Housing accelerator program nearly ready to take off

Wayne County Council appropriated $150,000 from the consolidated economic development income tax fund to support a housing accelerator program through the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County.

Council voted 6-1, with Misty Hollis opposing, during its May 7 meeting.

Hollis said taxpayer money has been committed to a variety of housing programs, including the apartments at Sixth and Main streets in Richmond, the planned unit development between South 37th Street and Garwood Road in Richmond and downtown housing projects. None has yet built a home.

“I’d like to see something happen for all this money,” Hollis said.

The $150,000 is part of $820,000 the project will use to kick-start stalled subdivisions in Cambridge City, Centerville and Richmond. The funding is $10,000 each for 82 houses, and if any of the houses are not constructed before the Dec. 31, 2029, deadline, the developers will return $10,000 per unbuilt house.

Of the $820,000, $500,000 was previously committed from consolidated EDIT, to which county communities contribute EDIT tax funding to support the EDC and economic development projects. The county is also using $170,000 from its county EDIT fund for 17 houses in an unincorporated area north of Cambridge City. That money was part of $1 million appropriated through the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program to assist developers with infrastructure needs. During the May 7 commissioners meeting, Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said commissioners need to discuss how best to proceed with the remaining $830,000 from that appropriation.

Commissioner Brad Dwenger said he envisions quick progress once developers receive the housing accelerator funds. 

“I’m very pleased, and I think it’s going to be a great program,” Dwenger said.

When Gov. Mike Braun recently visited Richmond and Wayne County, he was impressed with the progress being made in the city and county, said council member Beth Leisure.

Plasterer said the governor indicated there’s planning for a third round of Regional Acceleration and Development Initiative funding. That, he said, indicates the importance of planning and having projects ready to go that can receive READI money.

Projects

Steve Higinbotham, the county administrator, said the new generator for the Wayne County Administration Building has been installed and is functioning. 

The generator did not start during an initial attempt, but it was repaired.

Barry Ritter, a council member, said the project to install two towers for emergency radio transmissions remains on schedule.

Tower installation is expected to begin during June with a fall completion date for the project.

Other actions

• Council members approved increasing the administrative fee paid Dunn & Associates as the third-party health insurance administrator to $50 per plan participant per month from the current $47.75. There are about 300 plan participants, making the cost about $180,000 a year.
• Council approved the transfer of $15,000 from its contingency line item to cover a shortfall in the Superior Court 3 budget for appeals transcripts. The line item was funded at $10,000 for the year and has been depleted.
• Council approved transfers within the community corrections budget that move $11,637.59 into the health insurance line item and $11,686.01 into its travel and training line item.
• As part of the dissolution of Wayne Union Recycling, council appropriated $133,400 to a newly created recycling fund. The money is most of Wayne County’s disbursement from WUR’s assets. Another $50,000 remains in a certificate of deposit until September.
• At the request of Sheriff Randy Retter, council agreed to transfer $13,000 of unused salary from an open jail position into the overtime line item. The OT line item was nearly zeroed after being funded at $125,000 for the year.