April 6, 2018 at 4:57 p.m.
Focusing on 2019
Local leaders to target Stellar next year
Focusing on 2019
Today is the deadline to turn in letters of intent for Indiana’s Stellar Communities designation.
This year, Jay County communities won’t be involved.
Because of the quick turnaround between the time a new format for the program was announced and today’s required first step, local officials decided to work toward putting together a strong application for 2019 rather than rushing to meet this year’s deadline.
“The most important element of applying for that is each community having their planning done,” said Jay County Commissioners president Chuck Huffman. “We felt like we should take this year, get all the official planning done, and not just planning for the community but include in those plans how they would interwork with one another because the whole emphasis of Stellar now is regional.”
That decision came after a group of local government and economic development leaders talked with representatives from Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which administers the Stellar program, about changes and new requirements this year.
“After all those questions, we said, ‘We can’t do this in five or six weeks. There’s no way,’” said Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman.
The program, which was launched in 2011, previously focused on providing a variety of funding, tax credits and other support for projects in individual municipalities.
This year, Jay County communities won’t be involved.
Because of the quick turnaround between the time a new format for the program was announced and today’s required first step, local officials decided to work toward putting together a strong application for 2019 rather than rushing to meet this year’s deadline.
“The most important element of applying for that is each community having their planning done,” said Jay County Commissioners president Chuck Huffman. “We felt like we should take this year, get all the official planning done, and not just planning for the community but include in those plans how they would interwork with one another because the whole emphasis of Stellar now is regional.”
That decision came after a group of local government and economic development leaders talked with representatives from Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which administers the Stellar program, about changes and new requirements this year.
“After all those questions, we said, ‘We can’t do this in five or six weeks. There’s no way,’” said Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman.
The program, which was launched in 2011, previously focused on providing a variety of funding, tax credits and other support for projects in individual municipalities.
Both Portland and Dunkirk had been involved in applying for those benefits, with Dunkirk making the list of three finalists in 2015. Those efforts involved senior housing and a new home for the library and glass museum in Dunkirk, and a daycare center and new streetscapes in Portland.
In late January, OCRA announced a change to the program to create a new regional approach.
“We are now looking for applicants to be collaborating with their neighbors on creating a regional development plan,” said Jodi Golden, executive director of Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, in a press release following the announcement. “Each submission should discuss how they believe each community uniquely works together to create one complementary region.”
Details about the application process, including the announcement of today’s deadline, came the following week. That left about two months to pull together the needs and wants of local communities into a cohesive plan, a timeline local officials decided would be too hectic.
“Any time you have a competitive grant, there’s so many factors that go into it,” said Geesaman. “You don’t just want to throw mud up against the wall and hope it sticks. You’ve got to have it all planned out.”
Instead, the focus over the next few months will be on getting plans in place.
Redkey received a $30,000 grant last year to work on a downtown revitalization plan, which must be complete by July. Portland received a $30,000 grant for the same purpose last month.
Ami Huffman, the county’s director of community development, will be working with Dunkirk to update its downtown plan, helping Pennville develop a “mini plan” and working with Pennville, Bryant and Salamonie on asset management plans that are required when requesting funding for road projects.
A key factor will be finding a cohesive theme throughout the county.
“As each of the communities are working on either updating plans or implementing small projects, (we need to) keep close track of those and what next steps for each community are and how they potentially tie in,” said Huffman. “What I’m watching for is how we tie together as a region for a regional theme … a way to connect.”
And in addition to the communities, potential partner agencies such as John Jay Center for Learning and Arts Place and initiatives like the ongoing discussions about the needs for housing and child care will need to be pulled together as well.
Though there is a lot of work to be done in order to prepare an application for next year, local officials have expressed excitement about the possibilities the new regional nature of Stellar open up for Jay County.
“That’s definitely something we’d be interested in,” Redkey Town Council president Doug Stanley said after the changes to the program were announced. “I think this is exciting. I don’t know who came up with the idea, but it’s a good idea. …
“This is good news.”
Since the Stellar program launched it has allocated almost $90 million in funding and tax credits for projects in small communities.
In late January, OCRA announced a change to the program to create a new regional approach.
“We are now looking for applicants to be collaborating with their neighbors on creating a regional development plan,” said Jodi Golden, executive director of Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, in a press release following the announcement. “Each submission should discuss how they believe each community uniquely works together to create one complementary region.”
Details about the application process, including the announcement of today’s deadline, came the following week. That left about two months to pull together the needs and wants of local communities into a cohesive plan, a timeline local officials decided would be too hectic.
“Any time you have a competitive grant, there’s so many factors that go into it,” said Geesaman. “You don’t just want to throw mud up against the wall and hope it sticks. You’ve got to have it all planned out.”
Instead, the focus over the next few months will be on getting plans in place.
Redkey received a $30,000 grant last year to work on a downtown revitalization plan, which must be complete by July. Portland received a $30,000 grant for the same purpose last month.
Ami Huffman, the county’s director of community development, will be working with Dunkirk to update its downtown plan, helping Pennville develop a “mini plan” and working with Pennville, Bryant and Salamonie on asset management plans that are required when requesting funding for road projects.
A key factor will be finding a cohesive theme throughout the county.
“As each of the communities are working on either updating plans or implementing small projects, (we need to) keep close track of those and what next steps for each community are and how they potentially tie in,” said Huffman. “What I’m watching for is how we tie together as a region for a regional theme … a way to connect.”
And in addition to the communities, potential partner agencies such as John Jay Center for Learning and Arts Place and initiatives like the ongoing discussions about the needs for housing and child care will need to be pulled together as well.
Though there is a lot of work to be done in order to prepare an application for next year, local officials have expressed excitement about the possibilities the new regional nature of Stellar open up for Jay County.
“That’s definitely something we’d be interested in,” Redkey Town Council president Doug Stanley said after the changes to the program were announced. “I think this is exciting. I don’t know who came up with the idea, but it’s a good idea. …
“This is good news.”
Since the Stellar program launched it has allocated almost $90 million in funding and tax credits for projects in small communities.
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