Check Out our 2011 Spotlight on Small Business Tab with this edition!
THE PAPER May 18, 2011
EDG withdraws CEDIT fund request Bill Konyha, President and CEO of the Economic Development Group of Wabash County, Inc. (EDG) announced that its Board of Directors voted to withdraw its request for CEDIT funds to retain the consulting services of former State Representative William J. Ruppel. “The EDG staff and board continue to believe that Bill Ruppel is a valuable resource and that he would have provided substantial benefit to our efforts to expand and diversify our economy.” However, Konyha noted that the recession caused a drop of nearly 21 percent in local income tax revenues, including CEDIT. “We have at least two projects that will require an investment of CEDIT funds to leverage new private sector capital investment creating primary and secondary jobs,” Konyha noted. It is essential Wabash County retains as much of the CEDIT funding as possible for projects that will directly create jobs. “In addition,” Konyha added, “we are seeking grant funding to reduce the cost of infrastructure development in the Business Park and CEDIT dollars will be required to match the grant funds.” EDG had intended to have Bill Ruppel use his extensive contacts within the state of Indiana to seek opportunities to provide direct funding for the business park and other economic development initiatives. Konyha believed that this “low cost” effort could increase the effectiveness of EDG’s efforts to raise state funding and reduce costs. The Economic Development Group of Wabash County, Inc. is the not for profit provider of economic development services for Wabash County, the City of Wabash, and the Town of North Manchester.
Index Classifieds................27-31 Community News ..18, 20, 22-23 D & E ..........................21 Sports Shorts ................19 Weekly Reports ........12-14 Vol. 34, No. 9
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
of Wabash County Inc.
www.thepaperofwabash.com
Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Wabash gives special recognition to small businesses by Danielle Smith On May 13, Wabash C o u n t y Commissioner Scott Givens stood on the steps of the Wabash County Courthouse with Mayor Robert Vanlandingham and proclaimed May 16-20 to be Small Business Appreciation Week. The Wabash County and North M a n c h e s t e r Chambers of Commerce initiated this recognition week in order to celebrate the contributions that small businesses make to our county. Following the reading of the proclamation, Mayor Vanlandingham commented on the excellent service provided by Wabash small businesses. He recalled an instance when he purchased a grill from one of those local small businesses, True Value, Wabash. “They put it together for me, delivered it to my house put it on my back patio, fired it up to make sure it was working, and a year or two later I had a little problem and they came and took care of it,” he recalled. “They do that for this community all the time.”
More than 50 Wabash County small businesses will participate in this week’s festivities by offering sales, refreshments, door prizes and more. Givens joined his fellow commissioners on May 16 for their weekly meeting to discuss County business. The meeting began with County Highway Superintendent John Martin presenting a utility permit request with Town of Lagro Superintendent Scott Siders. The permit is for reconstruction of sewer infrastructure, which will be funded by the final of three grants received by the Town of Lagro. The commissioners granted the request. Wabash County E m e r g e n c y Management Agency (EMA) and Central Dispatch Director Bob Brown gave the Commissioners a report on the recent rainfall. He reported that the Wabash River crest measured 9.97 feet on May 16. The highest recorded crest was 18.48 ft. in 1996. The Eel River measured 10.93 ft. He also reported that an area of Mill Street, between Market and
IN HONOR OF SMALL BUSINESSES, Wabash County Commissioner Scott Givens (left) and Mayor Robert Vanlandingham (right) proclaimed May 16-20 to be Small Business Appreciation Week. Businesses all over the County are participating by offering special deals and events to their customers. (photo by Danielle Smith) Canal streets was closed due to flooding. County Planning Director Mike Howard presented an
additional procreation request for legal fees to Attorney Larry Thrush. The additional cost is
attributed to changes in forms needed to declare a premise to be unsafe and demolish said premise. The
Plan Commission has generated $108,000 for the County since they began collecting fees (continued on page 7)
Community Foundation grants to nonprofits exceed $41,000 Wabash County nonprofit organizations continue to diligently work to fulfill their missions despite challenging economic conditions. Donors are able to help them fight hunger, preserve local history and natural treasures, promote arts and culture, and support many other services through their gifts to the Community Foundation of Wabash County’s Unrestricted Funds. “The Grants Committee of the C o m m u n i t y Foundation of Wabash County carefully selects grant recipients during each of our grant cycles,” says Foundation Executive Director Sally Benson. “Earnings from Unrestricted
Endowments (otherwise known as the Foundation’s “Good Deeds” Endowments) provide the majority of funding for the competitive grants awarded three times a year. Other funding may be provided from field of interest endowments and donor advised funds held at the Foundation.” In its first cycle of 2011, the Foundation awarded $41,657.95 to 18 area educational institutions, organizations, and groups serving Wabash County. Grant recipients include: American Legion Post #15 ($1,000) Handicap Ramp The Thomas Steinman American Legion Post has been in Wabash since 1919. It is a veterans’ organ-
ization serving as a home for any veteran to visit for fellowship with other veterans. There are many disabled veterans that have served the country and cannot visit their Legion due to the lack of handicap accessibility. The handicap ramp will allow disabled veterans to visit their Legion home. Community Services of North Manchester ($1,500) - Manchester Recreation Association Scoreboards The Manchester R e c r e a t i o n Association (MRA) was formed with the intent to serve residents of the North Manchester area with softball and baseball programs. Well over 1,000 people use the
fields each year for high school games, leagues, and tournaments. MRA scoreboards will allow the community focused organization to continue to host games and tournaments and properly serve all involved. Education for Conflict Resolution ($3,000) - Peace Learning Connection for Manchester Community Schools 2011-12 For nearly 25 years, Education for Conflict Resolution has sought to put the skills to resolve conflict peacefully and productively into the hands of as many people as possible. The Peace Learning Connection (PLC) trains fourthgrade students to respond to affronts by
taking control of the situation through the use of a dialogue. The PLC employs interactive exercises and a high ratio of adults to students in order to train these skills intensively in one day. Family Services Society ($2,875) Empowering Domestic Violence Victims and Youth Hands of Hope, a division of Family Service Society, Inc., has provided comprehensive domestic violence and sexual violence victim’s advocacy services in Wabash County since 1994 including a victim’s advocate, 24-hour hotline and safe shelter. Hands of Hope will use funding to continue a weekly support group called WEND. WEND provides 10 hours per week for
prevention education and buys t-shirts for youth and craft materials for youth to make posters about healthy relationships to display in their school hallways, reinforcing presentations facilitated by Hands of Hope education staff. Learn More Center ($5,000) - Efficient Effective Education The Learn More Center was created to provide adult basic education in Wabash County. The center serves students 16 years of age and up and assists them in improving their literacy levels, attaining GEDs, learning computer literacy skills, and/or transitioning to post-secondary education and training opportunities. When a (continued on page 6)