County considers Economic Revitalization Area

The Greene County Council heard a proposed resolution Monday which could designate a new Economic Revitalization Area at Progress Pointe Subdivision.

Attorney Ryan McDonald presented the resolution to the council Monday afternoon, with the intention of allowing the council to become familiar with the proposal before possibly moving forward next month to consider approval.

The proposed Economic Revitalization Area includes seven plots of land immediately west of the Battery Innovation Center in Taylor Township.

“Being an Economic Revitalization Area doesn’t do much other than to say this land is available for a potential (tax) abatement. It does not guarantee that land will have an abatement on it. It just gives confirmation from the council that the land can be abated,” McDonald explained. “There is already an asphalt road in Progress Pointe, so that area is ready for development.

He said the Greene County Redevelopment Authority would like to see the area declared an Economic Revitalization Area to “incentivize future developers.”

“WestGate (Technology Park), Greene County Redevelopment Authority and Greene County Economic Development are all wanting to see this area develop. It’s something Greene County has been investing in for a while. Seeing this area grow would certainly help out the BIC and Crane and WestGate and Scotland -- that whole area would be benefited by having development started there,” McDonald said.

As for a timetable, McDonald said the council will review the resolution this week, the next meeting will be approval and then the council would need to advertise 10 days before a meeting in order to approve a potential abatement. So, for example, the earliest the council could approve an abatement for Progress Point would be the April meeting.

The attorney noted there is a potential developer already looking into the area.

McDonald noted this has been done a few other times in Greene County, including east of Greene County General Hospital and near Interstate 69.

In other business, employees raised questions about their Public Employee Retirement Fund (PERF) benefits.

Marjorie Cullison, who works in the Voter Registration Office, said her issue dates back to the years between 2001-2003 where she is trying to figure out whether she was eligible for PERF benefits. In 2004, she was able to start paying into PERF, but she is looking to clarify the time frame where her job titled changed from full-time/part-time employee.

Cullison said this issue also affects County Clerk Susan Fowler, who was a deputy at the time in the Voter Registration Office.

The council voted to table the issue in order to do more research, such as look through old salary ordinances. Attorney Marvin Abshire requested a look into old County Council notes from the time when the language was changed in the early 2000s.

“It’s hard to guess what they were thinking back then,” councilman Hal Harp noted.

Another county employee, Don Casey, also had a question about his previous contributions into PERF, but was unable to attend the meeting.

The council again tabled County Treasurer Nicole Stahl’s request to shift an extra hire position to part-time. Stahl said the shift would not cost any additional money. The extra hire designation states the employee can only work for 120 consecutive days, then is not able to work for six months.

After the request was made last month, the council asked to table the request. This month, Stahl brought information before the council to better explain part of the duties of this temporary person.

Every six months, each state, county and local employee in Greene County has to be evaluated to ensure they are current on their property taxes. She said for reasons unknown, only the state employees were being evaluated to ensure the property taxes are paid up. Right now, they are catching up on the delinquent taxes from previous years, but this will be an ongoing process considering it has to be done every six months.

Councilman Joe Huntington requested to table the request until the council can do more research.

The council also:

• Approved an appropriation for Stahl to establish a training fund in the amount of $3,000. Last month, Stahl explained to the council that the previous treasurer was utilizing the non-appropriated funds, but she wanted to have the line item for training so the council would have a better idea of how she is spending the funding.

• Approved an additional appropriation to pay the Greene County Ambulance Service’s billing company.

• Approved two transfers of funds for Greene County Sheriff Mike Hasler.