Huntingburg applying for Stellar Communities program

The program, a partnership between the State Revolving Fund and three state agencies — the Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs — provides designated small communities with funding for comprehensive community development projects. Essentially, the program leverages state and federal funding from multiple agencies to undertake large-scale projects.

“The Stellar Communities application process takes all of the public feedback we’ve received during the last two years through the ‘Reviving the Pride’ listening sessions, feedback from the updated comprehensive plan and the recent presentation of the downtown revitalization plan and moves us from the planning phase to the implementation phase at an accelerated pace,” Mayor Denny Spinner said. “This designation would allow us to continue to move our community forward in a positive direction.”

To apply for the program, communities must submit a letter of interest for committee evaluation.

Finalists will be announced in March, and those communities must then submit a strategic investment plan. If that plan is approved, the committee will visit and evaluate each of the finalists, and two communities will be chosen.

“Based on the types of projects we’re submitting, combined with the community support and the public and private partners we’ve identified, we’re confident that Huntingburg has an application worthy of moving to the second round of this process,” Spinner said.

The city has hired consultants Ed Curtin, owner of CWC Latitudes of Columbus, and Ron Taylor and Scott Siefker, partners at Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group of Indianapolis, to help complete the submission process. The group worked with last year with officials in Bedford, which was awarded the Stellar Communities designation.

The approved contract with the consultants states that the maximum allowable cost will be a sum of $7,500, which will be billed on an hourly basis.

Huntingburg will host an open house focusing on the Stellar Communities program from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Huntingburg Event Center, 110 E. 14th St. There, city officials will unveil more about the plan.