St. Joseph County pledges $56,000 for regional development plan

The money is part of a broader fundraising effort by the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership that calls for raising $1 million per year from 2018 through 2021 from the private and public sectors — a total of $4 million.

Money would be used to implement a regional plan that was developed over the past two years by economic development officials and “hundreds of community members,” according to a letter to county commissioners from Regina Emberton, president and CEO of the partnership.

Emberton didn’t attend Tuesday’s meeting because she was traveling, and she didn’t return calls on Monday and Tuesday seeking comment.

The county will give a total of $56,000 — $14,000 per year —from its County Economic Development Income Tax fund toward the effort led by the South Bend-based nonprofit, which is a collaboration of economic development partners across northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.