East Central Indiana officials compete in Indy for $50 million
The region is seeking state funds for dozens of catalyst projects but was asked to name the biggie.
INDIANAPOLIS — Ten people representing East Central Indiana stood shoulder to shoulder in Indianapolis on the morning of Dec. 3.
They were vying for a chance to win $50 million in state funding to help accelerate economic growth in the region, beset by depopulation, brain drain and other problems.
The competitive atmosphere resembled a pageant or reality television.
“At this time, please welcome to the stage the East Central Indiana region,” a woman announced over a speaker system (see the video below).
The 10 representatives were lined up on a platform at Dallara IndyCar Factory, answering questions from a committee of judges following a 25-minute presentation. The region’s sales talk had included a video accompanied by music that sounded similar to a ukulele version of "Over The Rainbow."
One of the queries seemed to stump the panel, which earlier had received the region’s 328-page, $379-million “Forge Your Path” action plan containing dozens of projects awaiting funding.
“Of the projects that you’ve listed, what do you think is that big project that is going to start to tip the needle … that will start to drive that new talent coming to East Central Indiana?” a judge asked.
During a pause lasting 15 seconds, Corey Murphy, president of the New Castle Henry County Economic Development Corp., turned and muttered something about “the collaborative” to Valerie Shaffer, head of the Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County, who also muttered “the collaborative” as she handed the microphone to Erin Moore, associate director of community engagement at Ball State University, while the judge reassuredly added, “There’s no wrong answer.”
“We did rock, paper, scissors,” Moore joked before identifying the East Central Indiana Talent Collaborative as that one big project — spearheaded by the George and Frances Ball Foundation, with support from Ball State.
As a result of that effort, the state in January of this year designated ECI as one of Indiana’s 21st Century Talent Regions.
The initiative encourages local governments, businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits and economic/workforce development partners to take a comprehensive, regional approach to talent management; improving quality of place; and skilling up the workforce to fill high-demand, high-wage jobs.
The ECI region is made up of Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush and Wayne counties.
Had it not been for the ground work laid by the talent collaborative, the region might not have been prepared to meet the tight deadline to even apply for the $50 million in READI funds.
The Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Intiative (READI) is a $500 million state program financed by the federal government’s American Rescue Plan, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package.
Next week, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. will award up to $50 million per region to accelerate regional development plans to increase educational attainment, raise household income, grow population and stimulate the economy.
Seventeen regions are competing for the funds.
“So much of it is very integral together … ,” Moore told the judging committee, alluding to the talent collaborative’s importance to the catalyst projects. “What we’re trying to do … is have a place for all of that to live, have a place for all of that to make sense.”
“That collective overarching collaborative is really essential for true regional activity,” such as helping local residents understand what the region offers, she went on. “This is not just your local downtown, but what is available in the region.”
Such as the Whitewater Gorge Park in Richmond, where the city is partnering with a vendor to add ziplining, tubing, kayaking and climbing to activate the park.
Or such as partnerships with industry, “so that those who come out of Ball State and other institutions of higher education, they don’t just see businesses a mile from campus,” Moore said. “They understand all of the opportunities in the region, which is varied and diverse and really lucrative for many of our students.”
The committee earlier had asked what the region can do to keep Ball State students around after they graduate.
“Many say they want to stay here,” Moore answered. “They have connections here. They know people, they enjoy the area … We provide opportunities for students to stay. We encourage students to get off the campus, to experience life outside the campus perimeter and make meaningful connections through immersive learning. The desire is there … But I’m going to go where the job is.”
So “it’s all in concert,” Moore said, referring back to the action plan’s catalyst projects for parks, recreation, housing, the maker movement, broadband, blue zones where people live longer, and more.
The region also answered these questions:
What is keeping housing from being built in East Central Indiana?
A lack of developers in many of the counties, Murphy answered. “So we have to attract developers outside to come and invest. And they are probably busy in areas where the risk is less and the profit margin is assured. So our approach is to reduce that risk by investing in … water, sewers, drainage and roads so they don’t have to add that to the sales price.” Frankly, the region relies on developers from the donut region around Indianapolis, he went on. ECI has a robust housing market but is missing the middle. “The $100,000 to $250,000 homes are tough to find in our market."
Responding to a separate question about existing housing stock, Murphy reported that the region’s population is aging, and that “age-friendly condominiums don’t exist in many communities.” Thus, older residents remain in homes that are appropriate for first-time home buyers.
Where is the largest opportunity to attract new residents to the region from outside Indiana? We obviously don’t want you to steal Hoosiers from other regions of the state.
Several ECI counties border Ohio, Shaffer noted, and thousands of Buckeyes commute to work in those counties. Investing in quality of life, rural broadband, new housing and other regional initiatives can convert commuters and visitors into residents, she said.
Trails are a component of the East Central region’s comeback plan, but what amenities are available, or will become available, near the trails to help draw users?
The region is “blessed with the Cardinal Greenway, a nationally recognized asset,” Murphy responded. “So all trails lead to the Cardinal Greenway. That’s the plan … Get to the Cardinal.”
The Cardinal Greenway is the longest rail-trail in Indiana, spanning 62 miles from Marion to Muncie to Richmond, with a road section, or gap, in the rail-trail from Gaston to Jonesboro that is about 15 more miles. Other communities in the region are building trails to connect to the Cardinal.
As a matter of fact, closing that 15-mile gap is one of the region’s catalyst projects under consideration for READI funding. The “Forge Your Path” action plan says this:
“A primary goal of Cardinal Greenway Inc.’s most recent strategic plan is to close the gap between Gaston and Jonesboro, which requires coordination with multiple property owners and crossing under the I-69 corridor. The Cardinal Greenway Gap Project would begin to close the gap by connecting our existing Cardinal Greenway trail endpoint at Gas City/ Jonesboro to the town of Upland. The project includes remaining land acquisition, engineering, design, and construction.
“Ninety percent of the needed right-of-way was pledged between Taylor University, Town of Upland, and the City of Gas City. The closure of the gap in the trail system will create a safer route for thousands of East Central Indiana residents using the Cardinal Greenway Trail and …
“It will provide the necessary momentum to complete Phase 2 of the effort, which will close our regional gap from Upland through Matthews to the Cardinal Greenway in Gaston.”
My prior reporting on this subject:
A $379-million comeback plan for East Central Indiana
A walk with birders on the Wilbur Wright Trail