To the people of Brown County Indiana:
County Government retreated to a new low this past Wednesday 3/20/2024 at the Commissioners meeting.
The Stellar Pathways Program was on the agenda: a regional Economic Development Program. A Letter of Interest needed to be submitted In order for our County to be considered for a $12,000,000 Stellar Pathways Program award. That letter would have given our County $50,000 to be used for a study.
This grant, when awarded, has the ability to be used for such projects as finishing Salt Creek Trail (currently going on 20 years of non-completion), helping with waste water issues (reducing the amount of fecal content In our lakes and waterways), fix crumbling sidewalks and also assisting with historic renovation such as needed preservation maintenance on our venerable Court House.
The only requirement to bring this forward was a unanimous vote of the Commissioners to approve a Letter of Intent. Just saying that we were interested in $12,000,000 of funding for these projects.
Stake holders in favor of supporting this initiative were no less than the Community Foundation, our only municipality-the town of Nashville and most of County government. Everyone spoke in favor of pursuing this amazing opportunity until we heard from commissioner Ron Sanders and his constituent and current candidate for Commissioner Tim Clark.
With no apparent rhyme or reason Commissioner Sanders vote was non supportive, effectively eliminating Brown County from this potential windfall. He wanted another year to review the proposal. We only have weeks to review it, not a year. There is No guarantee that we as a County will ever be afforded this opportunity again.
As it stands today we will not receive the $50,000 study money and will not be in the running to receive the $12,000,000.
Huge embarrassment for Commissioner Sanders and Candidate Tim Clark for standing behind him.
Hardly a direction that I feel Brown County needs to go to pursue Economic Growth and Development.
Duane Parsons
Concerned resident of Brown County.
