Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County is returning unspent 2025 funds back to Wayne County.
At its Jan. 12 meeting, the board voted to return $55,286.89 to the Consolidated Economic Development Income Tax fund.
New members
Two new board members, Jason Troutwine and Brenda McLane, were welcomed as they start three-year terms.
Richmond Mayor Ron Oler appointed Troutwine with Richmond Common Council’s approval. Troutwine is vice president of Reid Health and president of Reid Foundation, where he also oversees volunteers, marketing and communications, business partnerships, and community benefit and engagement.
McLane replaced Jim King as Cambridge City town council’s appointee. She retired as co-owner of Western Wayne News and previously worked in adult education, including Ivy Tech Corporate College in Bloomington. She serves on several local boards and committees, including Wayne County Foundation.
This year’s officers are Peggy Cenova, chair, who was appointed by Wayne County commissioners with county council’s approval; Tony Foster II, vice chair, appointed by Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce’s board; Rodger Smith, treasurer, appointed by Wayne County Council; Mike Gaddis (Richmond mayor), secretary; and past chair Jim Tanner.
Additional members and their appointing agencies include Sherrilyn Johnson (Wayne County commissioners), Brandi Jackson (Richmond Common Council), Greg White (Town of Centerville), and Brian Ballenger and Marty Van Der Burgt (Wayne County chamber’s board).
In other business
- EDC President Valerie Shaffer said work is happening behind the scenes between Indiana EDC and the developer for Smith Hill housing near South 37th Street and Backmeyer Road in Richmond.
- Three new workers have relocated to Wayne County’s Make My Move incentive program under its new contract. One is a remote worker and the others work for Blue Buffalo and Neighborhood Health Center.
- An EDC committee has studied reconfiguring remaining land in Midwest Industrial Park into five lots to make marketing clearer for prospective companies. Richmond’s Board of Works approved the update.
- Economic Development Manager Sarah Mitchell secured a no-cost $5,000 consultation from Acceleration By Design to aid in downtown revitalization planning. It will include workshops for downtown community leaders, building owners and merchants.
- East Central Indiana’s arts and culture plan, developed as part of $65 million in funding through Lilly Endowment Inc., has been finalized. It was to be presented Jan. 13 to state officials. Indiana EDC is to release grant applications shortly thereafter, with applicants demonstrating how their project applies to the regional plan.
- Work continues between Cambridge City and Wayne County government to finalize financing of the new water tower in Gateway Industrial Park. Wayne County Redevelopment Commission has approved contributing $1 million; $800,000 is yet to be approved from county EDIT and Consolidated EDIT once the agreement between the county and Cambridge City has been finalized.
- EDC staff submitted one new business attraction project to state officials in December, and continued working on nine potential expansion projects.
A version of this article appeared in the January 21 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.