Learn more about the meeting in the Tuesday, Oct. 21, News-Banner.
Following is Wells County Economic Development Director Tim Ehlerding's prepared statement for the commissioners Monday:
Gentlemen,
There is no doubt the relationship
between the Wells County Commissioners and the Wells County Chamber of Commerce
and Economic Development is as strong as it has been for quite some time. Your willingness to support economic
development and the efforts to find and attract good paying jobs for our Wells
County families is appreciated. Thank
you as always for your efforts.
We now have the opportunity to bring to
Wells County a company that will provide jobs that far exceed the average Wells
County wage. This is Wells County’s
chance to partner with a firm that will create jobs that tells our children,
“Wells County is a great place to stay, and a great place to return to if
you’ve left.” This project is exactly
why you as Commissioners signed a contract with the Wells Chamber of Commerce
and Economic development…to retain and assist those industries already calling
Wells County home, and to find the next new community partner that will provide
high paying jobs for Wells County residents.
Haldrup USA has announced they will be
locating in Wells County, investing $13 million dollars over several year and
employing 65 friends and neighbors at an average wage of $23.80 per hour. This is $6.12 more than the average wage of
$17.68 currently found in Wells County.
They are agriculture related, which provides even more support for one
of the largest industries already located in our county. They will invest $13 million of their own
dollars on a facility that will be the first foreign direct investment in Wells
County in quite some time. This project
opens up door to future foreign direct investment not previously accessible by
our county.
To assure this company called Wells
County home to their North and South American operations, incentives were
necessary. The Ossian Redevelopment
Commission will be working with Halrup to develop a package that utilizes the
newest Tax Increment Finance district in Wells County and the funds generated
through this program developed through a partnership with the
Commissioners. Personal property and
real estate property tax abatements will also be part of the incentive
package. Finally, in order to be
competitive with other communities whose incentives packages far exceeded that
offered by Wells County, we offered to purchase six acres at a total cost of
$72,000 for Haldrup. To date, the Town
of Ossian, the Ossian Development Corporation, and Wells County Chamber and Economic
Development have each agreed to be partners in purchasing this property to
assure Haldrup’s investment and creation of jobs.
Please understand, our offer was in no
way the strongest from those that submitted an offer in Northeast Indiana. Having two local contacts became a necessary
key to the chance of landing this significant employer. We would not be here today if it weren’t for
those contacts.
I am here today to request the Wells
County Commissioners to utilize $36,000 from the CEDIT revenues you have
earmarked for economic development. This
is half of the overall land acquisition cost.
By approving this request, you will join
forces with the Town of Ossian, the Ossian Development Corporation, and Wells
County Chamber and Economic Development to bring a $13 million dollar
investment, and 65 new high paying jobs which will generate over $3 million in
salaries annually. Your approving this is
in every way a justifiable expenditure of County Economic Development Income
Tax revenues. It falls within the
guidelines you offered me as the Economic Development Director when you
earmarked the annual $200,000 allowance.
It says openly as Commissioners that you support bringing in high paying
jobs for Wells County residents.
There are issues to be solved and
details to be worked out, all of which will be presented to you in open forums
for your review. You as Commissioners
alone control the CEDIT funds, without input or outside control from other
legislative or funding bodies.
There may be discussions regarding a
conflict of interest with Councilmen Stoller and Mossburg. I believe upon reviewing the state code
regarding conflict of interest, no violation of the conflict of interest
legislation will take place. There is no
doubt there is a monetary gain to be realized by Councilmen Stoller and
Mossburg in having Haldrup land in Wells County or at least Indiana. Councilman Stoller will at some time become
an employee of Haldrup as their Managing Director, and Councilman Mossburg by
leasing them space on a temporary basis for their operations while they
construct their new facility in the Ossian Industrial Park. The law is very clear that both most likely
will gain from this new industry. But
this in and of itself doesn’t violate the code.
The Indiana code states:
It
is not an offense under this section if any of the following apply:
…A
public servant makes a disclosure that meets the requirements of subsection (d)
or (e) and is: not a member or on the
staff of the governing body (Commissioners) empowered to contract or purchase
on behalf of the governmental entity (Wells County), and functions and performs
duties for the governmental entity (Commissioners) unrelated to the contract or
purchase…(35-44.1-1-4)
I have requested both Councilman Stoller
and Mossburg to complete Indiana form 236, “Uniform Conflict of Interest
Disclosure Statement,” at their earliest possible convenience. This is the standard form anyone in public
service completes to disclose potential issues.
I believe this shows, with the proper
disclosure, that no violation of the conflict code exists.
Not only all of these items: 65 new high
paying jobs, a $13 million investment, our first direct foreign investment in
years, $3 million in annual payroll, and an economic win for Wells County…not
only are these the reason to approve this $36,000 request… but it comes down to
this…saying yes to this proposal makes smart business sense, it continues to
move Wells County forward, it shows your support for the largest economic
development news to come to Wells County in the past five years, and all in
all…it’s the right thing to do.
I thank you for your consideration in
growing the Wells County economy.
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