at 9:35
[NOTE: IC- 36-7-14-13- Annual reports contents: Sec. 13. (a) Within thirty (30) days after the close of each calendar year, the redevelopment commissioners shall file with the unit's executive a report setting out their activities during the preceding calendar year. (b) The report of the commissioners of a municipal redevelopment commission must show the names of the then qualified and acting commissioners, the names of the officers of that body, the number of regular employees and their fixed salaries or compensation, the amount of the expenditures made during the preceding year and their general purpose, the amount of funds on hand at the close of the calendar year, and other information necessary to disclose the activities of the Commissioners and the results obtained. (c) The report of the commissioners of a county redevelopment commission must show all the information required by subsection (b), plus the names of any commissioners appointed to or removed from Office during the preceding calendar year. As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.33. Amended by Acts 1981, P.L.310, SEC.88.]


The quarterly meeting convened immediately with approval of the Dec 19, 2005 quarterly meeting minutes. These focused on TIF districts and sewer board accomplishments.

Treasurers report from Rozow indicates a little over $30,000 in the budget.
The commission outsourced their marketing to the DCEDI and approved certain financials for the DCEDI related to this.
West praised the efforts of Travis Miller and Margaret Minzner in utilizing GIS and slope maps to obtain the TIF district boundaries. He also noted that the tax assessor’s online data made searching for property owners in the TIF areas much easier. He did NOT indicate whether or not these property owners had been notified.

Rick Hall of Barnes and Thornburg gave the packets of material and predrawn resolutions for the board to approve two TIF districts – St. Leon area and Aurora Industrial Park area.

St. Leon area TIF:
He noted the sewer lines in St. Leon were 2-3 inches, which were not big enough for the development in the TIF.
Maxwell added that they should include the Deddens property 10 acres on the SE quadrant of SR 1 and SR46. Hall noted that they could add up to 20% to the TIF without going back through the entire process thru Plan Commission etc. After that they have to start over and do the big process with public meetings and then they could add 20% again in the shortened process.
[NOTE: In the 2005 plat book, the TIF in St. Leon is in Kelso Township Sections 11 and 14. Large properties listed in the plat book enclosed in the TIF include Rosewood family Partnership, Lobenstein, Hallanger, Fuernstein, Dawson, and Keystone real estate. There are some smaller property owners also listed by initials only. This TIF adjoins the new school on SR 1 and the East Central Campus. It also encloses the I-74 ramps.]
Benning noted they could add Deddens later in 2006 as the 20% option.
Maxwell said they needed to give due respect to St. Leon and that there is no downside to the property owners as all future tax revenue can only be spent in the TIF in which they are located. [NOTE: That might depend on whether or not the property owners and those adjoining the TIF want a factory next door. The detailed plan for the TIF itself would be necessary for the property owners and the Plan Commission to make recommendations regarding the master plan. Certain plans might not be compatible with schools and the interstate access may need to be upgraded to accommodate certain businesses.]

Declaratory Resolution 2006-1 approving the TIF for consideration of the Plan Commission (does it fit the master plan) and subsequent approval by Commissioners was passed unanimously. It included the recommendation from Maxwell to consider the Deddens property for inclusion after the TIF is passed, under the 20% rule.

[NOTE: Does this TIF also have to go to St. Leon Plan Commission and Town Board for approval for any parts in their town limits?]

West Aurora Industrial Park area TIF:
The core of this TIF is the Rack properties on Randall Avenue and the Casket Company. Water and sewer issues are OK except for the treatment issues in Aurora that must be resolved as the interceptor for SDRSD.
The line drawing showed the building on the casket property cut off- that needs to be cleared up. Rozow asked which statute covered all this – 36-7-14 was the answer. (That’s the Redevelopment Commission statutes)
Maxwell wanted to pick up 20 acres east of this TIF- the Fugate Property for D&S Machines as they plan future expansions. He also mentioned the Legge properties. Hughes wanted to pick up North of the Casket Company to get the building enclosed. West noted Fugate had been trying to get hold of him.
When talk turned to studies of the sewers, I suggested they coordinate this with the DCRSD studies that Woolpert is doing for just shy of $200,000. It seems fruitless to duplicate studies.
[NOTE: Properties in sections 2,3, and 11 of Washington Township in this TIF as shown in the 2005 Plat book include: Diamond LLC, Kittle, Armstrong, Aurora Casket, Trester, Jefferson, Montfort Supply, Seevers, Inc, Hughes, Luhrsen, Elam Construction, Specialty Group, Brooks and smaller properties only identified by initials. This property runs across from Huesman Road along US50 down to Cole Lane.]

Declaratory Resolution 2006-2 approving the TIF for consideration of the Plan Commission (does it fit the master plan) and subsequent approval by Commissioners was passed unanimously. It included the recommendation from Maxwell to consider the Fugate property and north of the Casket Company for consideration under the 20% rule.

[NOTE: Fugate’s property was originally in Greendale. When that tax abatement expired the county offered another one, which he took to open the current location.]

[NOTE: Indiana Code 36-7-14- 10 states:
Commissioners; pecuniary interests in property and transactions
Sec. 10. (a) A redevelopment commissioner may not have a pecuniary interest in any contract, employment, purchase, or sale made under this chapter. However, any property required for redevelopment purposes in which a commissioner has a pecuniary interest may be acquired, but only by gift or condemnation.
(b) A transaction made in violation of this section is void.
As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.33. Amended by Acts 1981, P.L.310, SEC.86.]

The West Harrison TIF was also discussed: the option of adding property N and S of SR 52 was discussed. Sewer issues, flood plain issues etc. were discussed. Maxwell noted that Beige Fields was filling up in this area and the Stone property was already in the TIF. He thought they could build 2-3 ft out of the flood plain. There is a 6 inch sewer line bored under the river and can hold 25 times more than what Stone needs. Apparently the Redevelopment Commission for got to notify the auditor and so they have NOT captured the tax income form this TIF yet! Parcel ID’s have to be filed. They can go back and do this now per Rick Hall. Hall noted they have to prepare a tax impact statement and present it to all the taxing units.
Butler warned them that if buildings were getting torn down in a TIF they would lose tax revenue.
Consensus was to add the expansions to W. Harrison TIF in one step. Hall will prepare a resolution the same as the other two for the next meeting.

They plan to get all three on the agenda for the March Plan Commission meeting (March 27)

Next meeting will be Feb 6 at 9:30 AM.

Meeting adjourned at 10:40 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township