Everyone speaking at the Nov. 12 public hearing agreed that Centerville needs a new comprehensive plan, and the town will soon find out if it will receive $50,000 in grant funding to make that happen.
The hearing was an important step in advancing the application to Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which was due Nov. 14.
Donna Anderson, president of Kenna Consulting LLC in Indianapolis, is the grant administrator for the project. She said a new plan will allow Centerville to understand its current situation, define goals and objectives for the future, and develop an outline of strategies to achieve those goals.
The town’s current plan was adopted in 2003, a dinosaur of a document when most comprehensive plans are updated every five years.
Centerville should know by Dec. 19 if the grant has been awarded. The planning process itself could take eight months or more, depending on OCRA’s project review schedule.
In addition to the potential grant funds, the town plans to contribute $9,600 for a total project price of $59,600.
Anderson summarized the 67 resident survey responses submitted since the request for input began earlier this year. Of the respondents, 73% indicated the need to attract more diverse businesses in downtown Centerville, including restaurants with outdoor seating. Other priorities include street and sidewalk updates, demolishing eyesores, historic preservation, and addressing housing issues.
A number of people spoke strongly in favor of the need for an updated plan and its role in community development and improvement. No one spoke against the project.
After the public hearing concluded, council moved into its regularly scheduled meeting where they heard staff reports and approved various expenses. One approval was for 24 new helmets for firefighters, at a cost of $9,264.
A version of this article appeared in the November 20 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.