ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
OF WAYNE COUNTY, INDIANA
Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, April 1, 2024

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:Fennimore, Foster, Gaddis, King, Robinson, Tanner Turner, Zaleski

BOARD MEMBERS VIRTUAL:Johnson

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:

Bolser, Cenova, Van Der Burgt

STAFF PRESENT:

Shaffer, Fisher, Doty, Lindsey, Mitchell

GUESTS PRESENT:

George Sowers– EDC Counsel
Brad Dwenger – Wayne County Commissioner
Ron Oler – Mayor City of RichmondMillie Emery – Western Wayne News

1. CALL TO ORDER
Board Chair Pete Zaleski called the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporationof Wayne County, Indiana to order at 4:00 p.m. on April 1, 2024.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. 2024 March Minutes
Zaleski stated the minutes from the March 4, 2024, board meeting are on pages 2-4.
No corrections were noted.
Motion to approve March 4, 2024, minutes as presented by King and seconded by Foster. Roll Call.
Motion carried.
3. TREASURER’S REPORTa. 2024 March Financial Reports
King reported the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, IN is under budget for March
MTD by $19,248.48 and YTD by $22,082.64. He reviewed the March Income Statement and reported theEDC was over $4.81 for 2211 Office Supplies: $692.98 for 3310 Vehicle Lease; and $34.10 for 3362 RentEquipment. King said we also received rent payments for farm ground lease and in-turn paid to theCity of Richmond.
Motion to approve March financials as presented by Gaddis, seconded by Robinson. Roll Call.
Motion carried.
4. CHAIR’S REPORT
Zaleski reported the Executive Committee approved the closure of Vandor Corporation’s EDIT Grant #17-286.
Vandor met the employment/headcount numbers and payroll requirements.
5. EDC STAFF REPORTS FOR March
Zaleski asked the staff if they had any additional information they would like to share with the group.
Mitchell reported that we just completed a drone video created by Hoosier Energy of the Gateway Industrial Parkand we are working to get it uploaded soon. We are also working on two other projects to gather drone imagery
and promotional videos; one with an individual contractor who will focus on the Midwest Industrial Park and one
with IMPA that will be a broader promotional video of the projects being completed by Anchor Ingredients, BlueBuffalo, and Liberation Labs. Mitchell reported the application has been submitted to EDA for the $5.95M watertower project for the Gateway Industrial Park.
Shaffer reported two additional communities have kicked off their CreatINg Places projects which include Dublinand Milton. The other two communities are East Germantown and Economy for a total of 4. She stated we havecompleted our second housing study which shows the need for 900 to 1,000 new housing units in Wayne County.
a. Strategic Plan Progress for Goal 3: Quality of Place assets and remove barriers to talentattraction/retention and economic equity
Shaffer reported that transportation is one area that needs more focus. Theresa Lindsey is working on atransportation survey to learn more about workforce transportation challenges. Shaffer stated anotherarea of strategic focus for the EDC is to align planning and zoning policies within and across thecommunities to support their individual development needs and Sarah Mitchell will take the lead on this.
She also gave a brief overview of the completed areas of Goal 3.
6. OTHER BUSINESS
a. Make My Move Contract Extension
Shaffer reported our initial contract with Make My Move expired on 1/31/24 and this program was notincluded in the city’s 2024 budget. The Wayne County Commissioners want to continue this program with a1-year extension. With the extension, the target for total remote workers will now be 30. Commissioners
approved $130,973 of Consolidated funds to be used for this program. The remote workers moved here from
TX, OH (2), ID, TN, FL (3), IL, NV, IA, CO and CA. Zaleski asked what our challenges were that prevented usfrom hitting our target of 20 movers? Shaffer said the matrix for an approved remote worker was quite high,so, we revised the income requirement to $55,000 a year. We are asking the board to approve the EDC the1-year extension for the Make My Move program for Wayne County, Indiana.
Motion to approve $130,973 from Consolidated EDIT for the Make My Move Contract Extension as presented
by Tanner and seconded by King. Roll Call.
Motion carried.
b. EDC Contract with Wayne County for 2025-2028
Shaffer reported our current contract with Wayne County Government ends on 12/31/24. We sent the newcontract for 2025 – 2028 to the Wayne County Government for review and the only changes they made wereto the dates of the contract. Our new contract has been approved and signed by the Commissioners. Shaffer
said she and the Commissioners will visit all communities who participate in contributing to the Consolidated
EDIT Fund.
Motion to approve the EDC Contract with Wayne County for 2025 through 2028 as presented by Foster andseconded by Robinson. Roll Call.
Motion carried.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Zaleski adjourned the meeting at 4:28 p.m.
NEXT BOARD MEETING – Monday, June 3, at 4:00 p.m.