Michigan City Council weighs against joining RDA

The Michigan City Common Council decided they are not ready to join the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority without more information on where their membership dollars will go.

The council stated in its resolution that while they believe in the concept of pooling resources for greater benefit, they also believe it is not prudent for LaPorte County to join the RDA at this time without clearly defined objectives and assurances of those objectives.

Six of the seven members present - Ron Meer, Paul Przybylinski, Evelyn Baker, Pat Boy, Virginia Martin and Phil Jankowski - voted in favor of the resolution. Joe Doyle voted against the resolution.

Two members, Willie Milsap and Chuck Lungren, were absent.

Membership in the Northwest Indiana RDA currently calls for annual dues, which are expected to be $3.5 million in riverboat funds.

Both Baker and Boy said they want to know more before joining an RDA

“You don't know what you're going to get and I'd like more information,” Baker said.

“I like the concept a lot, but a concept isn't something where you can take $3.5 million away from the city (without) wondering how long it's going to be before your citizens rise up against you and say when are we getting something for this money,” Boy added.

Przybylinski said the resolution was not about entirely opposing joining the RDA.

“It's not saying that we don't want to do something, but it's that we're concerned elected officials and we're concerned about this money and what we're going to do with it,” Przybylinski said.

State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, who spoke at the meeting, told the council that letting go of riverboat funds is not something to be done lightly.

“Once that money is gone, it's never coming back,” Pelath said. “The benefits of joining the RDA and the return in our investment has to be clear.”

Pelath said from his position there are still a lot of questions.

“This isn't the time for us to make a clear-cut decision,” Pelath said. “This is the time for analysis and thoughtful reflection.”

Pelath said he does not believe, in the current legislative session, the county is prepared to make a commitment to a regional development authority.

“I've been a little put off that we need to rush to make a decision,” Pelath said. “Any conditions we would enter an RDA would be set by enacting legislation that would bring us in. There is nothing currently in the statute that would require (back dues for not joining this year.)”

The fiscal agents and elected leaders of the county, said Pelath, need to have a clear consensus on which direction to go.

Northwest Indiana RDA Executive Director Tim Sanders told the council that joining the RDA is entirely up to LaPorte County.

“We don't have a dog in this fight,” Sanders said. “No one's going to jam this down your throat.”

Michigan City Economic Development Corp. board member Jeff Jones urged the council to keep an open mind about the RDA. He also added they need to continue to look to the west economically

“We cannot be isolated as a county,” Jones said. “We are aligned economically with Porter and Lake County. Everybody here who has worked or had relatives that worked at U.S. Steel or Bethlehem Steel, now Mittal Steel ... knows that's where we have gotten a lot of our income. Those employers have reduced a lot of their (work) forces over the years. There has to be something to replace that.”