Jerry Chavez, Executive Director of the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation has been making his rounds to the various bodies of government in Marshall County updating them on three areas; recent announcements, Regional Cities investment and Workforce Development.
During Monday’s Marshall County Council meeting, Chavez urged members to take a look at the INDOT Maintenance Facility on Pioneer Drive north of US 30. He said, “They are in a foot race to try to get the major portion of the building built before the snow flies.” The $7.2 million dollar project also includes about $500,000 of public infrastructure that will be dedicated back to the City of Plymouth.
Chavez discussed the nearly $20 million dollar capital investment of Homestead Dairy creating the largest automated dairy in the nation. Work is well underway on the structure. Chavez commented that the county’s tax abatement for the project saying, “This went a long way to help that business with their capital investment.”
Pretzels Inc. and Indiana based company that recently purchased the Commerce Building. The main capital investment will be on the inside of the building with the build out and installation of equipment. This $18 million dollar project will being 60 to 65 new better paying jobs to the area.
Chavez said during the county council meeting, “We tried to make sure that most of our communities had a piece of the action or funding with the Regional Cities Initiative.” In a spread sheet he showed the $1.76 million for housing being shared with Bourbon, Bremen, Culver and Plymouth. In the plan Argos has a manufacturing center while Culver also has a green tail and entrepreneur center and Plymouth has an entrepreneur center and the aquatic center.
Marshall County Economic Development Corporation will meet this week with Workforce Development on a pilot project. Chavez said, “Workforce Development has committed to doing 3 pilot projects and Marshall County is one of those.” A questionnaire will be distributed to local businesses seeking to understand the challenges they face as an employer finding good employees to fill open positions.
