Upland, IN – Elected officials from Grant, Jay and Blackford counties assembled at Taylor University Wednesday night to learn about techniques to bring new businesses to the region.
Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold, Hartford City Mayor Dennis J. Whitesell, Montpelier Mayor Kathy Bantz and Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman joined members of councils from cities including Marion, Fairmount, Sweetser, Hartford City, Montpelier and Van Buren to hear about site selection procedures, tax abatement law changes and tax increment financing.
Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold, Hartford City Mayor Dennis J. Whitesell, Montpelier Mayor Kathy Bantz and Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman joined members of councils from cities including Marion, Fairmount, Sweetser, Hartford City, Montpelier and Van Buren to hear about site selection procedures, tax abatement law changes and tax increment financing.
“It’s always an important topic,” speaker Loren Matthes said of business development. “I’m trying to help people understand the benefits of using these different tools.”
Matthes, principal at consulting firm Umbaugh and Associates, explained the benefits of temporarily forgiving a portion of a new business’ property tax burden and how they vary from the help of allotting TIF funds. She also touched on the change in property tax abatement as of July 1 that dramatically widens the possibilities for communities to offer that incentive.
“Any combination can be offered,” she said. “If you use your own schedule you should have criteria, but communities can offer any percentage over any number of years.”
Jay Walters, president of FairWinds Advisors, preceded Matthes with a message about the process business use to select sites. His message to the officials was about seven factors businesses use that they should attempt to improving, ranging from labor cost and availability to access to highways and available real estate.
“Site selection is a process of elimination. A lot of cities might not even know they’re up for selection because they’re eliminated without a visit,” he said. “We do a lot of work over the internet and phone from our desk, so being available is critical.”
Walters stressed how unimportant local unemployment is – companies look to lure away the underemployed rather than those without work, he said – and the impact a successful business’ tax income can have to offset incentives such as tax abatement.
“In a successful project, everybody wins,” he said.
Tim Eckerle, executive director of the Grant County Economic Growth Council, said the gathering was an offshoot of quarterly meetings hosted for Grant County officials since 1990, the first of which this year is scheduled for April 13.
Eckerle said previous meetings have attracted speakers including Governor Mitch Daniels and Indiana School Boards Association Executive Director Frank Bush as well as guests including then-U.S. Congressman Jim Jontz. They generally rotate throughout the community over the year, and previous locations have included the Fairmount American Legion and Swayzee Town Hall.
“This really is for everyone from a town councilman to a congressman,” he said. “These topics are the heart and soul of creating jobs and retaining jobs.”
Seybold said he was very pleased to see officials from the three counties interacting and learning together.
“It’s a regional effort. What happens in Marion affects (these cities),” he said. “It’s great to see so many elected officials in one place.”
He added that Marion is a leader in using incentives to lure businesses and intends to stay that way regardless of legislative changes.
“It’s important for new elected officials to hear how important these things are from someone besides the mayor,” he said with a laugh. “We’ve always had a great council that’s been very supportive with incentives. That reputation is out about Marion, and we’re interested in keeping it.”
By Derek Beigh