New Marshall County Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Laura Walls made the rounds to many municipal meetings this week for an introduction with local government officials.
Walls was hired in late December to take the place of Jerry Chavez who served the last six years in the position.
She visited with the Marshall County Commissioners last week. She attended meetings of the Marshall County Council and town council meetings in Bourbon, Culver and Bremen this week.
Walls comes from the Lafayette area and most recently Delphi where she helped lead that community to a Stellar designation several years ago.
Bourbon Town Council member Les McFarland asked Walls about her vision for small communities in Marshall County.
“It’s your vision,” she stated. “I know that there are already several plans in place with a comprehensive plan and a Stellar plan. I just want to communicate to you what I’m doing that’s in support of those already existing plans, find what priorities are to you. I’ll do what you guys want me to do while also doing the overarching goals and vision for the county.”
Bourbon Town Council President Ward Byers brought up a question about the development of an economic development tax to fund an Economic Development Corporation. Currently, the county and its municipalities contribute an annual amount to help sustain the corporation.
“I’m stunned you don’t have one. I think it’s a very important tool that is missing from the toolbox. In Carroll County, 100 percent of our funding from the county and the municipalities came from their EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) revenue.”
Walls said that probably would not be a topic soon, but she commented that a lot can be done with an Economic Development Income Tax Fund.
She said everyone in the county has been very welcoming and looks forward to working with all entities in the county with business expansion and retention and much more.
