OurWeek The Grant County Record in Grant County · Redevelopment Commission, March 2, 2026 · 2026-03-02 · full transcript https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVXQjDRI2iE Exported Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:32:45 GMT Source: Search derivative of the 2026-08-10 proxy capture of YouTube auto-captions (rolling-caption duplication collapsed), mirrored from the county record index. Auto-captions garble names and numbers — verify wording against the recording before quoting. Captions render one bidder's name as "Who's Your Redevelopment Partners" (introduced by Douglas Warren, with Justin Riddle); phonetically this is likely "Hoosier Redevelopment Partners," but that reading is unverified against any written record. One bidder's name renders in the captions as "Who's Your Redevelopment Partners" (introduced by Douglas Warren, with Justin Riddle); phonetically the likely reading is "Hoosier Redevelopment Partners," but no written record has been found to confirm either spelling. These transcripts are machine-generated. They garble proper nouns badly — company and personal names especially. Watch the recording before repeating any name, number, or quotation. The video is the record. ============================================================================== Indexed at https://ourweek.in/grant-county/reports/grant-county-record 0:02 I'll go ahead and call this Grant County Redevelopment Commission uh meeting together. It's March the 2nd, 2026. It's 12:01 and we'll have the prayer led by Mr. Kurt Patrick and the pledge of allegiance led by myself. If you would stand, bow your heads, please. Dear Lord, we just thank you so much for this day. We thank you for the opportunity to come do business in Grant County, Lord. Lord, with all the decisions we make, we pray that you would help us to make the the proper decisions, Lord, that would glorify you and help people in our county, Lord. Lord, be with us today and 0:34 county, Lord. Lord, be with us today and we thank you for all you do. It's Christ name we pray. Amen. >> Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 1:06 >> Thank you. Thank you, Chad. We'll move on to the approval of minutes. We have minutes from the regular meeting of 15 of 26. We also have minutes from the special meeting 15 of 26 and executive session 2 of 26. I think we probably better do them individually. individually. individually. >> Are there any questions or comments regarding the meeting minutes from 15 of 2026? 1:42 If not, I'd entertain a motion for approval. approval. approval. So move. >> I have a motion for Mr. Lemming, a second from Mr. Hicks to approve the meeting minutes dated 15 of 2026. Are there any other questions or comments from the members? >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. We'll move on to the special meeting minutes of 115 of 2026. 2:12 special meeting minutes of 115 of 2026. Are there any questions or comments or corrections to the January 15 meeting minutes? If not, I entertain a motion for approval. >> So moved. >> Second. I have a motion from Mr. Street, a second from Mr. Limming to approve the minutes dated January the 15th, 2026. Are there any other questions or comments for the members? All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All 2:42 favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. We'll move on to the executive session minutes of 22 2026. in the state. >> I think I printed the wrong ones twice. >> Yeah, I think you printed the wrong one. 3:12 >> Yeah, I think you printed the wrong one. >> And I have a correct one right here for signature also. >> Yeah. >> I have a motion from >> there's a second from >> Okay. I have a motion from Mr. Street, a second from Mr. Leming to approve the executive session 22 22 20226 minutes as presented. Are there any other questions from the members? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose. Same sign. >> Motion carries. So we approve the 3:42 >> Motion carries. So we approve the minutes. We'll move on to item number three. Lyon machine proposal discussion. Mr. Bookout. Yeah. I uh wanted to share with you all that I uh we did not have a quorum for the previous executive session with Nikon. Um I have heard from two of you that uh you were not interested possibly in in h hearing their proposal. So at this stage it's really your discretion on whether you wish for me to schedule a an executive session to hear their proposal or not. I'm happy happy to do so if you're so 4:13 I'm happy happy to do so if you're so willing. If not I'll inform them otherwise. So, do we make a motion either to to >> Yeah, wants to hear them. Uh, I'll set it up. If not, >> yeah. >> Yeah, I'll do it in a motion. That way, I've got clear direction. >> Yeah. Personally, I think, you know, they missed the one meeting and then couldn't have a quorum and why I'd like to hear them what they have to present. I don't think that uh I mean, the notification was short, I 4:44 mean, the notification was short, I think. think. think. >> Yeah. Yeah. their their notification to me was when I that they were >> pulled in the parking lot, right? >> Yeah. >> That's what I saw. I heard. So, yeah. >> So, I'll entertain motions. >> We make it I mean, is it to hear them or not to hear them? >> Yeah. >> I'll make a motion not to hear it. >> I'll second that. >> I have a motion from Mr. Street, a second from Mr. Hicks to not hear the 5:16 second from Mr. Hicks to not hear the proposal from Lycom machine. Are there any other questions or comments from the members? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose. Same side. Motion carries. We'll move on to item number four, the 400 South Miller Avenue process and next step discussion update. Mr. Bookout. Uh yeah, I'm going to I've talked to Mr. 5:47 yeah, I'm going to I've talked to Mr. Clickfield about this and I've asked him to we made some notes and I'll ask him to share that so your permission. >> Yes, please. >> Very good. So Brad and I talked about the next steps legally and how this process would play out from here. It starts with you've got two options. Option one is just reject all proposals. Option two is recommend a particular proposal and then begin contract negotiations negotiations negotiations on that proposal. 6:17 on that proposal. Once that's done then you have the issue again remember we're dealing with a tax certificate here. So you have the issue of the commissioner's awarding that tax certificate. Generally, that will be done by then awarding that to a not forprofit who will handle the closing transaction. transaction. transaction. Brad had suggested either Grant County Growth Economic Growth Council or the East Central Indiana Regional Planning District. Once that's done, then the legal process of changing title begins. 6:47 legal process of changing title begins. So, we would go to court to make sure title's clear and then we'll perfect the deed. Then once that's done, once you get the order from the court, the statutory public redemption period begins. And then after that, notices are given. given. given. Once all that happens through court, then the economic development grant EDA is finalized and the parties to that side, i.e. the not for profofits to do so. and then uh 7:18 not for profofits to do so. and then uh whoever's proposal you would accept through the request for proposal process and then finally the closing happens transferring of the property receiving funds etc. So hopefully that explains everything and does anybody have any questions on any of that? I think Brad prepared this as a summary and so it's right on point. 7:48 So right now we have two qualifiers. Correct. That's correct. Who's your redevelopment? redevelopment? redevelopment? >> Yes. >> And then GM development. >> Correct. Those are your two that I've presented to you. So >> I know you know these are requests for proposals, proposals, proposals, not bids. That is a good point. >> Yes. But we took we we asked for the bids and then the way I understand it one of the bids has been changed. Correct. Correct. Correct. >> So we we asked for proposals in the RFP. >> They gave us a proposal. >> They did. 8:18 >> They did. >> Right. And then they went back and changed that proposal. >> They can do that according to the RFP. >> So So if they can go back and change it, we're going to allow that. Should we allow everybody else to go back and be able to change their proposal? >> Well, I think you should allow the top two to be able >> Yeah. I mean, no, that's that's the question. I mean, I just cuz I agree. >> I mean, I think you should allow the top two to be able to change their >> Yeah, it's in the RFP that this body uh reserves the right to negotiate with the respondents. And um there are I mean 8:50 respondents. And um there are I mean there's lots of terms to negotiate besides price. That's just one of a dozen things that would be >> because the clawbacks I mean I don't I I guess I thought we could we had a little more we could put a little more teeth into it, but the way you explained it >> I mean I understand. I mean, we're not giving them anything. >> You're not giving them any money. So, you can't have a call back other than if you don't live up to what you did, what you said you were going to do, then the property could be forfeited back to the the county. >> Yeah. I mean, but there's not really a lot of teeth that we can put into it to get back if they pay for 9:20 put into it to get back if they pay for it. it. it. >> Yeah. >> Unless they egregiously, you know, do something crazy, right? >> Well, it it can be controlled through the EDA. We've had this happen several times at Gas City where we've had to take properties back. So there is there will be some teeth in the EDA. >> Okay. But is that because gas city gave them incentives to do it or because or >> because they didn't follow through with the the the >> okay >> what their end of the bargain was what their end of the contract was. >> Okay. So if they you know the proposal if you know they were going to make the 9:50 if you know they were going to make the lot out of it and they don't do that with your certain we've had is not doing it within a time frame. Give them two years. They haven't started in 2 years, so they violated their agreement. >> Okay. >> And then we get the property back >> right now. So we put that I mean since we're going now we're starting to add that to this. I mean should that be something we should >> Well, it's really part of the contract. >> It's No, it's part of the contract negotiations. I don't think anyone >> at least I would hope not would expect you just to blanket them the property 10:20 you just to blanket them the property without some conditions already. Well, they they will be in the EDA. >> Uh they will be in the EDA. >> Yeah. Yeah. I didn't know if I mean if if we should tell the propos the people that have the proposal, this is what we're going to expect. >> That's part of negotiations. Absolutely. >> All right. >> I'm assuming that's what you I didn't think we could do that. >> That has to be done, too. >> Yeah. I agree. I just in my world, you could do it, but this >> I don't know much about this. That's why I asked Brad. 10:50 That's why I asked Brad. So to clarify the RFP uh once we select who we're going to negotiate with we this body would say okay we we give permission to negotiate with with with >> yes >> XYZ >> right >> and then from that point then you could put in the EDA you know in a 2-year time frame we expect you know site remediation of some type >> yes >> and then if you build X could be X or whatever Yeah. And and they would likely 11:22 whatever Yeah. And and they would likely put in there, you know, they believe they can complete their capital investment in x amount of days. Um and we'll we'll hold them to that number. Uh they may pledge some job creation, you know, we we'll hold them to job creation numbers as well. That that would all be in that document. They'll have to make sure that they do environmental remediation. You know, we'll make sure that that's a a paragraph in that document as well. So, I would collaborate with uh Mr. Glickfield to uh to draft that in cooperation with the 11:52 to draft that in cooperation with the respondent that you want to select. And uh yeah, that's that that would be the next step. >> Are there any other questions or comments from the members? I know um this is the first one. There is about three other ones I think that we have our eyes on that'll be a 12:22 that we have our eyes on that'll be a able to do. And um >> yeah, only comment I have is I'm just not good with letting somebody change their bid when we said bring us your best bid and then negotiate it afterwards. That's my that's the only problem I have. So I would make a motion that we would I would make a motion that we cancel all bids and rebid have everybody bring us their best bids forward. and this is it. You you give us the number and you tell us what you're going to do and we go from there. Whether that's, you know, 30 days, 60 days, I think that 12:54 you know, 30 days, 60 days, I think that clears everything up and there's no nothing can look fishy on our side cuz it looks kind of fishy now. My opinion, >> well, I mean, >> now they came back and offered such a low price and they came back with such a bigger price and and I don't care who gets it. I don't care. I mean, I think whoever bids the most money should get it. I mean, I think we're responsible to put money back in the taxpayers's pocket. pocket. pocket. >> Yeah, that's a great opinion to have as far as, you know, we put out an RFP, not a bid proposal. >> I think we're splitting hairs 13:25 >> I think we're splitting hairs there. You can't let somebody change their bid after they've already given >> before you negotiated. >> It was a proposal though. I think >> you're splitting hairs. I mean, that's that's a split deal. So the other part of it too Tim other part the other part of it too Tim Jim is and if you give it to the highest bither what happens if that's a hog confinement holding >> well that's where then that's where they're going to tell us what are you going to do with it if it's a hog operation going highest bidder then it's not the highest bidder >> that's what that would be right now 13:55 >> that's what that would be right now that'd be what I'd say but yeah I mean the best proposal look like was the people from Minnesota was going to put a you know jobs there but you know that was we didn't think that was you know the best thing either. Yeah, I'm just saying that that's the why it's an RFP, not a bid process, because you're not going to accept the highest bid. Technically, you don't have to. >> No, but we can't let people change their bid midway through when they found out what the number was. >> That's my opinion. >> I mean, the other people have the opportunity to change their numbers, too. too. too. >> Correct. 14:26 >> Correct. >> Yeah. I mean, if we're going to allow that, if that's how we're going to run this operation, I don't think that's I think we should be very transparent. I don't think that should be allowed to happen. That that's just my my opinion and I could be wrong. >> When a body negotiates with a prospect, they you you pick the proposal that that scores the highest. You you as a body scored the proposals. You had your three highest ones based upon the items in the RFP which you know kind of described what uh you wanted as your 14:58 described what uh you wanted as your priority target things. Um, price was not one of those the the the >> wasn't that wasn't all factor anymore. >> It was in your scoring that you did. Price was not one of the the things that you graded. >> And to that point, I was >> I'm not sure how you bring that up. I like that you brought it up that way. Um because the one that we're discussing didn't score very well and they had the highest price. >> So, I'm just they initially didn't have they did not have the highest price. No, the one that had the highest price that 15:29 the one that had the highest price that was offering the most didn't score very well, but they were both offering the most money. And I don't think any of us scored them very well, >> of the two you heard in executive session, one offered 600,000, one offered$10,000, offered$10,000, offered$10,000, the one that offered 600,000 in the executive session agreed to raise their their price to a million dollars to do the project in executive session. Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. >> So, um, >> but so the one that offered a million didn't even get hurt because we didn't none of us scored him very often. 16:00 none of us scored him very often. >> They didn't they didn't There was another one that Yeah. that didn't score high that offered a million dollars. >> Yeah. That's >> Yeah. I was just looking at my scores. >> Yeah. >> So, I mean, if there is something that >> they are going to change, if the county can get an additional $400,000 out of that, that's a positive. >> Um, >> absolutely. to to your point though correct Tim it's got to go through all these things before we get there right I 16:30 these things before we get there right I mean that's what we're saying >> so how long is that process I mean is that a 3 4 months 6 months is that >> I generally when we negotiate an agreement it's usually a couple months to get through the yeah usually takes a couple months to get the agreement negotiated negotiated negotiated >> goes back and forth they send it to lawyers our lawyers review it yeah it it takes a couple months to get it done so and then there's a there's the redemption period that's talked about in the document that you have here that we have to go through as well. So, I guess I'm just thinking with what was heard, 17:00 I'm just thinking with what was heard, I'm thinking that that you could put this out there for a company and you could still fail. They could still fail and we could still rebuild it if they if we all can't agree. >> Yeah, >> that's what I was thinking cuz how long we've been started since we started this? How long has that process been to where we're at? Has it been 7 months? >> I think we started in October. >> Yeah. So maybe started talking about it in September, >> said, "Yeah, we've been going." Yeah, it was about 60-day window for people to respond. 17:31 for people to respond. >> Um I looked up uh over the weekend. I think this property has not had taxes paid on it in 12 years. Um the commissioners pulled it out of tax sale at least two years ago. So I mean, it had eight to I'm I'm guessing 8 had it had eight to I'm I'm guessing 8 to 10 times it showed up in tax sale. Um, so I mean it's it's been a languishing languishing languishing property for a long time in the county. Um, Um, Um, I was shocked that we received as many 18:01 I was shocked that we received as many bids as what we received to be honest with you. So whether you like some of them or don't like some of them, I'm you're always happy to get responses. >> So with the two that we have, are we could we say bring back your best number that you want to give us for this and give them both an opportunity to to you know raise their price? We gave one. I mean, so I mean that would make me that would make my conscience a little more clear. clear. clear. >> I did ask I I straight asked in the executive session if they were willing to negotiate. They said >> some but nowhere near our other bid and 18:33 >> some but nowhere near our other bid and I I plain as day I asked them. >> Yeah. Yeah. So I I wasn't that then. I was so I mean if we did something like that I could live with that but I just don't see giving one person the opportunity to raise it. And that that's why I asked and they said they they knew what the other bid was. They said they didn't think they could get there. But >> And how and and how did they know what the other bid was? Because I thought this was all supposed to be >> opened in public session. They were all opened in Oh, I didn't know. I didn't know that. >> The attorney for the board opened them in a They were sealed bids 19:03 in a They were sealed bids >> opened in public se opened in a public meeting. meeting. meeting. >> Yeah. >> I mean, they had opportunity. >> Yeah. >> Everybody's had opportunity a few times to buy the property. Yeah. >> Um I think we just got to choose and >> in that process that is correct. And the current owners, it's important to note that the current owners of the property have the option to redeem it up until the end of the redemption period. So I have told them that they they're 19:35 So I have told them that they they're very aware of this. So at any moment they can stop this process by writing a check of what they owe the county and ending it. But that is not >> right. Yeah. >> They're aware. >> Did you make a motion? >> I made a motion to cancel them all. Rebuild. Rebuild. Rebuild. >> Okay. Is there a second on that one? >> Not here in a second. So, that motion will die for lack of second. Is there 20:06 will die for lack of second. Is there any other motions? >> Uh, Mr. Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion that we move forward with with at least negotiating with GM to see if we can meet the EDAS and all the things that we need. Uh >> I have a motion uh from Mr. Leming, a second from Mr. Hicks to approve moving forward the GM developments through the 20:36 forward the GM developments through the to the EDA part. Correct? >> Yes. Are there any other questions or comments from the members? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> All those opposed, same sign. >> Motion carries. >> We'll move on to item number five, EDA tiff map area. Map area update. 21:07 tiff map area. Map area update. >> Mr. Brook. >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Middlesworth. Um, so I did present the maps that this body had worked on for a while to the APC as one of the required steps of approval. They did not approve the westside map that was presented. They uh feedback from them was that the felt like the area was too large and particularly it went too far south. Um, I then recommended that we pull the state road 26 and I69 map at that 21:38 state road 26 and I69 map at that meetings to bring it back to you. Since that time, the listening sessions are starting and taking place now. Um, I know BCS, the uh other the consulting firm that the commissioners hired is working on the listening sessions now. Those start tonight. My recommendation is to you at this time is that we just table this item until those listing sessions are completed. I'll take it any direction you want to go in, but that's my recommendation as you table it. 22:12 And I have heard from two commissioners that they want to they want the listening session feedback. Is there a motion? >> Uh some move second. >> I have a motion from Mr. looming a second from Mr. Street to table the 26 or I mean table the EDA tiff map allocation areas are there any other questions or comments from the members all those in favor signify by saying I >> all oppose same sign. 22:43 >> all oppose same sign. >> Motion carries Mr. Bookout do you have anything else for the good of the order? >> I do not. >> Mr. Glickfield, do you have anything for the good of the order? >> No, I do not. Thank you. >> Any of the members? >> We'll go ahead and open it up for public comment. Come to the podium and state your name and address for the record and allow two minutes per person. Not seeing anyone move. Uh we'll go ahead and close that portion. When's the 23:13 ahead and close that portion. When's the next regular meeting? >> 6th of April. >> April 6th. >> Oh, wait. >> Yeah. >> This is March. >> I know, right? >> So, our next regular meeting is April the 6 that 12 year. 23:43 the 6 that 12 year. Is there a motion for German? So, >> move second. A motion from Mr. Street, a second from Mr. Lming to adjourn. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. All oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. Got minutes for you. Sorry. All right.