Redevelopment Commission Discusses Cooperation With Marshall County EDC
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Tim [email protected]
The MCEDC was created last year and Umbaugh said one of the major difficulties the corporation faces is the time and resources spent to market the county to prospective new businesses.
"Wouldn't it make sense for counties already connected economically and by transportation routes to combine efforts on marketing?" Umbaugh said.
Umbaugh told the Redevelopment Commission his board would be interested in discussing the possibility of forming a group with economic development representatives from Kosciusko, Marshall and Starke counties to focus on the marketing aspect of attracting business to the area.
"When you can combine budgets, I think you can get a lot more bang and get a lot more recognition," he said.
Umbaugh said the group could develop a marketing plan for the area accentuating the U.S. 30 and U.S. 31 corridors. Though, Umbaugh admitted, to some extent area counties are in competition with each other to attract business, he said when one county gets a new business, neighboring counties also benefit.
"I don't think it's as much a matter of competition as much as it's a matter of the area is known and receptive to businesses," Umbaugh said.
Redevelopment Commission members weren't ready to begin working on an agreement Thursday, but member Larry Teghtmeyer said, "I think that there's some merit in it."
Commission member Max Courtney said the commission has received similar offers in the past. "We can see that we'd get lost in a lot of these because they just want our money," Courtney said.
"We tend to stand by ourselves, I think it's the pride that we have here," said commission member Bruce Woodward.
In other news, the Redevelopment Commission signed papers to establish a tax increment district in the Leesburg area.[[In-content Ad]]
The MCEDC was created last year and Umbaugh said one of the major difficulties the corporation faces is the time and resources spent to market the county to prospective new businesses.
"Wouldn't it make sense for counties already connected economically and by transportation routes to combine efforts on marketing?" Umbaugh said.
Umbaugh told the Redevelopment Commission his board would be interested in discussing the possibility of forming a group with economic development representatives from Kosciusko, Marshall and Starke counties to focus on the marketing aspect of attracting business to the area.
"When you can combine budgets, I think you can get a lot more bang and get a lot more recognition," he said.
Umbaugh said the group could develop a marketing plan for the area accentuating the U.S. 30 and U.S. 31 corridors. Though, Umbaugh admitted, to some extent area counties are in competition with each other to attract business, he said when one county gets a new business, neighboring counties also benefit.
"I don't think it's as much a matter of competition as much as it's a matter of the area is known and receptive to businesses," Umbaugh said.
Redevelopment Commission members weren't ready to begin working on an agreement Thursday, but member Larry Teghtmeyer said, "I think that there's some merit in it."
Commission member Max Courtney said the commission has received similar offers in the past. "We can see that we'd get lost in a lot of these because they just want our money," Courtney said.
"We tend to stand by ourselves, I think it's the pride that we have here," said commission member Bruce Woodward.
In other news, the Redevelopment Commission signed papers to establish a tax increment district in the Leesburg area.[[In-content Ad]]
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