The Daviess County Council approved three economic development projects at Tuesday’s meeting. The first item on the agenda was a confirmatory resolution granting a ten-year tax abatement for the GPC expansion. In a change from normal practice, the GPC abatements are backloaded, with a smaller abatement in the early years of the abatement period and a larger abatement in the final years. The Council also approved moving forward with an application for a 20 percent abatement for the WestGate One Microelectronics project. Four companies are combining for a $350 million project that will employ 341 people with average salaries of approximately $100,000. The requested abatement is for a 100 percent abatement for ten years, with a renewal of the abatement at a regular decreasing schedule for the next 10 years.
The Council also approved a request from the City of Washington for assistance with the Commons project. Daviess County Economic Development Executive Director Bryant Niehoff presented a video produced by the Washington High School Radio/TV class and narrated by El Stowers outlining the benefits of the event center project. Niehoff said the Commons project is a much-needed quality of life project that will benefit all the residents of Daviess County. Niehoff told the council that the Commons is the type of project needed to help Daviess County compete for the new employees coming with the WestGate One development. Niehoff noted that quality of life projects are necessary for Daviess County to attract and retain talented individuals. Washington Mayor Dave Rhoads told the Council that the City was committed to allocating $400,000 from the City’s E.D.I.T. Funds for five years. The Council voted to commit $150,000 from the County’s E.D.I.T. Funds for the same period of time. Niehoff told the Council that the Knights of Columbus have donated $300,000 to the project, and two private sources have committed $500,000. The project has also received a grant from the Community Foundation and the Lily Foundation. Tabor Owens of Washington had the low bid on the project of $3,154,000. At the end of the meeting, Council President Matt Meredith presented a plaque to retiring county assessor Denny Eaton for his many years of service to the county. Meredith also expressed the council’s appreciation to the outgoing county clerk, Janice Williams, and retiring community corrections director, Diana Snyder.