Starke County Officials Name Redevelopment Commission

starke-county-courthouseStarke County once again has a populated county redevelopment commission board. The volunteer body was established by the commissioners in 2006 and set up a tax increment financing, or TIF, district near the intersection of U.S. 30 and U.S. 35 in Hamlet. It allows property tax money generated in a specific area to be recaptured for infrastructure improvements in the area. By doing so, the land becomes more attractive to other potential business and industrial tenants. The five parcels of land in the Sysco TIF district have generated $15,427.71 for the county. That money is receipted by the auditor and parked in a special account.

The commissioners previously discussed disbanding the redevelopment commission but decided to keep it in place so it will be easier to establish any future TIF districts should the need arise.

Board members will meet annually. They include Lee Naigi, Bill Sonnermaker, Marvin McLaughlin, Brad Hazelton and Don Binkley. The commissioners still need to name a non-voting advisor from the Oregon-Davis School Board since the TIF sits within the confines of their corporation.