By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – At a lengthy Wabash County Council meeting on Monday afternoon, the council heard from Amy Ford, Chairperson of the Wabash River Trail, about the proposed trail that would stretch across Wabash County connecting Huntington to Peru and the first phase of the project in Lagro which is slated to begin construction in August. Ford said that the cost of the project just from Lagro to Wabash is $6 million, with the cost of phase one in Lagro itself at $2.3 million. The Wabash River Trail organization hopes for $3.6 to $4 million in private donations and Ford told the council that she hopes to apply to receive Northeast Regional Cities money. But even after all of that, Ford noted that there is a shortfall of $1.2 million. And Ford was at the Wabash County Council meeting on Monday asking the county to help cover that shortfall.
Chairman Mike Ridenour seemed impressed with the concept of a trail stretching across the county, saying “If there were a truer investment for economic development I don’t know what it would be.” He added that the money could come from the CEDIT fund which is earmarked for economic development. Then Ridenour said, “We could sit back and say that won’t work – we don’t have the money. Or we could actually put pencil to paper and see if we can do it.”
The conversation then turned to the possible disbursement of the funds. One possibility is $600,000 in 2017 and $600,000 in 2018. Another option is to budget the entire $1.2 million for 2017. Regardless, the Wabash County Council must determine whether the amount will fit in the upcoming budget and those discussions take place in September. Councilman Randy Curless wondered if the City of Wabash would contribute to the project since they will also receive a large benefit from the trail.
The council also approved an additional appropriation of $200,000 to the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department to help with inmate transfers until the end of the year. Sheriff Bob Land told the council that he will try and make the additional $200,000 last for the rest of 2016. As has been reported, Wabash County is now housing inmates in both the Miami and Elkhart County Jails.
After a long discussion, the council also created a new fund for the disbursement of money from the state as a result of the 2016 Senate Enrolled Act which gives some of the county’s own trust account tax revenue back. The council considered putting this new fund into the rainy day fund but elected to keep it separate. But, in order to actually save money for an emergency, monies put into and taken out of the rainy day fund must now pass with at least five votes of the council members.