By ROGER MOON, Times-Mail
PAOLI - Forrest Brown, from the Paoli Town Council, was vocal Thursday evening about how casino tax revenues should be funneled to help his town secure a share of the wealth that is anticipated from gaming.
State Rep. Jerry Denbo, D-French Lick, had called a meeting of Paoli and Orleans town councils, and he asked Brown for his opinion on how the two communities could best benefit.
“Since you've got me riled up, I'll tell you,” Brown said. He added, “From what I see, give the money to the towns ... and let them build on the infrastructure of the towns ... There wouldn't be a casino in Orange County if it wasn't for Paoli and Orleans. Put the money out to the towns. Let them build their infrastructure and get some good out of it.”
Adina Cloud, chairwoman of the Historic Hotels Preservation Commission, told Brown, “I agree with you in regards to money for Paoli and Orleans. Having money set aside would be a good thing and let you make those decisions.”
An allocation plan developed for how some casino taxes would be distributed outside the Springs Valley community calls for Orange County to get 82 percent of a pool of tax dollars, while Orleans and Paoli municipalities would divide the remaining 18 percent.
Among the ways communities and entities can access casino funds for various projects is to request money directly from the HHPC (the local group advancing the casino project). Or money can come through what's called a “supporting organization” that was established by Orange County Commissioners and will have some flexibility in deciding ways the county's share of casino taxes will be spent.
Cloud, speaking at a meeting that attracted several elected leaders but few of their constituents, explained that HHPC funds are restricted to projects related to infrastructure and historic preservation. Money allocated through the supporting organization, however, doesn't have the same kind of limitations, she said.
Priorities
Town leaders discussed some of their goals and frustrations.
Robert Henderson, from the Orleans Town Council, made reference to the leaders of the Cook family, who are part of the partnership that's building the casino and restoring the two historic hotels in The Valley. Henderson said, “Bill and Gayle Cook are great champions of historic preservation. ... Orleans is interested in furthering preservation.”
Alva Sibbitt Jr., a Paoli Town Council member, said the decision has been made to apply casino revenues Paoli will receive toward developing a new recreation facility on the west side of town and making improvements to JayCee Park. He said a chronic frustration has been that too many residents from outside a municipality expect towns to foot the bill for amenities everybody can enjoy.
Sibbitt talked about the need for getting some sections of the town cleaned up. Brendra Hentrup, representing the Paoli Chamber or Commerce, said, “We need to beautify (the town). Cosmetics is important before we do anything.”
Housing was another priority the local leaders identified. Denbo agreed to work with Robert Gilliatt, from the Paoli council, and with Henderson to explore housing development strategies.
Block grants
Supporting the call to give local leaders greater say-so in spending casino revenues, HHPC member Don Renner talked about his intentions. “I will be making a motion at the next HHPC meeting,” he said, “that we want to give block grants to both the town of Paoli and the town of Orleans. The only caveat to that is that those dollars can only be used for infrastructure. They can only be used for historic renovation and historic preservation, and so even though we would give the dollars, we would have to ask for an accounting at the end of the year.”
Renner explained that the HHPC is expected to receive about $1.6 million a year from the casino. From that, an amount of $700,000 to $800,000 is scheduled to go to the commissioners' support organization. Another $200,000 to $250,000 of the amount will go to the schools. That leaves the HHPC with about $550,000 to $600,000.
Denbo, in leading the discussion, urged to those present to “dream big” about the possibilities.
A resident of Southeast Township, Debbie Turner, told elected leaders she had worked with various community foundations on community development. She said communities need to have a vision for the future and said people need to plan, just as though they had money, on what they would like their community to look like.
“We all operate on a system of scarcity,” Turner said, “and you're trying to figure out how to divide that dollar. ... You're the ones who can lead the way to say, ‘If we had money, what would this look like?'”