B’town Development Committee looks at next steps in process

By Chad Fleetwood, cfleetwood@thebanner.com

Brownstown Development held a meeting Tuesday evening at the former Country Mansion, discussing the next step in the process of developing a community-wide plan after representatives from Ball State University’s Building Better Communities (BBC) offered the town its services following last week’s public meeting.

Linda McCormick said Brownstown Town Counsel members approved a motion to be the legal entity that will officially contract BBC’s services on Monday, agreeing to be the tax-exempt channel through which start up funding will be managed and dispersed. Once the bulk of funding to cover the cost of BBC’s services is secured the process will move forward on a larger scale, though one major step will be addressed immediately according to McCormick.

“The next step for us is to get a steering committee together,” she said. “ We hope to have the steering committee in place and funding secured and then start work the first of next year.”

Brownstown Development hopes to tap representatives from the school board and ministerial association, town and county government officials, Chamber of Commerce, agriculture extension and Department of Natural Resources officers, as well as at large members for the eight to 10 person steering committee, hoping to assemble members representing a large cross-section of community leaders with varying areas of interest and expertise. All interested persons will have the opportunity to participate in the planning process as it moves forward as BBC conducts community retreats and begins assembling focus groups to gather information and data related to Brownstown’s current state of affairs, as well as helping identify and prioritize goals and concerns.

Bud Walther, director of the Jackson County Community Foundation, said the recently established Brownstown fund has approximately $2,000 in seed money already deposited. McCormick said she feels confident securing the rest of the roughly $15,000 needed to fulfill the BBC contract will not be difficult, and though BBC only requests a 25 percent down payment, Brownstown Development hopes to have the bulk of monies in place as soon as possible.

McCormick said she has heard a lot of positive feedback since BBC representatives addressed a crowd of nearly 80 community members last week.

“A long list of suggestions is already getting generated,” McCormick explained. “I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback and had a few people call wanting to help. I’m glad people are taking a good look at Brownstown with their eyes wide open, we need people with unique ideas and perspectives to help create a vision for the future.”

Brownstown Development hopes various service and philanthropic organizations show their support through donations to help secure start-up funding. This will be the second time BBC has offered their expertise in Jackson County. Seymour went through the program in 2000, laying the groundwork for the city’s recent development and revitalization. Donations for start-up funding can be made through Community Foundation of Jackson County’s Brownstown fund. Anyone needing more information concerning donations may call 523-4483, or by visiting www.cfjacksoncounty.org.