11/15/13 On November 12th, the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) held the fourth in an ongoing series of discussions titled “County Development for the Future” at the Swan Lake Resort & Conference Center. The purpose of this event, attended by 26 MCEDC stakeholders was to report progress on prior action items established by our cities, towns, and county and discuss additional development opportunities or challenges that have arisen since the last meeting in August.
The Town of Argos, with assistance from the MCEDC is working toward obtaining Indiana Economic Development Corporation “shovel ready” certification for a 75 acre site. Additionally, the Town is in the process of rezoning the property from agricultural to industrial to accommodate the desired future development. The Town of Bourbon has had discussions on a potential 80 acre annexation, for new residential and industrial development. The Town of Bremen identified land and had appraisals completed for potential future development. The Town of Culver updated their comprehensive plan, and will incorporate the land use goals into their TIF redevelopment plans. Culver has also completed appraisals on several vacant industrial properties. Marshall County is continuing with the roll-out of an on-line permitting system. All municipalities will utilize this permitting system establishing a 24/7 countywide system. The City of Plymouth has completed sewer and water improvement projects near U.S. 30 and Pioneer Drive increasing the potential capacity for future users.
The event was facilitated by Shawn Peterson, CEO & President of the Corporate Partnership for Economic Growth (CPEG). In his initial remarks, Mr. Peterson addressed two regional efforts, one focusing on workforce development and the other on transportation infrastructure. The Northern Indiana region, including Marshall County, was named as a finalist for funding Project Lead the Way (PLTW). PLTW provides K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) curricula, which often leads students to pursue further education and careers in engineering and engineering technology. Secondly, Conexus Indiana, a statewide advanced manufacturing and logistics initiative, recently formed the North Central Regional Logistics Council (NCRLC). Dan Brown, President of Phend & Brown, Inc., and Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee of the NCRLC, stated that the Council had identified two key regional transportation projects that would have a significant positive impact on Marshall County. These projects include the completion of upgrades to U.S. 31 and U.S.30 which would reduce travel times and increase freight movement through the county.
At the conclusion of the event, all the representatives in attendance decided to reconvene in March 2014 to continue the discussion and report back on continued progress.
About Marshall County Economic Development Corporation
Since 2007, The Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) has been the countywide economic development organization dedicated to assisting existing business in any growth endeavor and in attracting new business. Our mission is to expand and diversify the economy through investment in new and existing businesses and creating a foundation for successful entrepreneurial activity. Visit MCEDC on the web at www.marshallcountyedc.org, and on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
