Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
According to an English proverb, "'Tis money that begets money."
Local economic organizations want to put that philosophy to the test. Tuesday, representatives of the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce and Kosciusko Development Inc. asked before the county commissioners that the county give $100,000 per year for the next four years to KDI.
KDI was formed in 1984 to promote economic development in Kosciusko County.
Max Courtney, KDI executive board member, said KDI realized they were talking to state and national officials but had very little dialogue with local officials. There now are more opportunities in the community than ever before, but the county must stay on top of it and that means spending money to promote Kosciusko County's economic benefits.
In 2003, Kosciusko County had a population of approximately 74,000, but its economic development budget was only $68,000. Meanwhile, Huntington County had a population of 38,000 and spent $138,000 on economic development; Fulton County, 20,000 people, but a budget of $150,000; Grant County, 74,000 persons with a budget of $183,000; and Wayne County, 71,000 people but a budget of $700,000.
Per resident, Kosciusko County spent 92 cents in 2003; Elkhart County, $1.50; Grant County, $2.47; Whitley County, $7.13; Fulton County, $7.50; Wayne County, $9.86; and Wabash County, $11.43.
Kosciusko County does not receive Economic Development Income Tax funds for economic development, but half of KDI's budget comes from the county, according to Courtney. On the other hand, in Huntington County, $117,000 of the $138,000 comes from EDIT, while all $700,000 of Wayne County's economic development funding comes from EDIT.
Lowell Owens said one of Kosciusko County's problems is that the county is not spending enough money to promote the county. He made the formal request for $100,000 from the county per year for the next four years to start increasing KDI's efforts in economic development.
Each year at budget time, KDI has to make their budget requests to the county along with social services. While those services are important, Owens said, KDI is not a social service and should be treated differently.
Third, "we don't have all the answers," said Owens. But they are working toward them and he said they would like to form a committee to work with county and local governments on economic development. The committee could include a county commissioner, a Warsaw representative, a KDI member and representatives of the county's other municipalities. The group would work to establish a plan on what needs to be done for development to happen.
Brad Jackson, county commissioner, asked if KDI would keep track of what the organization is accomplishing. Owens said they could work with the county to do that.
When Jackson asked why KDI chose $100,000 for four years, Owens said they thought it would take four years to get a plan in place and to see what the county needs. It all won't end at four years, but that's a start.
Courtney said it will take time and nurturing to get everything going. There is labor involved in it, including gathering information and staying abreast of it all.
Avis Gunter, commissioner, recommended they also take their presentation to the county council, who are the purse strings of the county.
In other business, the county commissioners:
• Approved the contract with MicroVote for the county to purchase new voting machines from the Indianapolis-based company. The cost of the machines is expected to be reimbursed by federal grants. By Jan. 1, 2006, all counties must have new voting machines with no pull tabs or punch cards, according to the Help America Vote Act. Kosciusko County is expected to receive approximately $660,000, with costs of the machines to be about $780,000.
• Held the annual required Board of Finance meeting, with commissioner Brad Jackson elected president and county treasurer Kent Adams elected secretary.
Adams reported Kosciusko County's investments total $10,205,616.61, with most of the monies being highway dollars.
• Heard from Emergency Management Director Ed Rock that during the past two weeks, 6,000 sand bags supplied by the state were issued. Rock said the county had one sandbag operation with 60 volunteers on hand. He thanked the volunteers and said they did a good job with helping hold the water back.
• Approved the appointment of Kathy Miller to the North Webster Community Public Library for a one-year term.
• Approved the reappointment of Harold Barker to the Pierceton and Washington Township Library board.
• Approved the speed limit from T25 Lane from Armstrong Road to T23 Lane, and T26 from Armstrong Road to T25 lane to be 30 miles per hour as requested by Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson. Signs were posted at 20 miles per hour but had no county ordinance to support them. The signs have deteriorated and instead of replacing them, and to make the roads more consistent, Ladson recommended the speed limits be increased to 30 mph.
• Voted to accept the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission's recommendation to deny Gerry Barber's petition to rezone five acres from an agricultural district to a residential district. The property is on the west side of CR 300E in Wayne Township. On rezonings in the county, the plan commission is only a recommending body to the commissioners.
• Voted to accept the plan commission's recommendation to approve Harvey Hayes' petition to rezone 4.542 acres from an agricultural district to a residential district. The property is on the south side of Levi Lee Road and west of Old 15 in Plain Township.
Kosciusko County commissioners are Brad Jackson, northern district; Avis Gunter, southern district; and Ron Truex, middle district. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse, Warsaw, every other Tuesday.
