ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
OF WAYNE COUNTY, INDIANA
Board Meeting Minutes
Monday, June 7, 2021
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:Bolser, Johnson, Parker, Salazar, Tanner, Turner, Zaleski

BOARD MEMBERS VIRTUAL:King

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:

Cenova, Frame, Robinson, Templin

STAFF PRESENT:Shaffer, Doty, Lindsey, Mitchell

GUESTS PRESENT:Sowers, George – EDC Counsel
Butters, Mary Anne – Wayne County Commissioner

I. CALL TO ORDER
Board Vice-Chair Chad Bolser called the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Economic Development
Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana to order at 4:02 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 2021.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Bolser stated the minutes from the May 3, 2021 board meeting is on pages 2-4. No corrections are noted.
Motion to approve May 3rd minutes as presented by Zaleski, second by Parker. Motion carried.
III. TREASURER’S REPORT
a. May 2021 Financials Report
Zaleski reported we were under budget by $19,058.37 MTD and under budget by $62,890.05 YTD for May.
Zaleski stated 3371-Rent-Equipment and 3389-Staff Education are over for this month but will even outby year-end.
Motion to approve the May 2021 financials as presented by Tanner, second by Salazar. Motion carried.
IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORTS
Bolser stated Sowers will inform us of the new Indiana statute regarding a virtual attendance option for opendoor board meetings. Sowers reported the state legislature amended a portion of the open-door law to state agoverning body is required adopt a policy for members to participate virtually. Participants must be able to be,
simultaneously, seen and heard. There is a limit of 2 meetings in a row that a board member may participate
electronically. For the EDC, there must be 7 board members physically present in the room to constitute aquorum of the board, which is a requirement. The exceptions are illness, death of relative, military duty or
threat of injury to person. Sowers recommended limiting the policy, so we can establish a quorum. We arerequired to call roll for votes if there is electronic participation. Shaffer stated we would like board input, soSowers is able to draft a policy for board vote at the July meeting. Sowers stated we can prohibit virtual
participation unless it is for one of the listed exceptions. Johnson stated if COVID spikes again we will need avirtual option. Bolser agreed we need a virtual option so we can have the most board participation. Bolser
stated the board will have to RSVP and request virtual, so we are not scrambling to get a quorum each month.
Shaffer stated we will get the board packet out sooner so we can monitor attendance. Bolser stated the staff willneed to put together a timeline and the virtual spots will be first come, first served. Salazar stated Zoom was a
nice perk for those working out of town. Sowers stated two virtual attendances in a row is all we can allow.

Bolser stated the board members will have to work to be a part of the process moving forward. Sowers statedhe will draft a policy for review and stated the minutes will have to reflect how each board member
participated. Shaffer stated we will get a quote to upgrade the technology and get a speaker system.
V. EDC STAFF REPORTS
Lindsey – Lindsey reported she completed normal financial work. She stated she reviewed and processed theapplicant packages for the OCRA Round 3 Grant program. We have $243,000 in OCRA funds and $81,000 inleftover pooled funds to use in the program. Zaleski asked if they would be using any additional County funds forthe program and Shaffer stated no. Lindsey stated we received the Cost-of-Living Index report for the 1st quarterof 2021 and Richmond moved up from #7 to #5 as the most economical place to live. She attached a copy of thereport for board review.
Doty – Doty reported she is working with IronGate to implement the website update changes Ady Advantage
recommended. We are using a journey map approach. Photos and prep will be done on the backside and thenchanged first on the website and then social media. Doty attended a meeting with the City and County reviewing
TMap which is a remote worker attraction program that uses social media and looks at structuring incentives.
Working with IU East on their job portal platform, Handshake, and how we can connect to access Hoosier
Opportunity (HO). It seems like a fairly easy process. Doty stated Earlham also uses Handshake and Ivy Tech has
a career placement platform as well. Doty would like to get them all connected with HO.
Mitchell – Mitchell reported that in the Midwest Industrial Park (MIP) a beaver dam was found during thewetland remediation process, and we are looking at options for repair. She updated the Richmond SanitaryDistrict is working on the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) for the sanitary upgrade. City of Richmond has
contracted with an engineering firm for the PER for the Gaar Jackson Rd expansion. Mitchell reported thatCambridge City is looking at financing for the water project. Mitchell worked on two local expansion projects
and had two BR&E meetings. The housing development projects are moving forward. She completed theAmerican Planning Association virtual conference and worked at the Chamber Hiring Fair which targeted highschool seniors with no plans after graduation. Tanner asked if housing developers have an interest in coming toa rural community. Mitchell replied yes and Shaffer responded there are options with single-family, townhouses,
and market rate apartments. Mitchell stated some are interested in in-fill development as well. Shaffer stated
we are waiting on the housing report to send out to interested developers.
Shaffer – Shaffer reported she worked on two new attraction projects and a local expansion looking at a newbuilding and job creation. Shaffer reported she will begin travelling again in June. She will be in Dallas for theIAMC spring conference where she will be doing a lot of networking. She did work with the READI program andwill have more on that later in the meeting. Shaffer reported the executive committee has decided on August
16th for the annual celebration luncheon. Shaffer will send the date out with the board summary to see who of
the board will be able to attend that day. King stated the summary Shaffer sends to the board after meetings isgreat.
VI. OTHER BUSINESS
a. Real Estate Option Extension
Shaffer reported the two-year $40,000 option agreement for the 326 acres south of MIP owned by theToschlog family that was executed in July 2019 is expiring this July. She has spoken with the family, andthey will agree to a one-year extension for the same $40,000 option fee. Shaffer reported the purchaseprice is $4.4M. The City would buy the east side of Round Barn Road, and the County would buy the westside of Round Barn Road, but we need to see what the sanitary expansion price tag is and determine whowill be paying for what portion of the project before exercising the option. Tanner asked if there were

issues with the site other than sanitary. Shaffer reported the site is served for electric by Richmond Power& Light, Duke Energy and Whitewater Valley REMC so that complicates things but all other utilities havecapacity. Environmental assessment and soil borings have been completed and were okay. The family iswilling to keep the same selling price but, in this agreement, the $40,000 option fee will not apply to thepurchase price.
Motion to approve a resolution authorizing Shaffer to enter into the Real Estate Option Agreement for the326-acre Toschlog property by Zaleski, second by Turner. Motion carried.
b. IEDC READI Program
Shaffer reported that the state’s Regional Economic Acceleration + Development Initiative (READI)
program has budgeted up to $500M for regional recovery. The IEDC will award 10-14 regions up to $50M.
Shaffer stated intent to apply for the program is due July 1st and final regional development plan is due
August 31st. She stated the East Central Indiana Regional Partnership and the Twenty-First Century Talent
Region are both already established that proves our existing collaborations making us eligible to apply.
Shaffer stated we will need $100,000 to $150,000 to hire a consultant. The IEDC will issue up to a $50,000
planning grant representing a 2:1 match. Shaffer will be presenting the program to Wayne County Counciland Wayne County Commissioners on June 16th and will be asking for $30,000 towards the hiring of aconsultant to work on the plan and for administration if we are designated. A common theme for theregion will be established and may include housing, training, and quality of life initiatives. Locally we canlook at financing for the Elder Beerman project in local incentives, housing development infrastructureand expansion of MIP. Zaleski asked if there was a consultant recommended. Shaffer reported the RFP
will be completed as soon as possible as the good consultants will go quickly.
Motion to recommend to Wayne County Commissioners and Wayne County Council to enter into aresolution to allow Wayne County to join the East Central Indiana Forge Your Path READI Regional effort
and to pay $30,000 from Consolidated EDIT funds by Johnson, second by Zaleski. Motion carried.
c. Office Renovation and Staff Expansion
Shaffer reported that the EDC’s new strategic plan recommends an additional staff member. The newrole will focus on real estate development including housing, downtown and industrial park development.
Sarah will transition into that role. Theresa will move into the Business, Retention and Expansion
Manager position which will also be expanding into supporting small business and entrepreneurship.
Renee will remain in her role, but it will now be titled Marketing & Communications Manager. We will
backfill the Office Manager position. The one-time renovation cost to split Valerie’s office in half,purchase additional furniture and computer equipment is $37,617. The additional operating expense ofsalary and benefits is $35,577. Shaffer will be presenting the new role and associated costs to Wayne
County Council and Wayne County Commissioners on June 16th. Shaffer stated we do have some excess
budgeted funds in travel, lodging and meals and professional services. Those funds could be used tobuydown the expansion cost or towards the READI program or should she ask for the entire additional
funding. Zaleski stated she should ask for the entire amount as any excess funds are returned to Wayne
County at year-end.
Motion to recommend to Wayne County Commissioners and Wayne County Council the addition of theEconomic Development role to the EDC staff by Johnson, second by Salazar. Motion carried.
Motion to recommend to Wayne County Commissioners and Wayne County Council additional budget
funding in the amount of $73,194 for office renovation, equipment purchase, and 6 months of salary andbenefits associated with creation of the Economic Development Manager role with the EDC by Tanner,second by Parker. Motion carried.

VII. ADJOURNMENT
Bolser adjourned the meeting at 5:12 p.m.
NEXT BOARD MEETING – Monday, July 12, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.