The Marshall County Crossroads team is asking the county government to chip in $400,000 over four years.
Team members told the county commissioners Tuesday they’ve been working on a quality of life plan, made up 50 individual projects totaling almost $19 million. The group is a finalist for the Stellar Community designation, which would cover the bulk of the cost.
Team member Ginny Bess Munroe said the region’s municipalities would be responsible for the required local match for projects in their communities, but the potential Stellar funding could also be used for county-wide initiatives and service projects. “So, total, you’re going to see around $400,000 that we don’t have a match for,” she said. “The other two-and-a-half million in matches that we needed, the towns, the City of Plymouth, and some of these smaller grants have covered those. We would like for the county to make an investment in the Regional Stellar team, over the course of the four-year implementation of Stellar, and help us make this particular set of matches.”
Some of the county-wide projects include work on a regional trail system and the launch of new workforce and career programs. Munroe said the county’s $400,000 contribution would bring in $1.6 million in state funding, if Marshall County Crossroads gets a Stellar designation. “Otherwise, we’d be leaving that money on the table,” she added.
In addition to the potential county funding, local townships are also chipping in. The Union Township Board has agreed to give $10,000, according to County Commissioner Kevin Overmyer. That money will pass through the county and the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, to help pay the Troyer Group, under an inter-local government agreement approved by the commissioners Tuesday.
MCEDC President and CEO Jerry Chavez was confident that other townships will get on board, as well. Marshall County Crossroads is also seeking outside grants and private donations, according to team members.
Chavez encouraged the commissioners to see that money as an investment. “If you stop and think about how this could actually come forth and be powerful, as an example, MCEDC took out a $2 million loan for Argos Manufacturing Center. The return on investment is $53 million. Payroll, on an annual basis, is almost $9 million,” he said.
In the end, the commissioners said they were open to the idea of providing the $400,000. The request will go to the county council on Monday. The commissioners also agreed to sign a letter of support for the Stellar application.
