City asks county to join Stellar initiative

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GREENFIELD — Hancock County could soon join Greenfield and Fortville in their push for Stellar grant funding.

Greenfield Mayor Chuck Fewell and Planning Director Joanie Fitzwater asked county officials during Wednesday’s county budget committee meeting if they would be interested in partnering with the Health and Heritage region’s Stellar Communities application. It’s one of two proposals in Hancock County.

Fortville and Greenfield, working together as the Health and Heritage region, and Cumberland, McCordsville and New Palestine, joining forces as the Mt. Comfort Road Corridor group, were selected as finalists for the statewide grant program in April. They were two of six groups chosen in the state. The Health and Heritage region focuses much of its design plan on expanding the area’s trail system.

Fitzwater said Greenfield plans to chose between four and six projects that they would have to complete within four years for the Stellar application. The top project contenders include renovations to the Riley Boyhood Home, playground equipment at Franklin Park, creating a park along Depot Street downtown, the Riley Literary Trail and improvements to the county’s memorial building. 

The Stellar designee could receive about $15 million in grants for housing, infrastructure and renovation projects. Fitzwater said neither Greenfield nor Fortville would be able to use the $2 million rural federal aid program grant through the Indiana Department of Transportation. Both Greenfield and Fortville are a part of municipal planning organizations, which have already designated funding to the towns for trails.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization gave Greenfield $1.6 million for the Riley Literary Trail, and the Anderson Metropolitan Planning Organization designated $9 million to Fortville trails and sidewalks.

That’s why the city approached county leaders about the possible grant money if the region is chosen as the Stellar designee. Fitzwater and Fewell said the county would only have to match 20 percent of the $2 million and administer the grant for a project that’s outside of the Anderson and Indianapolis MPOs. They recommend the county spend the grant funding on a stretch of a Pennsy Trail connector.

The region has proposed connecting the Pennsy Trail between county roads 600W and 150W. A portion of the trail that would run along County Road 100S is outside of the MPO boundary, she said, so the county could use the $2 million for that stretch of the trail.

Fitzwater said with that being the city’s suggestion, the county can use the grant however they want within the region and inside the parameters of the federal government’s restriction of the funding.

“We don’t want any strings on the $2 million other than it be used within our region,” Fitzwater said.

County councilman Jim Shelby said in past discussions with council members, they agree to join the region’s plan since there’s “no downside to the county.” Brad Armstrong, president of the board of commissioners, said their overall desire is to move forward on partnering with the region. He said the easiest way to use the grant is for the Pennsy Trail since much planning has already been in place for it, but added there are other regional projects the county could look into if they are the Stellar designee.

“It opens a lot of doors,” Armstrong said. “It doesn’t really commit us to anything.”

Fitzwater said if the county does decide to officially join the Stellar initiative, the region would need to implement the county’s plan for the $2 million as soon as possible since they have to submit the regional development plan by Sept. 21.

Once state officials inform the city on what an inter-local agreement between Greenfield, Fortville and Hancock County would need to say, Fewell said they’ll send the agreement to county attorney Ray Richardson. The county will also need to designate two people to join the Stellar executive steering committee.

“We hope you come aboard,” Fewell said to county officials. “We think it’s going to be an exciting time.”