County considers $2M-plus requests

The Gateway Industrial Park in Cambridge City needs an increased water supply, and countywide, neighborhoods need revitalization.

Supporting proposals that address those two issues could cost Wayne County government more than $2 million from taxpayer dollars. Valerie Shaffer, president of the Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County, addressed county council members and commissioners about those proposals during the Nov. 19 county workshop. County government didn’t make any commitments, but urgency is spurring action.

The existing water tower at Gateway stores 400,000 gallons, but park tenants use 777,000 gallons daily. The state requires storage capacity for an average day’s use. With about 80 acres left for development, a $7.6 million project would erect a second million-gallon tower, boosting capacity to 1.4 million gallons, which meets the current requirement and leaves room for park expansion.

A $2.8 million grant leaves $4.8 million to be funded. Cambridge City proposes the town, the county’s consolidated economic development income tax fund, the county EDIT fund and the county’s redevelopment commission each contribute $600,000. Cambridge City would then bond the remaining $2.4 million.

Cambridge City proposes putting $10,000 a month into a maintenance fund for Gateway water projects. That monthly allotment and the $194,000 annual debt service on the bond would raise water rates 21% for Gateway tenants and customers at the Interstate 70 and Indiana 1 interchange.

Sugar Creek Packing Co., which employs 600 people, is Gateway’s primary water user and would foot much of that bill. Jim McLane, president of Cambridge City’s town council, said Sugar Creek has been a “great partner” with the town, so ideally, once the tower is built, additional Gateway tenants would be found to help offset the cost.

Council requested seeing the agreements between involved entities and the proposed new water rates, although Max Smith, council’s president, said council favors the project.

Tower design is complete, but several months are needed to receive necessary approvals and bid the project. Construction would then take about 18 months.

“I think we need to move forward as quickly as possible,” said council member Gary Saunders.

Discussion then switched to the land bank proposed by Intend Indiana, a consultant that studied a land bank’s viability in Wayne County. The land bank would acquire and hold properties, then sell them to responsible developers.

Shaffer said countywide housing issues need rehabilitation of existing homes as well as new homes, and the program would revitalize neighborhoods. Efforts are already underway to revitalize Richmond’s Starr and Vaile neighborhoods.

The land bank request includes $100,000 from consolidated EDIT as seed money to form the nonprofit and hire an employee, plus a $60,000 annual contribution for three years. Richmond has committed its $60,000 annual payment, and Cambridge City has committed $5,000 annually, the recommended contribution for towns.

Sarah Mitchell of the EDC said Richmond’s Redevelopment Commission is contributing $369,000 total. That includes $160,000 for a redevelopment and revitalization strategy that encompasses other areas such as crime and infrastructure, plus $114,000 for property maintenance and upkeep.

Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said the three-year plan provides a useful trial, but the trial only works if funding resources are available.

Commissioner Brad Dwenger and council member Beth Leisure volunteered for a committee to develop the necessary agreement between participating parties to implement the land bank.

2026 budget

As expected, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance told Wayne County to reduce its 2026 budget. Council inflated the general fund by $3 million in its one-time expenditures line item to ensure the county would receive its maximum tax funding.

DLGF requires the county to reduce its general fund budget by $3,011,075, which will come from the one-time expenditures, leaving just less than $3 million in the line item. The reduction makes the general fund budget $40,067,734, which is 4.3% more than the 2025 general fund budget.

The county also was told to reduce the highway budget $1,138,000 and the bridge budget $1,708,000. The highway money will come from the bituminous line item. Bituminous is a substance that binds aggregates like gravel together. 

Brandon Sanders, the county engineer, explained to council a delay in the Waterfall Road bridge replacement scheduled for 2026. Because of an issue acquiring right of way, the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to delay the project until 2028.

Council approved 6-0 notifying DLGF of the changes.

Other issues

• One of two industrial washing machines in the jail stopped working, and council approved using up to $17,500 from its 2025 one-time expenditures line item to purchase a new machine suitable for a secured environment.
• Council approved 6-0 a letter of engagement with Waggoner Irwin Scheele & Associates of Muncie to provide a wage analysis for county positions. Kim Clauser, the county’s human resources director, said the county would be seventh in line and could expect the completed analysis June 15. The letter approves up to $32,640 for the consultant, but Clauser said the cost is expected to be about $11,500.
• Council approved paying $7,500 from its 2025 one-time money for postage required by Clerk Tara Pegg. All postage comes from a line item in the commissioners’ budget that could not cover the entire $10,000 cost. The clerk’s office is mailing questionnaires to prospective jurors for the first half of 2026.
• Plasterer noted that county government’s United Way fundraising campaign has begun. Employees can submit pledge forms to the human resources department by Dec. 1.