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The SEGway News
Serving South East Grant County
Volume 1 , Number 18 A Good News Ventures publication February 9 , 2017
Upland Council holds hearing for storm water rate increase
By Catherine Kerton- Johnson
The SEGway is working closely with the Town Council and other organizations to report the latest information on new developments , updates , events and progress in our community .
At the Upland Council meeting on Tuesday evening , there was a Public Hearing for a Storm Water Rate increase . This increase is a small one for residents from an amount of $ 3.50 per bill to $ 5.00 , but it is crucial to ensure that when the Town applies for large OCRA grants it is not turned away because it does not meet the minimum requirement of $ 5.00 required for the Town ’ s contribution , to apply for the grant .
Unfortunately , despite the fact that this was a Public Hearing , there was no-one at the hearing from the public to speak on their behalf . The ordinance for the increase will be presented at the meeting on the 21 February for approval .
There are items like these on the agenda of the Town Council meetings that are being tabled for the public ’ s benefit , that , if moved through the motions of the
Hometown Collaborative Initiative available from rural affairs
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs ( OCRA ) announced they are now accepting applications for Generation 5 of the Hometown Collaboration Initiative ( HCI ).
Communities ( or counties ) with a population of 25,000 or less that wish to : ( 1 ) promote the launch , survival and growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs ; ( 2 ) invest council quickly by public in attendance , would ensure that our council were being supported in their efforts to apply for grant funding to improve our town . Look out for the date of the next meeting on the Calendar on page 2 of the SEGway , and make an effort to support your Town Council by attending a meeting .
The SEGway will be reporting on the Town Council proceedings after every meeting . Look out for the Council Column on the Community page 7 , every second week .
Some items of note from Tuesday ’ s Council meeting are :
• that a new Task Force , including representatives from the School , the Town Council and the community , has been created to work on improvements to the park across from Eastbrook South Elementary school ;
• The old 1987 Fire Truck that has been parked outside the fire station for several months has had four bidders and so will soon be sold , probably to a collector ;
• Mr Scott Blakely , a representative from the Community Action Partner-
in place through community design , public space developments , local foods or other quality of life initiatives ; or ( 3 ) develop a new generation of local leaders , are eligible to apply .
“ I am proud to have witnessed the transformation of our previous HCI communities ,” said Bill Konyha , OCRA Executive Director . “ HCI helps in establishing
ship , a not-for-profit group that helps people to finish school while still in employment , is hoping to run a coffee shop out of the old Pacesetter Bank building , which will also have a daycare facility . The SEGway will run an article with more details as soon as they are available . A group that coordinates many of the projects and events in Upland is the Our Town Upland committee , which was formed years ago to bring together the different organisations in town so as to ensure that they were collaborating in all their different efforts . Our Town Upland meets on the first Wednesday of every month , and the SEGway will publish items of interest from that meeting in the following issue .
On February 3 , Susie Ripley of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs met with John Bonham and Warren Ross of the Town Council , local business representative Mark Souers and Matthews Chamber of Commerce representative LaRea Slater , past President of Our Town Upland , Bill Wiley , and Catherine Kerton-Johnson , the new Upland Main Street Program representative , at the Bridge Cafe . Susie interviewed each guest to ask their perspective of OCRA and how it has been serving our community . She then took the group through various programs and grants available this year that may be of assistance to the Town Council and to community members .
Susie was excited about all the activity and enthusiasm amongst the groups in Upland , and expressed her desire to assist us in using all the resources available from the various state and federal bodies represented by OCRA .
The appointment of a town manager was made even more clearly important as Susie described the time , energy and professionalism required in applying for grants for community projects . “ The resources are out there , but the grants are very competitive ,” she said . “ Don ’ t even think about applying without professional grant writing .”
Susie also talked to us about the Hometown Collaboration Initiative which is explained in a separate article on this page .
With the Greenways project , park and sports grounds development , condemned local capacity , it encourages communities to focus on collaboration as an economic driver and it is helping communities move forward . I strongly encourage all eligible communities to apply .”
HCI is a capacity-building program led by OCRA in a unique partnership with Ball State University ’ s Indiana Communities Institute ( ICI ) and Purdue University ’ s Center for Regional Development ( PCRD ). Together , these entities champion the core principles of HCI , one centered on the establishment and sustainability of a representative group of local residents that is dedicated to advancing the long-term vitality of their communities .
“ HCI provides smaller communities with the ability to make a difference ,” said
building demolition , and historic building renovation , new businesses , the Main Street program , the Wall of Honor building program in the Depot Park , 150th Birthday celebration planning , movement on the Master Plan , a new Town Manager , and more to come , there is so much to keep up with and you will want the opportunity to be involved and to have your say in the decisions that are made .
Bo Beaulieu , Purdue Center for Regional Development Director and Extension Community Development Program Assistant Director . “ HCI gives communities the tools , skills and strategies they need to make their hometowns the best that they can be .”
Generation 5 applications will be accepted beginning Monday , February 6 and
Make sure you know where and when to attend the public meetings , how you can use your gifts and talents to be involved in the exciting projects to build our town together , and read about it here in the SEGway .
Any news , stories or information about projects , events , meetings and plans can be sent to submissions @ segwaynews . com and photographs are accepted too .
should be submitted to Info @ indianahci . org . Applications are due by Friday , March 31 at 4:00 p . m . EST .
To aid applicants with the HCI application process , Purdue University will host a webinar on Monday , March 6 ( from 2:30-3:30 pm EST ) titled ‘ How to Write a Competitive HCI Application .’
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