During the latest meeting of the Starke County Commissioners, the commissioners heard a request from Starke County Economic Development Foundation (SCEDF) Director Mikie Stogsdill and SCEDF Board President Janice Hernandez regarding the contract between the county and SCEDF.
“There’s not many changes within it. It is mostly just an increase in the value of the money that we receive from the county each year,” stated Stogsdill.
The SCEDF was asking for a $40,000 increase on the contract which would result in the total being $130,000.
She explained the reasonings for the increase. “I think that one of the reasonings behind that is that we have 53 acres in our industrial park that we are trying to market. So that will take an increased value. We’re also starting a lot of new committees within our organization. I’ve organized a building, sites, and infrastructure committee in our workforce development. I think both of those could use, and the county as itself, we would potentially need to do some studies looking into different avenues that we would need to take. Which would also take some more money.”
If approved, there would be two payments, one in March and one in July.
The SCEDF used to receive $200,000 from the county.
“I just can’t see increasing it that much. I just feel like we haven’t got what we should out of it,” said Commissioner Charles Chesak.
Chesak said that he would like to see some success before approving the increase.
Commissioner Mark Gourley asked Chesak if he had criteria in mind that he would consider to be success.
“Stuff brought into the county, besides solar,” said Chesak.
Hernandez replied that the SCEDF doesn’t interact with solar.
“I know, but that’s what everybody always talks about,” said Chesak.
“I’m a new director in this and I would love to meet with you Charlie if you have any questions,” Stogsdill. “I’m fully wanting to work with the county and make Starke County prosperous.”
Gourley asked if the current contract expires in March. He was told that does expire at that time. Gourley made a motion to table the request which would give the commissioners more time to consider the request.
The motion was approved unanimously.
