One Rural Empowerment and Development (RED) project is to map out the trails beyond Huntington.
One Rural Empowerment and Development (RED) project is to map out the trails beyond Huntington.
HUNTINGTON — Elevate Huntington representatives addressed the Huntington County Commissioners recently, saying it has been a busy six months, which includes the county being named into the Rural Empowerment and Development (RED) program.

“You brought us on to work towards improving quality of life and quality of place throughout the county through engaging the community creating collaboration and going after opportunities that would help us do just that,” said Erik Long, Elevate Huntington County director. He said there’s a ton of energy and excitement for creating positive change and momentum countywide.

“Recently we were accepted into the OCRA RED Program which is an exciting opportunity to work with the Office of Community and Rural Affairs – OCRA – and the Indiana Communities Institute of Ball State to foster leadership, vision and community engagement.”

The free 6-month training program is paid for by OCRA. A 40-member county team will develop five to 15 actionable projects for improved quality of life and benefit the community.

After being awarded grants and starting Main Street in Huntington the RED team is looking to other communities in the county for Main Street participation.

Over the next six months, a two-day RED training by Ball State, a data package and identifying key issues and ongoing coaching is very exciting, Long explained.

“The community can select one complex issue for further study,” he said and develop a larger quality of life plan and showcase what Huntington County has to offer.

Younger representation and involvement is sought, which coincides with OCRA’s direction and the Indiana Main Street organization.

Finding young folks to get involved is complicated because the millennials have jobs, are busy and not as willing to commit the time while some are already involved, he explained.

A Warren meeting was Oct. 22. “The general consensus is that these meetings are important,” Long said, expressing a desire to gather leaders from each community. The next meeting, Jan. 22 in Andrews, features VS Engineering to track out countywide trails. A third meeting would be with Huntington County Visitor and Convention Bureau Director Bobby Kemp for a countywide branding initiative and to coordinate events to avoid overlapping them. A housing initiative with Club 720 helps empower homebuyer support.

He suggested creating a non-profit to assist with the formal entity to help with things, such as blighted residences and building homes on old, vacant sites, especially downtown, because they’re already within a community’s infrastructure and can increase the property tax base. “Leverage TIFs for redevelopment on a block within the city or community,” he said, and said after the meeting that “residential” tax increment finance (TIF) districts do exist. “Lets go right where the utilities already are and there’s a lot in Huntington,” Long said.

“The next six months will zero in on local initiatives,” he said. The Elevate report highlights a Huntington Skate Park, Markle grocery cooperative, Mt. Etna parking upgrades, Roanoke and Warren main street programs, and state placemaking grants for beautification and tourism.

“Warren’s Main Street has done a lot for the town,” Long said, and Warren needs money for an executive director. Another project is to showcase the communities’ riverfronts in Huntington County as a beautiful element. After the meeting he said that the nature and conservation people enjoy are included with the initiatives for the county.

The relationship with OCRA and Placemaking grants can help streamline these efforts.

“Huntington County is an integral participant in our pilot round of the Rural Empowerment and Development program,” said OCRA Executive Director Duke Bennett. “Designed for communities poised to enhance their developmental vision through local collaboration, the RED program begins with an intensive multi-day learning experience and extends over several months with coaching from Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute. Throughout this program, Huntington County will actively develop and refine its vision and community engagement plan.”

Another initiative is working with the Community Foundation of Huntington County and adding capacity for projects.

Zack Sand, Indianapolis, talked from online during the meeting about broadband in Indiana and engaging providers. One program is for fiber only, fiber and fixed wireless and then just wireless, such as matching grants or waiving permitting fees.

Commissioner Tom Wall said Huntington County has already done some of those things and its last report shows at least 3,000 people are still underserved.

“Before Christmas we’ll know what the final eligibility looks like and where the providers are … we see what makes the most sense,” Sand replied. There’s also OCRA planning that could help fund Elevate Huntington County programming, community trails and hear more about the state’s upcoming tax policy reform.
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