The pending campaign to promote Franklin County’s school system took up a large portion of FC Redevelopment Commission’s March 28 meeting as a quorum –vice-president John Palmer, Derrike Kolb and Brian Patterson –was present, along with nonvoting member Sara Duffy.

The board is looking to codify its annual PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) contributions to the school corporation that county commissioners first approved last July. Palmer handed around a rough draft drawn up by county attorney Grant Reeves, saying Duffy questioned whether the document would be effective upon signing or point to the July 2022 decision since TIF (tax increment financing) revenue after that date will be shared.

Palmer thought it needed to be read as retroactive. Duffy wanted to make sure everything was recorded correctly for posterity’s sake. 

“Too many things get started, but five or 10 years down the road there’s not a complete track record,”she noted.

Patterson suggested a brief background summary be included, like Indiana state legislative bills carry. Kolb wished to include a caveat that stated the funds would be only used toward a specific program or project, rather than go into a general operating fund.

FCRC partnered with the local school system for specific spending in 2021 and would like to see a similar result this year.

The conversation turned to marketing of schools, as commission president Bill Schirmer is putting together a “team”of interested entities in the community trying to attract more families/children into the school system.

So far, Brookville Redevelopment Commission is on the hook for up to $10,000 and the FC Community Foundation appears to be on board for a similar amount. FCRC’s haul is roughly $7,500-$8,000, or 15% of TIF revenue from 2022. The schools themselves are, of course, welcome to add to the kitty.

“Let’s say we turn this into a marketing campaign and pay roughly $8,000 every year to a marketing firm,”Patterson said. “We need to make sure they spend $8,000 a year (strictly) on schools.”

Duffy said Schirmer has a timeline of three years in mind to get all the proper analysis completed and promotion (radio, print, surveys, etc.) materials out to the public.

Kolb asked about a similar marketing campaign done in 2018 or 2019; how did that one do? Duffy replied the main result is a more active presence on social media platforms.

Patterson said he recently chatted with retired teacher Linda Rosenberger, asking her if East Central and Batesville were better than FC schools. The answer was no, they just push to the public the idea that they’re superior. Duffy remarked Batesville has its own education foundation and executive director separate from the school corporation.

Palmer said an outside source is key to the campaign, because it’s “too important to leave it to people who deal with (the schools) every day, since they get blinders on and don’t see the positive things.”

“What a lot of people miss is marketing is not about marketing things you have, it’s about benefits people will get by using those things,”he added. Palmer noted FCHS is the only area high school to have an alum graduate from Harvard to his knowledge. Music suites and the Whitewater Career Center program were also touted.

Patterson asked Duffy (board’s rep for FC schools) if the school board favored the marketing approach. She confirmed superintendent Tammy Chavis supports this local coalition coming together. Duffy emphasized that state code says funds must be used for “educational programs or technical training,” adding that could even include adult education.

“I think our ordinance needs to say, ‘for specific educational or training projects,’not a specific thing, because over time that could be different,” Duffy said. Palmer agreed on allowing more flexibility.

Patterson pushed to include “long-term commitment”in the wording. He doesn’t want to see the campaign fester after all groups provide the initial investment; he noted the cost would substantially decrease in time if it’s run correctly. Future spending decisions could be contingent on all parties agreeing.

Comments were to be passed on to Reeves, who would draft a new ordinance for commissioners to sign. Also, Schirmer’s expected to outline the details at April’s meeting (25th).

The other item getting attention at the meeting was FCRC’s involvement in the Reservoir Hill sewer project, which is still pending approval by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Southeast Indiana Regional Economic and Acceleration Development Initiative (READI) board.
Duffy asked whether to add to previous meeting minutes, Schirmer’s comment that FCRC has no connection to the project in any way “at this point.”
As he did at the February meeting, Patterson stated that while he’s in favor of the project, he also feels the commission’s “fingerprints are all over it.”
Duffy disagreed but Patterson argued that if FCRC is to administratively oversee a new residential TIF district, then the commission’s involvement was a foregone conclusion.

Palmer said the application to IEDC had to state the county would establish such a district if $4.5 million is awarded and commissioners vote for the TIF.

“The project wouldn’t happen today if we have not already told them at some point that (creating a TIF) would happen,”said Patterson. “We have to make sure the project is viable for people who currently live there and that they’e on board for the most part …I know you won’t please everybody.”
Duffy inquired whether anyone on the board lived in the projected location; Kolb said he does. She noted that would likely need to be disclosed prior to any related vote.