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Chris Pieri, NIPSCO director of economic development, presented information on industrial incentive rates to the Kosciusko Development Inc. board Wednesday.
Pieri, a former KDI member and past president, advised the board that his job is to attract and expand new businesses and offer assistance to economic development groups locally.
The utility company has an economic rider that offers discounts for base tariffs to new or expanding businesses. If a company meets certain eligibility requirements, a five-year contract can offer a descending scale of cost savings: 50 percent the first year down to 10 percent the fifth year, and levelized discounts, up to 30 percent per year.
Prospective companies must provide 20 new jobs, meet certain site requirements and operate energy-efficient equipment.
Pieri advised the board to include information about the rider to companies looking for local sites.
Board president Joy McCarthy-Sessing said the KDI Web site, www.kdi-in.com, notes which utility provides services to available sites.
Pieri called the package an incentive offer; after a company has located here the offer isn't available.
McCarthy-Sessing reminded the board she is a member of the Northeast Innovation Center. The undeveloped center, which is planned for the IPFW campus in Fort Wayne, recently received $6.5 million from the state and $1.5 million from Fort Wayne.
McCarthy-Sessing was asked to sign an affirmation statement promoting the Center. By not signing the statement, the Innovation Center board would assume she was retiring.
She said Kosciusko County is considered to be in the South Bend economic region.
The center, she said, seems to be promoting northeast Indiana, the Fort Wayne region, not Kosciusko County.
She was given permission to resign from the center's board of directors.
In other business, the board:
• Heard that John Byrd had resigned from the board. Byrd has been named president of The Association for Manufacturing Technology in McLean, Va.
• Kim Nance was introduced as economic development director. She is working part-time.
• Reviewed an article titled "Warsaw eludes economy's ills, But complacency risks continued job growth," published in a regional newspaper Sept. 14.
The article, quoting Brad Bishop, McCarthy-Sessing and Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, suggested the city lacked economic development initiative because of the current stability.
Bishop was quoted as saying, "There is a lack of urgency in recruiting new businesses based on the historically high employment levels in Kosciusko."
KDI Chairman Roger Moynahan reminded the board a task force has been formed to attract more businesses.
"We don't want to be in Fort Wayne's position, spending millions of dollars to replace what they lost."
The next meeting is Oct. 22, and the meeting place will be announced.
