“We’re going to bring a lot of jobs and a lot of laughter here to town.”
That’s what Louie Keen told Richmond Common Council about the Uranus Fudge Factory and General Store during its Aug. 5 meeting. Council unanimously approved a zoning change for the former New Creations church and school property along U.S. 40 east of Interstate 70.
With the general commercial zoning, Keen, the self-proclaimed mayor of Uranus, plans to employ 50 to 60 people at the general store. He previously told Richmond Advisory Plan Commission that he intends to relocate his warehouse from Anderson. That will result in an additional 12 jobs.
Uranus will sell fudge, candy, ice cream and more at its Richmond location. It also will have a mini-sideshow area with games, such as the Coney Island Shooting Gallery, according to a Facebook post. Miniature golf and gas pumps are future expansion possibilities.
Keen, who wore a blue shirt with American flags on it and a stars-and-stripes bow tie, thanked Mayor Ron Oler, Planning Director Dustin Purvis and city planning staff for helping Uranus work through the zoning process.
Purvis told council that planning staff recommended approval of the zoning change from institutional because commercial development is a suitable use for the property that’s a gateway into the city and state.
The quick Uranus discussion and vote preceded a three-hour portion of the meeting that resulted in council voting 7-2 to approve zoning for the Smith Hill planned unit development along South 37th Street, reported in the Aug. 7 WWN.
Tax abatements
Council referred three tax abatement requests related to a Transcendia expansion project to its tax abatement committee.
Transcendia, which makes plastic film at its 300 Industrial Parkway facility, plans to retain its 122 jobs and create 30 more while investing $10.5 million in personal property and $3 million in real property.
Eastern Indiana Flex LLC, which owns property across Industrial Parkway from Transcendia, also applied for a tax abatement. Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, said Eastern Indiana Flex is eligible because it will lease space for Transcendia’s growth.
Eastern Indiana Flex did not file for its tax abatement until after the project began in March, Fields said, so it needs a waiver of non-compliance to receive the tax abatement.
The tax abatement committee rates requests with a scoring system council passed during 2023.
Make My Move
Council members heard an ordinance and interlocal agreement related to the Make My Move program. Both were referred to the finance committee.
The ordinance would allow the city to pursue a $60,000 grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to cover about two-thirds of the cost for a contract with Make My Move. The program incentivizes remote workers to move to Wayne County. The interlocal agreement with Wayne County government enables the county and Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County to pay for the 2024 contract from consolidated Economic Development Income Tax funds.
Valerie Shaffer, president of the EDC, said Make My Move has resulted in 15 movers so far, including 14 who have moved to Richmond. Five other movers have accepted incentive package offers, and three other offers are pending.
Parks projects
Richmond Parks and Recreation Department received $106,289.77 for priority projects this year.
The money comes from $673,236 the city’s economic development fund received from the state’s 2024 supplemental local income tax distribution. Oler had requested $300,000 total for the parks, downtown parking and community branding.
Justin Burkhardt, who chairs council’s finance committee, said the committee did not receive details about the parking and branding projects, so council amended the ordinance to only include the parks money. Burkhardt said the parking and branding projects would be revisited later.
The parks money is planned to impact Glen Miller Park, Elstro Plaza, Highland Lake Golf Course, Clear Creek Park and Cordell Municipal Pool.
RP&L bids
Richmond Power & Light General Manager Tony Foster opened one bid for a reel trailer during an abbreviated Aug. 5 board meeting that followed the council meeting.
Sauber Manufacturing’s $22,947 bid was taken under advisement. RP&L’s line department would use the trailer.
The board, which is composed of the council members, authorized Foster to seek bids for a pickup truck the engineering department would use. The truck purchase was budgeted for 2024.
A version of this article appeared in the August 14 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.