May 22, 2018 at 5:06 p.m.
City pursuing grocery stores
City pursuing grocery stores
By Rose Skelly-
Six grocery stores have said “no.” Two are saying “maybe.”
Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman updated Portland City Council on the effort to attract a new grocery store to the city following the closure of Marsh a year ago this month.
Council members also learned the days Run For the Fallen will pass through the city at their meeting Monday.
Geesaman read a prepared statement detailing the work he and others have done to bring a grocery store back to the city. He said the process began as soon as Marsh announced it was closing last year.
Many people are commenting on Facebook, coming by city hall and telling him in person that the city isn’t doing enough, Geesaman said, so he wanted to “set the record straight.”
“We have spent countless hours, countless phone calls, countless emails, countless follow-ups, countless demographic information submitted, promised incentive packages,” Geesaman said.
Several grocery chains have declined to expand in the city, Geesaman said, including Ruler Foods, Kroger, Aldi and Save-A-Lot.
However, the mayor, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation Bill Bradley and Jay County Chamber of Commerce executive director Dean Sanders are working with two other businesses right now, trying to entice them to come.
“It’s amazing and frustrating the number of people that don’t think we’re trying to do anything,” Geesaman said. “Everybody’s trying to do the best they can.”
Even State Rep. Greg Beumer has gotten involved, meeting with the executive director of the Indiana Grocery Store Association, he added. According to Geesaman, the director told Beumer it is the worst time to open a new grocery store because the profit margins are so slim and online grocery shopping is taking off.
It’s important to celebrate the economic developments that are taking place in the area, Geesaman said, pointing to the planned restaurant and brewery downtown. Kelly and Ryan Johnson plan to open HoosierBoy Smokehouse and Brew and HoosierBoy Brewery in 2019.
“We need to show as a community that we are behind this or any other investment that may happen in the downtown area of Portland or any part of our community,” Geesaman said.
He also said the city has no control over what business owners do with their property, citing the recent Ponderosa Steakhouse building demolition and the O’Reilly Auto Parts that will replace it.
Also on Monday, council members heard an update from Donald Gillespie on the Run for the Fallen, an annual event to honor members of the armed forces who have been killed in action.
Gillespie told council members the runners will be coming from Fort Wayne to Portland on June 23 and will host a flag presentation in Freedom Park. The runners will rest June 24 in Portland and will leave around 7:30 a.m. June 25.
Geesaman proclaimed June 25 “Run for the Fallen Day” in Portland and presented Gillespie with a $200 check.
The run began on April 7 in California and will continue until Aug. 5, when it will conclude at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
In other news, council members Don Gillespie, Kent McClung, Bill Gibson and Janet Powers, absent Michele Brewster, Judy Hedges and Judy Aker:
•Approved a request from Geesaman to go to Washington D.C. with East Central Indiana Regional Planning District. The EDIT Advisory Committee, which met before the council meeting, recommended council approve his request. The trip will be from June 18 to 20 and will cost $2,500. Geesaman plans to discuss flood mitigation, environmental cleanup and funding for projects with elected officials and government agencies.
•Approved personal property tax abatements for Priority Plastics and FCC (Indiana). Council heard about the $4.3 million and $3.7 million projects, respectively, at its last meeting.
•Approved a payment of $11,841.04 to Jones and Henry for continuing work at the wastewater treatment plant.
•Learned the city collected 145 tons of trash during Clean Up Week, which took place earlier this month. A normal week’s pickup is between 25 and 30 tons. Jay County Jail inmates assisted in picking up more than 600 abandoned tires around the city.
Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman updated Portland City Council on the effort to attract a new grocery store to the city following the closure of Marsh a year ago this month.
Council members also learned the days Run For the Fallen will pass through the city at their meeting Monday.
Geesaman read a prepared statement detailing the work he and others have done to bring a grocery store back to the city. He said the process began as soon as Marsh announced it was closing last year.
Many people are commenting on Facebook, coming by city hall and telling him in person that the city isn’t doing enough, Geesaman said, so he wanted to “set the record straight.”
“We have spent countless hours, countless phone calls, countless emails, countless follow-ups, countless demographic information submitted, promised incentive packages,” Geesaman said.
Several grocery chains have declined to expand in the city, Geesaman said, including Ruler Foods, Kroger, Aldi and Save-A-Lot.
However, the mayor, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation Bill Bradley and Jay County Chamber of Commerce executive director Dean Sanders are working with two other businesses right now, trying to entice them to come.
“It’s amazing and frustrating the number of people that don’t think we’re trying to do anything,” Geesaman said. “Everybody’s trying to do the best they can.”
Even State Rep. Greg Beumer has gotten involved, meeting with the executive director of the Indiana Grocery Store Association, he added. According to Geesaman, the director told Beumer it is the worst time to open a new grocery store because the profit margins are so slim and online grocery shopping is taking off.
It’s important to celebrate the economic developments that are taking place in the area, Geesaman said, pointing to the planned restaurant and brewery downtown. Kelly and Ryan Johnson plan to open HoosierBoy Smokehouse and Brew and HoosierBoy Brewery in 2019.
“We need to show as a community that we are behind this or any other investment that may happen in the downtown area of Portland or any part of our community,” Geesaman said.
He also said the city has no control over what business owners do with their property, citing the recent Ponderosa Steakhouse building demolition and the O’Reilly Auto Parts that will replace it.
Also on Monday, council members heard an update from Donald Gillespie on the Run for the Fallen, an annual event to honor members of the armed forces who have been killed in action.
Gillespie told council members the runners will be coming from Fort Wayne to Portland on June 23 and will host a flag presentation in Freedom Park. The runners will rest June 24 in Portland and will leave around 7:30 a.m. June 25.
Geesaman proclaimed June 25 “Run for the Fallen Day” in Portland and presented Gillespie with a $200 check.
The run began on April 7 in California and will continue until Aug. 5, when it will conclude at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
In other news, council members Don Gillespie, Kent McClung, Bill Gibson and Janet Powers, absent Michele Brewster, Judy Hedges and Judy Aker:
•Approved a request from Geesaman to go to Washington D.C. with East Central Indiana Regional Planning District. The EDIT Advisory Committee, which met before the council meeting, recommended council approve his request. The trip will be from June 18 to 20 and will cost $2,500. Geesaman plans to discuss flood mitigation, environmental cleanup and funding for projects with elected officials and government agencies.
•Approved personal property tax abatements for Priority Plastics and FCC (Indiana). Council heard about the $4.3 million and $3.7 million projects, respectively, at its last meeting.
•Approved a payment of $11,841.04 to Jones and Henry for continuing work at the wastewater treatment plant.
•Learned the city collected 145 tons of trash during Clean Up Week, which took place earlier this month. A normal week’s pickup is between 25 and 30 tons. Jay County Jail inmates assisted in picking up more than 600 abandoned tires around the city.
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