November 11, 2022
Ken De La Bastide, The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — The city is becoming a member of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority, making it eligible for a $1.3 million grant. The City Council on Thursday gave final approval to the ordinance to join the Authority and an accompanying resolution. Rob Sparks, with the Corporation for Economic Development, said Anderson is now eligible for a state Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, grant. The $1.3 million will be used to eliminate a combined sewer overflow and construct a new interceptor sewer along White River. Council President Rebecca Crumes asked if matching funds are required to get the grant, would the council need to approve them. Sparks said matching funds are not required. He said the necessary documents are being prepared by the city to submit the grant request by Dec. 31. Sparks said if the city didn’t join the Authority by the end of the year, the city would not have been eligible for the grant funding. Gov. Eric Holcomb allocated $20 million of federal American Rescue Plan funds for regional economic development through the regional Authority. The development is to include Anderson, Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis and Westfield. Sparks said at the October council meeting that Holcomb has indicated that next year, he will ask the General Assembly to allocate state funds for the regional development groups around the state. The regional authority will consist of local elected officials who will score proposed projects for their effect on the region and determine future funding allocations. Mayor Tom Broderick Jr. said at the October meeting that the city was going to do the project anyway, and joining the Authority will provide funding for the project.