CLARK COUNTY — An attempt to get Clark County on board with a statewide initiative that could spur economic development in Southern Indiana was knocked down this week when officials voted to deny a resolution seeking preliminary support.
Signed into law in May, the $84 million Indiana Regional Cities Initiative allows the state to partner with up to eight cities or regions in Indiana to encourage investment in those areas.
At Monday’s Clark County Council meeting, One Southern Indiana President and CEO Wendy Dant Chesser sought support for the idea of the creation of a Regional Development Authority, or RDA, which must be formed by a city or region’s fiscal body by an ordinance and is responsible for drafting a plan to attract a slice of the $84 million project.
Clark County, with a 7-0 vote, is the first to deny the resolution.
“I was surprised that the council would not agree to come to the table to talk about an application so that at least a portion of that $84 million would go to projects in our area,” Chesser said.
The authority would be composed of a total of five members approved by the participating city or county’s executive bodies. Members cannot be elected officials or government employees. If selected, designated cities and regions would collaborate with the state to prioritize projects suggested by the RDA for funding.
So far, Washington County is the only council to sign a non-binding resolution in support of an RDA. Cities and regions have between July 1 and Aug. 31 to form an RDA and submit a plan.
Among the concerns raised during a nearly two-hour discussion were that Clark County would not be guaranteed a representative on the appointed RDA and that too much control would be given to a small, non-elected body.
“When you give up your control of development and growth and you take it away from the people and put it in the hands of people who may not even live in this area, you’re pandering to some special interests somewhere,” Clark County Councilwoman Kelly Khuri said. “We need to make the decisions — the commissioners and the council and the mayors.”
The initiative’s steering committee has discussed several projects the funds could be used for, including ensuring adequate water supply initiatives and establishing wifi services in rural areas.
If a county declines to sign an ordinance establishing an RDA, qualifying cities can still participate. Jeffersonville is the only city in Clark County eligible to participate on its own. The RDA must represent cities and regions with a combined population of 200,000 to apply.
Before the legislation was passed, 1si set up a steering committee and secured private funding to prepare for the application process. The committee includes Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau Executive Director Jim Epperson, Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore and New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan, among others.
“I feel like I’m the coach of the baseball team and I’m trying to order uniforms and I need to know who will show up before I order the uniforms,” Chesser said.
Though Chesser previously presented to the Clark County Council in April, Khuri said she was not aware the council would be responsible for forming the RDA. Khuri said she is concerned about the potential financial commitment if the county were selected and that the council should have been brought into discussions much earlier.
“I’ve yet to receive an invitation,” she said.
Khuri attended the Floyd County Council meeting Tuesday expecting Chesser to be there to present the resolution. Chesser said she did not want to be added to an already full meeting agenda.
Also during Monday’s meeting, members questioned why the council should invest in growth when the county already struggles to afford what it needs.
“In Clark County, growth is happening and we can either work on plans with tools to prepare for that growth or it’s just going to continue to happen,” Chesser said. “It isn’t going to change that problem for [Clark County]. It may be a tool and give them a little more leverage to address that problem.”