Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission Talks Incentives, U.S. 30
January 29, 2021 at 2:25 a.m.
Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission Talks Incentives, U.S. 30
By David [email protected]
The Commission also talked about U.S. 30.
At their Nov. 12 meeting, the County Council denied $33 million in personal property and real estate tax abatements for Louis Dreyfus by a vote of 5-2. The Redevelopment Commission had recommended the Council approve the abatement request.
County Councilwoman Joni Truex, who is the vice president of the Redevelopment Commission, said the Council’s reasoning for denying the abatement request was because the Council “thought they had done a lot for Louis Dreyfus and there’s a concern because they had been late repeatedly on payments and filings, and that was a little frustrating to the Council.”
She said Louis Dreyfus, headquartered in France, also filed for the abatements incorrectly.
Truex said she voted for the abatements because she felt she was representing the Redevelopment Commission.
Redevelopment President Jan Orban asked if Louis Dreyfus was going to resubmit for the tax abatements. County Auditor Michelle Puckett said they haven’t heard anything from Dreyfus and it would depend where they were at with their project.
Truex said going forward, if the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) incentives policy handbook gets finished and approved, that might help with future situations with any business looking to relocate or expand in the county.
She later explained the policy is a draft document being discussed by the Redevelopment Commission and the County Council and Commissioners. “What it basically will boil down to is a way for a company that wants to relocate here or expand to know exactly the steps they would take and what they would have available as far as TIF districts or incentives. Everything from as far as asking for abatements to actually applying for a loan, because there is a revolving loan fund. There’s just different things that can be offered with the county in cooperation with KEDCO.”
Adam Turner, Commission member, said the policy would be like a menu for businesses coming in so they can know the different tools the county has available.
Truex said she’s had conversations with KEDCO CEO Alan Tio over some items in the handbook and County Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell also expressed some questions to her about some things in the handbook.
The Redevelopment Commission would make a recommendation to the County Council and commissioners on the handbook, who would have final approval, because of some of the funding mechanisms involved, according to Puckett.
Tio is deployed overseas in Bahrain, according to Commission members. They hope Tio will be able to participate in the Commission’s next meeting virtually.
The Commission discussed having a meeting before their April 8 regularly scheduled meeting for a webinar to learn about the “tools” the Redevelopment Commission can use. Truex said she’d like Baker Tilly to provide the webinar as they are “objective.”
Puckett said what Baker Tilly will do for the Commission is give them a yearlong timeline, “not just your responsibilities but go over some of the reporting we do, and we do some reporting in March, some in July. It’s really good information.”
Commission member Doug Hanes suggested to have the special meeting at the end of February or early March, depending on Baker Tilly’s availability.
“I think we all want to be more involved and more proactive than just attending a meeting every three or four months,” Orban said.
Whether or not to make a recommendation on the future, potential reroute and improvement of U.S. 30 was part of the Redevelopment Commission’s next discussion.
Hanes said he and former Commission member Bruce Woodward had a number of conversations on formatting a U.S. 30 project committee, but had nothing further to report. Truex asked if everyone was aware that Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, in his state of the state address, was looking to push a U.S. 30/31 project once the I-65 corridor project was complete.
“That was good news,” she said.
Truex said that there is a U.S. 30 Coalition and that Woodward felt “pretty strongly” that the Redevelopment Commission should have some type of input into the U.S. 30 project. Hanes agreed to serve on that committee, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything stalled, Truex said, “but I think it’s going to come back.”
She said she didn’t know how the U.S. 30 Coalition was formulated or other details, but said Woodward wanted the Redevelopment Commission to have some input into it and make a recommendation on which route the project should take.
Hanes said the Coalition came up with a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the three different routes, and he and Woodward were going to go through them and determine whether or not the Redevelopment Commission was in agreement, but that didn’t happen.
Orban said her concern was that there were a myriad factions doing studies trying to figure out what might be the best route for the area, but the Indiana Department of Transportation makes the final decision. “So, I don’t understand in taking a position. I want to know about it so we understand, and there could be impacts that would affect us ... which may or may not be in my lifetime. But, I don’t feel it is our responsibility to take a position on it,” she said.
Hanes said he didn’t want to downplay the potential role the Redevelopment Commission might play in it, from the standpoint it probably would impact at least one of the county’s tax increment finance districts.
“If we feel like one route over the other would have a dramatic impact on the overall financial well-being of the county, then we could weigh in on that, particularly because we’re not represented on the U.S. 30 Coalition,” Hanes said. “If we determine that one route was more significant than another, than wouldn’t we want to take an opportunity to voice that?”
In the last bit of business, Puckett told the Commission they will be discussing TIF districts at their next two meetings. Orban said the Commission is desirous of expanding a TIF that’s already in place. Puckett explained the rules and procedures of expanding a TIF district. A TIF district can only be expanded by a certain percentage of its current assessed valuation, she said, but didn’t have that percentage available with her Thursday.
Orban said the TIF district they’re looking to expand is the Leesburg TIF.
The Commission’s meeting Thursday started with the oath of office for all members present and an election of officers.
Orban will continue as president, with Truex as vice president. Hanes will serve as secretary, replacing Woodward. Not present at the meeting were Mike Metzger and non-voting member Jeremy Mullins.
Latest News
E-Editions
The Commission also talked about U.S. 30.
At their Nov. 12 meeting, the County Council denied $33 million in personal property and real estate tax abatements for Louis Dreyfus by a vote of 5-2. The Redevelopment Commission had recommended the Council approve the abatement request.
County Councilwoman Joni Truex, who is the vice president of the Redevelopment Commission, said the Council’s reasoning for denying the abatement request was because the Council “thought they had done a lot for Louis Dreyfus and there’s a concern because they had been late repeatedly on payments and filings, and that was a little frustrating to the Council.”
She said Louis Dreyfus, headquartered in France, also filed for the abatements incorrectly.
Truex said she voted for the abatements because she felt she was representing the Redevelopment Commission.
Redevelopment President Jan Orban asked if Louis Dreyfus was going to resubmit for the tax abatements. County Auditor Michelle Puckett said they haven’t heard anything from Dreyfus and it would depend where they were at with their project.
Truex said going forward, if the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) incentives policy handbook gets finished and approved, that might help with future situations with any business looking to relocate or expand in the county.
She later explained the policy is a draft document being discussed by the Redevelopment Commission and the County Council and Commissioners. “What it basically will boil down to is a way for a company that wants to relocate here or expand to know exactly the steps they would take and what they would have available as far as TIF districts or incentives. Everything from as far as asking for abatements to actually applying for a loan, because there is a revolving loan fund. There’s just different things that can be offered with the county in cooperation with KEDCO.”
Adam Turner, Commission member, said the policy would be like a menu for businesses coming in so they can know the different tools the county has available.
Truex said she’s had conversations with KEDCO CEO Alan Tio over some items in the handbook and County Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell also expressed some questions to her about some things in the handbook.
The Redevelopment Commission would make a recommendation to the County Council and commissioners on the handbook, who would have final approval, because of some of the funding mechanisms involved, according to Puckett.
Tio is deployed overseas in Bahrain, according to Commission members. They hope Tio will be able to participate in the Commission’s next meeting virtually.
The Commission discussed having a meeting before their April 8 regularly scheduled meeting for a webinar to learn about the “tools” the Redevelopment Commission can use. Truex said she’d like Baker Tilly to provide the webinar as they are “objective.”
Puckett said what Baker Tilly will do for the Commission is give them a yearlong timeline, “not just your responsibilities but go over some of the reporting we do, and we do some reporting in March, some in July. It’s really good information.”
Commission member Doug Hanes suggested to have the special meeting at the end of February or early March, depending on Baker Tilly’s availability.
“I think we all want to be more involved and more proactive than just attending a meeting every three or four months,” Orban said.
Whether or not to make a recommendation on the future, potential reroute and improvement of U.S. 30 was part of the Redevelopment Commission’s next discussion.
Hanes said he and former Commission member Bruce Woodward had a number of conversations on formatting a U.S. 30 project committee, but had nothing further to report. Truex asked if everyone was aware that Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, in his state of the state address, was looking to push a U.S. 30/31 project once the I-65 corridor project was complete.
“That was good news,” she said.
Truex said that there is a U.S. 30 Coalition and that Woodward felt “pretty strongly” that the Redevelopment Commission should have some type of input into the U.S. 30 project. Hanes agreed to serve on that committee, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and everything stalled, Truex said, “but I think it’s going to come back.”
She said she didn’t know how the U.S. 30 Coalition was formulated or other details, but said Woodward wanted the Redevelopment Commission to have some input into it and make a recommendation on which route the project should take.
Hanes said the Coalition came up with a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the three different routes, and he and Woodward were going to go through them and determine whether or not the Redevelopment Commission was in agreement, but that didn’t happen.
Orban said her concern was that there were a myriad factions doing studies trying to figure out what might be the best route for the area, but the Indiana Department of Transportation makes the final decision. “So, I don’t understand in taking a position. I want to know about it so we understand, and there could be impacts that would affect us ... which may or may not be in my lifetime. But, I don’t feel it is our responsibility to take a position on it,” she said.
Hanes said he didn’t want to downplay the potential role the Redevelopment Commission might play in it, from the standpoint it probably would impact at least one of the county’s tax increment finance districts.
“If we feel like one route over the other would have a dramatic impact on the overall financial well-being of the county, then we could weigh in on that, particularly because we’re not represented on the U.S. 30 Coalition,” Hanes said. “If we determine that one route was more significant than another, than wouldn’t we want to take an opportunity to voice that?”
In the last bit of business, Puckett told the Commission they will be discussing TIF districts at their next two meetings. Orban said the Commission is desirous of expanding a TIF that’s already in place. Puckett explained the rules and procedures of expanding a TIF district. A TIF district can only be expanded by a certain percentage of its current assessed valuation, she said, but didn’t have that percentage available with her Thursday.
Orban said the TIF district they’re looking to expand is the Leesburg TIF.
The Commission’s meeting Thursday started with the oath of office for all members present and an election of officers.
Orban will continue as president, with Truex as vice president. Hanes will serve as secretary, replacing Woodward. Not present at the meeting were Mike Metzger and non-voting member Jeremy Mullins.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092