iDNA Requesting 3-Year Tax Abatement From County
October 14, 2022 at 1:14 a.m.
By David [email protected]
Thursday night, the Kosciusko County Council approved a declaratory resolution designating the property as an economic revitalization area for personal property. The Council will consider the personal property three-year tax abatement at its 6 p.m. Nov. 10 meeting.
Marc Roth, general manager of iDNA Series LLC, said iDNA is better known as You The Fan.
“Some of you may have seen the product called the Sportula. It’s a grilling spatula with a laser-cut logo. We’re a licensee of the NFL, Major League Baseball, about 150 different colleges across the country. National Hockey League, as well,” Roth said.
He said it all started with the spatula but they’ve since expanded into 3D stadiums, cutting boards, coasters and “all kinds of home décor.” They started as a developer of the product and outsourced the manufacturing. Over the last few years, Roth said they’ve experienced challenges with the supply chain, so over the last few years they began to invest in their own manufacturing. That meant having the infrastructure, equipment and labor.
Council President Sue Ann Mitchell said what Roth was asking and what the Council would be doing Thursday night was only designating the area with a declaratory resolution. She said the personal property tax abatement was only to buy equipment, and she saw that eight employees would be added that would be paid about $34,000 each annually.
Roth said it would require about eight full-time employees, some of which they’ve already hired, but they will be hiring more. He said not all of the equipment has already been purchased, though some has.
Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger asked what the average wage of the employees will be. Roth said it’s been $17 an hour and they have both full- and part-time staff.
Mitchell said according to the information on the tax abatement form the Council had, it was showing iDNA currently has 49 employees and their base annual wage was $38,694. Roth said on their floor staff that was correct.
The cost of the personal property is $1.2 million with an anticipated assessed valuation of just under $700,000.
Mitchell noted the property has been through a few hands lately.
Groninger asked if there were any additional infrastructure needs they were going to have. Roth said he believed there will be but he doesn’t have that “defined” yet. He said they’re a company that is having major growth right now.
Councilman Ernie Wiggins made a motion to approve the declaratory resolution for a three-year abatement, with Councilwoman Joni Truex seconding it. It was approved 6-0, with Councilman Mike Long absent.
In other business, the County Council:
• Approved the Turkey Creek Conservancy budget for 2023 at $587,900 with an expected tax levy of $262,900.
• Approved the Syracuse Public Library budget of $935,215 with an expected tax levy of $499,000.
• Approved the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District budget of $922,265 with an expected tax levy of $264,685.
• Approved a clarification on what they already passed regarding the Community Corrections home detention officers and drug court case manager. Their pay for 2022, retroactive to July 1, is $45,490; and with the 4% increase for 2023 will be $47,320. Director Barry Andrew’s annual salary for 2022 is $79,763.
The Council also approved the county’s budget and salary ordinance for 2023 after Auditor Michelle Puckett presented some “late-breaking” information.
She said when the Council had its budget meetings in August, the Council approved two new sheriff’s deputies contingent on them being grant funded. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office applied for the COPS grant but last week the KCSO let the auditor’s office know they were unsuccessful in receiving the grant.
Then, at 4:35 p.m. Thursday, Puckett said, Sheriff Kyle Dukes called her and said they just received an email from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute saying they accepted the KCSO’s application for the COPS grant. The grant pays 75% of wages for a sheriff’s deputy the first year, 50% the second, 25% the third and the county has to pay 100% the fourth year.
Puckett told the Council she made those changes to the Council’s 2023 adopted budget and salary ordinance. Previously, the County General adopted budget was $25,370,130; and with the changes of the two deputies, it is now $25,480,080.
“And then I added that $109,950 to the bottom line of that as well,” she said.
The total for tax dollar funds for the 2023 budget previously was $46,490,282; and with adding the $109,950, it brings the total to $46,600,232.
With the budget and salary ordinance for 2023 adopted, Mitchell said, “I believe we can officially say that the 2023 budget is finished.”
• Approved the American Rescue Plan Act Committee recommendations, which were previously approved by the County Commissioners. They include $20,547.40 for the county coroner’s office for autopsy equipment; $200,000 for Cardinal Services for its Ability Campaign; $22,444.66 for Kosciusko County Historical Society for HVAC replacement and building leak repairs; $100,000 for Combined Community Services for HVAC replacement and assistance in purchasing an ice box truck; and $48,250.41 for Kosciusko County Dispatch to upgrade the 911 phone system.
• Approved the additional appropriations of $20,000 from the ARPA grant to pay the salary of the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program community coordinator and $1.2 million toward the HELP Kosciusko projects, as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry.
Next, McSherry asked for a $5,000 transfer in the Commissioners’ County Cumulative Capital Development Fund from land and improvements to legal services. She said they wouldn’t have the county attorney’s invoice for September until today, Friday, Oct. 15, as required.
Councilwoman Kimberly Cates said the balance in the account was $16,800, so she asked why they were being asked to appropriate another $5,000. McSherry said $10,000 of the $16,800 was designated for the Kosciusko County Highway Department, which doesn’t leave a large balance, and “we have to have funds by the end of the year to cover for December.”
• Approved the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative administration compensation for two probation officers at $25 hourly each when they are taking care of the JDAI program.
• Approved an appropriation adjustment of $12,225 for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office. A KCSO vehicle was totaled and the money from the insurance will pay for a vehicle replacement.
• Approved additional appropriations from the Victims Of Crime Act grant, as requested by County Prosecutor Dan Hampton. The appropriations include $13,549 for a VOCA caseworker; $1,036 for Social Security contributions; $1,517 for retirement contributions; and $2,729 for group insurance.
• Approved additional appropriations from the County Health Fund, as requested by Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver. They included $13,500 for a part-time nurse and $24,900 into group health insurance.
Weaver also requested, and the Council approved, applying for a $48,859 Local Health Maintenance grant and $34,816 Local Health Trust Account grant.
A state grant for $50,000 for Covid testing to be used in partnership with the Bowen Center also was given the OK.
• Heard an annual report from the leadership of the Bowen Center, similar to what was presented to the County Commissioners on Tuesday. For 2022, Kosciusko County provided the Bowen Center with $714,186 in funding for mental health services Bowen Center does in the county.
• Approved the appointment of Doug Shoemaker to the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission.
Thursday night, the Kosciusko County Council approved a declaratory resolution designating the property as an economic revitalization area for personal property. The Council will consider the personal property three-year tax abatement at its 6 p.m. Nov. 10 meeting.
Marc Roth, general manager of iDNA Series LLC, said iDNA is better known as You The Fan.
“Some of you may have seen the product called the Sportula. It’s a grilling spatula with a laser-cut logo. We’re a licensee of the NFL, Major League Baseball, about 150 different colleges across the country. National Hockey League, as well,” Roth said.
He said it all started with the spatula but they’ve since expanded into 3D stadiums, cutting boards, coasters and “all kinds of home décor.” They started as a developer of the product and outsourced the manufacturing. Over the last few years, Roth said they’ve experienced challenges with the supply chain, so over the last few years they began to invest in their own manufacturing. That meant having the infrastructure, equipment and labor.
Council President Sue Ann Mitchell said what Roth was asking and what the Council would be doing Thursday night was only designating the area with a declaratory resolution. She said the personal property tax abatement was only to buy equipment, and she saw that eight employees would be added that would be paid about $34,000 each annually.
Roth said it would require about eight full-time employees, some of which they’ve already hired, but they will be hiring more. He said not all of the equipment has already been purchased, though some has.
Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger asked what the average wage of the employees will be. Roth said it’s been $17 an hour and they have both full- and part-time staff.
Mitchell said according to the information on the tax abatement form the Council had, it was showing iDNA currently has 49 employees and their base annual wage was $38,694. Roth said on their floor staff that was correct.
The cost of the personal property is $1.2 million with an anticipated assessed valuation of just under $700,000.
Mitchell noted the property has been through a few hands lately.
Groninger asked if there were any additional infrastructure needs they were going to have. Roth said he believed there will be but he doesn’t have that “defined” yet. He said they’re a company that is having major growth right now.
Councilman Ernie Wiggins made a motion to approve the declaratory resolution for a three-year abatement, with Councilwoman Joni Truex seconding it. It was approved 6-0, with Councilman Mike Long absent.
In other business, the County Council:
• Approved the Turkey Creek Conservancy budget for 2023 at $587,900 with an expected tax levy of $262,900.
• Approved the Syracuse Public Library budget of $935,215 with an expected tax levy of $499,000.
• Approved the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District budget of $922,265 with an expected tax levy of $264,685.
• Approved a clarification on what they already passed regarding the Community Corrections home detention officers and drug court case manager. Their pay for 2022, retroactive to July 1, is $45,490; and with the 4% increase for 2023 will be $47,320. Director Barry Andrew’s annual salary for 2022 is $79,763.
The Council also approved the county’s budget and salary ordinance for 2023 after Auditor Michelle Puckett presented some “late-breaking” information.
She said when the Council had its budget meetings in August, the Council approved two new sheriff’s deputies contingent on them being grant funded. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office applied for the COPS grant but last week the KCSO let the auditor’s office know they were unsuccessful in receiving the grant.
Then, at 4:35 p.m. Thursday, Puckett said, Sheriff Kyle Dukes called her and said they just received an email from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute saying they accepted the KCSO’s application for the COPS grant. The grant pays 75% of wages for a sheriff’s deputy the first year, 50% the second, 25% the third and the county has to pay 100% the fourth year.
Puckett told the Council she made those changes to the Council’s 2023 adopted budget and salary ordinance. Previously, the County General adopted budget was $25,370,130; and with the changes of the two deputies, it is now $25,480,080.
“And then I added that $109,950 to the bottom line of that as well,” she said.
The total for tax dollar funds for the 2023 budget previously was $46,490,282; and with adding the $109,950, it brings the total to $46,600,232.
With the budget and salary ordinance for 2023 adopted, Mitchell said, “I believe we can officially say that the 2023 budget is finished.”
• Approved the American Rescue Plan Act Committee recommendations, which were previously approved by the County Commissioners. They include $20,547.40 for the county coroner’s office for autopsy equipment; $200,000 for Cardinal Services for its Ability Campaign; $22,444.66 for Kosciusko County Historical Society for HVAC replacement and building leak repairs; $100,000 for Combined Community Services for HVAC replacement and assistance in purchasing an ice box truck; and $48,250.41 for Kosciusko County Dispatch to upgrade the 911 phone system.
• Approved the additional appropriations of $20,000 from the ARPA grant to pay the salary of the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program community coordinator and $1.2 million toward the HELP Kosciusko projects, as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry.
Next, McSherry asked for a $5,000 transfer in the Commissioners’ County Cumulative Capital Development Fund from land and improvements to legal services. She said they wouldn’t have the county attorney’s invoice for September until today, Friday, Oct. 15, as required.
Councilwoman Kimberly Cates said the balance in the account was $16,800, so she asked why they were being asked to appropriate another $5,000. McSherry said $10,000 of the $16,800 was designated for the Kosciusko County Highway Department, which doesn’t leave a large balance, and “we have to have funds by the end of the year to cover for December.”
• Approved the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative administration compensation for two probation officers at $25 hourly each when they are taking care of the JDAI program.
• Approved an appropriation adjustment of $12,225 for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office. A KCSO vehicle was totaled and the money from the insurance will pay for a vehicle replacement.
• Approved additional appropriations from the Victims Of Crime Act grant, as requested by County Prosecutor Dan Hampton. The appropriations include $13,549 for a VOCA caseworker; $1,036 for Social Security contributions; $1,517 for retirement contributions; and $2,729 for group insurance.
• Approved additional appropriations from the County Health Fund, as requested by Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver. They included $13,500 for a part-time nurse and $24,900 into group health insurance.
Weaver also requested, and the Council approved, applying for a $48,859 Local Health Maintenance grant and $34,816 Local Health Trust Account grant.
A state grant for $50,000 for Covid testing to be used in partnership with the Bowen Center also was given the OK.
• Heard an annual report from the leadership of the Bowen Center, similar to what was presented to the County Commissioners on Tuesday. For 2022, Kosciusko County provided the Bowen Center with $714,186 in funding for mental health services Bowen Center does in the county.
• Approved the appointment of Doug Shoemaker to the Kosciusko County Convention and Recreation Visitors Commission.
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