City, county, town and local economic development organizations over a five-county area are being approached to form a new organization. Organizers with the Southern Indiana Development Commission, Radius Indiana, Team Crane and the Indiana Office of Defense Development are trying to form a new group called the White River Military Coordination Alliance.
“The purpose is the build working relationships between Crane and local government,” said Greg Jones, executive director of the Southern Indiana Development Commission.
“Currently the organization does not exist, but we are working to formulate it,” added Matt Craig, director of Crane Community Support for Radius Indiana.
The need for the organization came out of a Joint Land Use Study of Crane, Crane’s Glendora Lake facility in Sullivan County and the surrounding counties to those operations.
“That study included some recommendations for things Crane could do and the counties could do to make things work better,” said Craig. “We need a group to look at those recommendations and decide what to implement. It is really about better communication between the base and the cities and counties that surround it.”
Crane is a major economic driver in southern Indiana. Each year the base puts billions of dollars in salaries and contracts into the southern Indiana economy. Organizers believe that with the addition of Interstate 69, the area’s low cost of living and the work being done at Crane, the base can become a choice location for defense contractors.
“The overall goal of the alliance is to improve the relationship with Crane and help move development opportunities around the base forward,” said Craig. “If plans of the base can be shared with the communities early, then any impacts or opportunities can be captured. Likewise, there may be things going on in the communities that could produce impacts on Crane.”
Officials contend that Crane has strong support in southern Indiana and in particular the counties that surround the base. They believe the alliance can be used to further that situation.
“The implication is that Crane is an economic driver for the area and we would like to improve it,” said Craig. “The alliance is a way to foster that improvement and send a message to the Army and Navy that the communities are with Crane. There is very little downside here. It is an opportunity to improve communication and improve economic development.”
Currently, the organizations are doing a round of educating the various cities, towns and organizations about the White River Military Coordination Alliance with the idea of getting the advisory and communication operation up and running later this year.
“They are looking for participation from local communities with this organization,” said Jones. “We want them to get a feel for it. Get an idea about who they want on it, because that person will be part of the group that will determine how this organization will operate.”
“This can be an opportunity,” added Craig. “We all know there are increases in the federal defense budget and that can have impacts and create growth opportunities both inside and outside the base.”
The White River Military Coordination Alliance is hoping to hold its organizing meeting by late September or early October.
Proposed Alliance Members
Local Economic Development organization and county representatives from Martin, Greene, Lawrence, Daviess and Sullivan counties.
City and town representatives from Bedford, Crane, Mitchell, Washington, Sullivan, Odon, Linton, Loogootee, Bloomfield and Shoals.
Agency and regional representatives from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Indiana Office of Defense Development, Southern Indiana Development Commission and Radius Indiana.
Advisors from the Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Economic Development Commission and the Southern Indiana Business Alliance Inc.
A pair of Crane officials will also serve as ex-officio members on the Alliance.