Porter County’s newly reconvened redevelopment commission has settled in with an eye toward what it will and won’t do in coming months.
“What we’re dealing with is a board that has quite a bit of authority,” board attorney Scott McClure said Wednesday, March 15, adding the commission can purchase, lease and sell property, among other powers. “That’s why this board is pretty unique.”
Members selected Board of Commissioners President Jeff Good, R-North, to serve as president, and County Council President Mike Jessen, R-4th District, as vice president.
Returning to the commission for another year is former Hebron Town Council member Don Ensign. New members are Jason Gilliana and Stephen Sularski, both of Valparaiso. County officials have yet to appoint a non-voting member representing one of the county’s school corporations.
The commission has $450,000 that is part of the tax abatement agreement with Porter Regional Hospital and commissioners are providing another $100,000 from the county economic development income tax, McClure said.
Because the previous incarnation of the board was not very active, the funds are almost untouched, he said. The board is an independent authority that doesn’t need approval from the county council or commissioners for what it does.
“You will be actively searching out those kinds of projects that the board could bring into better development” in unincorporated parts of the county, McClure said.
The county entity differs from its municipal counterparts, Good said.
“A lot of the powers are the same, but without the county owning any utility, it will be very difficult for the county to get into the game from that standpoint,” he said.
With revenue from the county’s foundation, which was created with the proceeds from the 2007 sale of the county hospital, the commission may be tackling projects that serve the county, Good said, and can move more quickly because it’s outside of the county government structure.
The commission won’t take on any proposals without discussions with the county council and the board of commissioners, Good said. The commission also is unlikely to create any tax increment finance districts, he said, because the county cannot provide utilities and other infrastructure. In those districts, tax revenue is used to pay for infrastructure and other improvements.
“We really don’t see a need for TIFing out there right now,” Good said.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
