Mentone Council Hears Report From KEDCo CEO Alan Tio
Posted
Amanda Bridgman-
MENTONE– Alan Tio told Mentone Town Council members Wednesday night when everyone’s at the table, it makes for an easier lift.
Tio is the new CEO of Kosciusko County Economic Development Corp., and he presented the council with information about what he does.
Present at the meeting were council president Jill Gross, councilwoman Shelly Krueger, clerk-treasurer Barb Ross and town attorney Andrew Grossnickle. Councilman Tim Croy was absent.
“Everybody in Indiana has the same problems,” Tio said. “How do we help come up with solutions?”
He emphasized the importance of boards and communities thinking this way.
He then stressed that KEDCo. does more than make deals. Tio referenced his time doing economic development work in Whitley County, suggesting Kosciusko County be more creative when it comes to telling its story and attracting new business.
“We’re business builders,” he said. Tio said it doesn’t matter if someone has an idea on a piece of paper or a company is getting ready to go public, KEDCo. can help navigate the process and provide resources the business owners may not have known about.
He also boasted about Kosciusko County being the first county in the state to collaborate with AgriNovus, a hub to develop agribusiness and focus on entrepreneurship.
Tio also told the council the budget here is 70% of what Whitley County’s budget is for economic development, but that Kosciusko County is two times bigger. Mentone’s population is 1.2% of the county.
Tio said while it’s nice that Warsaw has funded the majority of KEDCo.’s budget, KEDCo. is a business at the end of the day that works for the entire county and more funding will be needed to help continue to ramp that up.
“It seems like everything seems to go to Warsaw as far as economic development,” Krueger said.
Tio said he understands that, but that when economic development happens for the county, Mentone still gets a slice of that pie.
Another idea Tio said he is working on deals with people who own two homes and live in Kosciusko County part time.
“I know a lot of people who would sell their house in Fort Wayne and move here full time,” he said. “Let’s get them connected.”
Also Wednesday, the council heard from Ross that she has received $300 this week from KC Online. KC Online has a monthly $100 bill with the town for equipment that is installed on city equipment; they are now $200 past due.
Grossnickle said he will revise the letter he had drafted and get it sent to them, requiring payment in 30 days or the contract is terminated.
Ross also wanted to remind residents if they are planning on submitting a water sprinkling credit, it must be at her office by June 20. No adjustments to the bills will be made after June 20, she said.
Gross motioned to pay Utility Superintendent Josh Shepherd and his employee for the emergency hours they worked cleaning up damage after the Memorial Day weekend storms instead of giving them comp time. That motion passed unanimously.
The council meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month in the Mentone Community Emergency Services building, 150 W. Main St., Mentone.
