Months of waiting have paid off for the North Central Indiana Region.
It was announced Tuesday afternoon that Marshall County, St. Joseph, and Elkhart Counties will receive $42-million in Regional Cities grant funds. The region was one of three top prize winners announced through the project.
Marshall County Economic Development Executive Director Jerry Chavez was in Indianapolis for the announcement. He says they had to pinch themselves after hearing the news.
“The reality is that we have a lot of work ahead of us,” says Chavez. “I think the first steps are the RDA board which is basically the governing body for North Central Indiana will come together and line up that process.”
That five-member board consists of representatives from all of the counties in the North Central Region.
The Regional Cities Initiative was developed as a way of retaining Indiana’s population while attracting young talent to the state. The project was funded through Indiana’s Tax Amnesty Program – which one Regional Cities Strategic Review Committee member called a success.
Projects related to improving the region’s quality of place have been developed by RDA committee recommendations. Marshall County has several projects included in that list.
Following meetings in November, the North Central Region was speculated to be among the frontrunners for the grant funds. The Strategic Review Committee confirmed those rumors during a meeting held Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Chavez says economic development entities in the region felt the benefits of working together.
“I think for those that have gone through that process, we can look at that process and that activity that has led us to where we’re at today and obviously use that as a baseline going forward,” says Chavez.
A watch party was held at Swan Lake Resort in Marshall County where elected and business officials watched the recommendations unfold on big screen. The announcement that Marshall County was included was met with applause.
The Strategic Review Committee recommendations must now receive final approval by the full IEDC Board and the General Assembly.
