Starke County Economic Development Director Discusses EDIT Funds with County Council

Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver

Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, came before the County Council this week. He asked the members to appropriate the money received from the County economic income tax collections and use the funds appropriately.

Over $1.2 million dollars is appropriated for County bridges. Weaver explained why the bridge funds come from economic income taxes.

“One-half of the economic development income tax monies collected goes into bridges,” explained Weaver. This is an agreement that was reached some number of years ago when it was realized that the cumulative rate, which the County had always adopted to maintain bridges, was insufficient to maintain the bridges.”

The amount of collections received for the County’s use in 2011 is $200,000 less than what was received in 2010. Those County Commissioner’s economic funds can be used in conjunction with the Economic Development Foundation. Weaver was asked how the $200,000 revenue reduction would impact things he has on the drawing board.

“The amount that goes to the Economic Development Foundation would be less than what it was last year. We’re stretching it. We’ve got some projects in mind that we need to do and we’re trying to prioritize those as the most fruit comes to bear. When we have a project that is going to create jobs, we’re going to put the money there.”

The County Economic Income Tax is divided one-half for bridges, three-eighths for Starke County Economic Foundation work, and one-eighth for Starke County government.

Former Rockwell Windows Property in Knox up for Tax Sale

Property owned by S.C.P. Building Products, LLC in Knox will go on the auction block today. The property will go on a tax sale, because over $93,000 in back taxes is owed.

S.C.P. Building Products, LLC has been doing business as The Federal Group. At one time, Rockwell Windows was doing business on the property, and was employing around 180 people, according to Starke County Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver. Currently, there are approximately 25 people working at the Knox facility.

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Indiana House Passes Dinosaur Building Law

Indiana Statehouse

The Indiana House unanimously passed House Bill 1005 on Tuesday. House Bill 1005 contains changes to what is commonly known as the “Dinosaur Building Law”.

Under existing law, a party that acquires an older industrial building that is at least 20 years old, that has been at least 75% vacant for at least two years and is at least 200,000 square feet, is entitled to tax credits for the rehabilitation made to such a building.

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Sysco Project to Continue in Hamlet When Economy Recovers

The question of when Sysco is breaking ground at the Hamlet site was brought up at the Starke County Commissioners meeting this week. Commission President, Dan Bridegroom, said to Starke County Development Director, Charles Weaver, in a lighthearted way, “I don’t know what to tell people who ask me.”

Bridegroom said he read in last week’s Leader that groundbreaking for the distribution center could be this summer.

Weaver said that he has “no” word that the summer is a consideration for groundbreaking. The last conversation he had with Baugh Midwest Cooperative Inc. is that the project is still viable, but that nothing is going to be done until the economy returns. He said that this added distribution center will cover 12 to 13 states and at the moment with the economy down those states can be serviced through existing centers.