CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LETTER TO MEMBERS

Comprehensive Capital Program Moves Forward

Next Step: County Council Meeting - Tuesday, Jan. 23, 7:30 PM

Dearborn County Commissioners accepted the Phase I report and recommendations of a Comprehensive Capital Program working group and agreed to move forward with additional study on how to implement economic development, facilities and infrastructure priorities and projects.

"We’re pleased the Commissioners took this action, and we’re hopeful County Council will follow through and approve the preliminary funding at its meeting next Tuesday," said Michael Rozow, Chamber President. "This step is simply a proactive first step to put the County in a position to benefit from investment both as a result of the new Honda plant in Greensburg and other projects that have gone elsewhere because we have not had shovel-ready land available."

"Revenues from casino gaming have helped the community over the last 10 years, but they have also masked Dearborn County’s need to increase its very low commercial and industrial tax base. There is no guarantee that current gaming revenues will last forever. An opportunity like the Honda plant makes this very time sensitive, but the fact is we should be doing this anyway. That’s why the Dearborn County Economic Development Initiative was created three years ago."

The capital management program addresses funding for several projects that affect the county’s economic development potential - transportation, regional sewer service, public safety, etc. A major part of the plan focuses on funding for infrastructure improvements in the I-74 corridor ‘land bank’ project, which the Redevelopment Commission will be obtaining option and purchase agreements in the I-74 corridor for the future location of economic development projects.

The Chamber congratulates County Administrator Bryan Messmore and the working group on their extensive efforts over the last year and the County Commissioners (Jeff Hughes, Richard Fox) who supported this action. We encourage Chamber members to communicate with them as well.

The County Council will meet on Tuesday, January 23 at 7:30 PM. We encourage members to attend and show their support for the approval of the Comprehensive Capital Program’s initial funding.