The Kosciusko Development Inc. board of directors welcomed new members Wednesday in their annual meeting.

The board officially accepted Jim Tinkey from Mutual Federal Savings Bank and David Delp from the town of Winona Lake as new members of the board.

"That's official, then," chairman Randy Vutech said. "Both David and Jim are new members."

The nominating committee for KDI also proposed the following officers for 2000: Julie VanDeWater for chairman of the board, Randy Vutech for vice chairman, Jim Tinkey for treasurer and Brad Bishop for secretary. The nominating committee further proposed Julie VanDeWater, Randy Vutech, Jim Tinkey, Brad Bishop and Joy McCarthy-Sessing as members of the KDI executive committee. All nominations were approved.

In other business:

• The board accepted Gary Hainly's resignation. Hainly resigned his position as board member due to relocation to Fort Wayne. The board's acceptance is contingent upon receiving Hainly's written resignation.

• The board reviewed and approved KDI's financial report for October through December. "This is the best we've been for a long time," board member Eddie Creighton said.

• Monica Williams, the Economic Development Coordinator, gave a report to the board on her activities. Williams said she has been working on several projects simultaneously. Of the projects, Williams updated and labeled the site aerial maps. "I'm still looking to add more sites into the folder," Williams said.

Other projects she's been working on include getting to know KDI board members and their views and opinions on KDI, visiting town council meetings to become more aware of the ongoing projects in Warsaw and touring manufacturers to gain a broader knowledge on the procedures within the organizations.

"I'd like to get more involved in knowing what's going on," Williams said.

She also has been updating KDI's brochure by adding information such as the new board officers and members.

Williams will attend the Indiana Department of Commerce visit Feb. 18, as well. She will be informed on the chamber's campaign for 2000.

• KDI has requested funding from the city of Warsaw. The Warsaw Board of Works and Public Safety appropriated $1,500 to KDI for 2000.

"We provide services for them in return for $1,500," McCarthy-Sessing explained. The KDI board approved and signed the agreement for services. "It's probably not a bad idea for the city of Warsaw," Vutech said.

• KDI has applied for a Community Development Action Grant and has received preliminary notification that they are approved for $20,000. This will not be official until Feb. 1, when McCarthy-Sessing and Williams will attend a mandatory workshop in Indianapolis where they will receive the official notification.

The money will be granted to KDI Feb. 1 and will be used for the economic development coordinator salary. "However, we have to match it," McCarthy-Sessing explained. "To get the $20,000, we have to spend $40,000."

• Williams gave an update to the board on the CEO project. This project consists of surveying several major manufacturers in the area to find out if their needs are being met and what their views and feelings are toward Kosciusko County. Manufacturers surveyed include Zimmer, DePuy, Biomet, Dana Corp., R.R. Donnelley, Maple Leaf Farms, Syracuse Rubber, Dalton Corp., Da-Lite Screen and Schult Homes. On an average from the surveys received back, the community was rated at 1.75 for labor availability. The scale consisted of ratings 1 through 5, with 1 being very poor and 5 being excellent.

"It's pretty tough everywhere," McCarthy-Sessing said of Warsaw's labor shortage. "Employment is bad elsewhere too."

The highest rating on averag, from the surveys was a 4. This rating was given to the recreational opportunities in the community.

Williams asked KDI board members to join herself and McCarthy-Sessing in visiting manufacturers in the area to further assess their feelings about the community. Those willing to attend the CEO visits concerning the survey are: Brian Redshaw, Randy Vutech, Jim Caskey and James Tinkey.

• The board discussed the Economic Development Income Tax - specifically how KDI would support it. The board was asked to think about specific ideas on how to use the money from EDIT. But no official decision was made Wednesday. "I think it's important that we, as individuals, get educated," board member Bob Sanders said of EDIT.

A subcommittee was formed to meet before next month's meeting to discuss the possible avenues for the money from the tax. The subcommittee consists of David Delp, Brian Redshaw, Jeff Noffsinger and the executive committee: Van De Water, Vutech, Tinkey, Bishop and McCarthy-Sessing.

• KDI board members in attendance Wednesday were: Dennis Beville, Jim Caskey, Lynn Collyer, Max Courtney, Eddie Creighton, Wayne Luchenbill, Jeff Noffsinger, Brian Redshaw, Robert Sanders, Brad Tandy, Larry Teghtmeyer, Randy Vutech, James Tinkey, David Delp and Joy McCarthy-Sessing. [[In-content Ad]]