HANCOCK COUNTY — With less than a month before applications are due, Hancock County’s two Stellar finalists have both asked county officials to either support or partner with them on the grant program.
The Mt. Comfort Corridor group, comprised of Cumberland, McCordsville and New Palestine, recently requested the Hancock County Board of Commissioners sign a letter of support of their push for the state’s Stellar Communities initiative. The commissioners agreed to the letter at their meeting last week, expressing support of the group’s proposed projects.
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which spearheads the Stellar Communities program, selected the Mt. Comfort group as well as Fortville and Greenfield’s Health and Heritage region group as two of six finalists for the statewide grant program. The groups are both eligible for up to $15 million in funding that they would need to spend on community and economic development over four years.
David Book, town manager of New Palestine, said the letter of support signifies the unity between the towns and the county. The Mt. Comfort project focuses largely on County Road 600W, which connects the three towns. Some of the projects address infusing the corridor with smart technology, adding fiber optics and improving overall traffic flow. The western part of Hancock County has seen substantial growth as of late and officials with the region expect even more development in the coming years.
Earlier in August, the Health and Heritage region asked the county to join the group’s Stellar application. Joanie Fitzwater, Greenfield planning director, told a gathering of county officials that the group cannot use the $2 million rural federal aid grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation that’s included in the Stellar grant. Both Greenfield and Fortville are a part of municipal planning organizations, which have already designated them similar funding for trails.
If the county decides to partner with the Stellar group, Fitzwater said the county would have to match 20 percent of the $2 million and administer the grant for a project that’s outside of the MPO areas and aligns with the parameters of the federal grant. Fitzwater recommended the grant be used for expansion of the Pennsy Trail to the west, but she said it would ultimately be up to the county on how to use the money if the Health and Heritage region is chosen as the Stellar recipient.
Gary Pool, county engineer, told the commissioners if the county uses the $2 million on transportation-related projects, such as roads and bridges, then it could exclude the county from receiving some federal grant money through the Indianapolis MPO and INDOT for three years. Over the past five years, Pool said the county has both received and committed to receive $37 million from those federal grants.
Pool said the county can avoid that loss of possible grant funding if they use the $2 million for non-transportation projects. He added that officials are still determining if using the $2 million on trails would also prohibit the county from applying for the federal funding.
Hancock County officials will next have to sign an inter-local agreement between the county, Greenfield and Fortville if they plan to partner with them in pursuing Stellar. Fitzwater said at this week’s Greenfield Board of Public Works and Safety meeting that she plans to discuss the agreement with commissioners and council members in September.
The Mt. Comfort group’s letter of support doesn’t have any money attached, Book said. The region qualifies for the $2 million grant and they plan to use those funds for a roundabout at Mt. Comfort Road (County Road 600W) and County Road 600N, said April Fisher, town manager of Cumberland.
The Stellar regional development plans are due to the state on Sept. 21. The designee will be announced Dec. 6.
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Two Hancock County groups were chosen as regional finalists for the 2018 Stellar Communities program.
Health and Heritage: Greenfield and Fortville
Mt. Comfort Corridor: Cumberland, McCordsville and New Palestine
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