Henry County Council staff said Tuesday that the East Central Indiana REDI (Regional Economic Development Initiative) program has resumed project approvals and that one company, Nio International, is pursuing an 8‑acre site in the county industrial park with plans for a roughly 25,000‑square‑foot food‑packaging plant and up to 50 new jobs over five years.

County staff member Murphy, presenting a REDI update, told the council, “Iam pleased to announce that we were 1 of the first in the region” to receive approvals after the program pause, and he summarized the steering committee’s allocation policy: the committee’s “priority ... is to leave the money in the county if possible.”

The applicant identified by staff is Nio International (spelled E‑N‑N‑I‑O in the transcript), a family‑owned packaging firm based in South Australia that lists Boar’s Head among its customers. County staff said the firm would build manufacturing, offices and warehouse space and that the site (Lot 4) is owned by the Henry County Redevelopment Commission and is directly north of the Shell building on Brooks Drive and Hays Way.

Murphy described a compressed timetable driven by the company: county staff and outside consultants aim to complete required planning, a redevelopment land transfer and an overlay‑district plan amendment through October and November so construction can begin in 2025 and the facility be operational by late 2025 or 2026. Murphy said the county will follow the same review steps it used for prior projects, including the redevelopment commission, the plan commission, the county commissioners and the county council. “We are not asking for anything from County General. Were not asking for a tax abatement either,” Murphy said; he added that the funding for any incentive would come from the redevelopment commission and that Baker Tilly will present recommendations on incentive structure at the October meeting.

On REDI project specifics, Murphy said some county projects are at different compliance stages and that a local Memorial Park water and sewer project is in the pre‑commitment phase; he said staff had received follow‑up questions from the region and was responding. Murphy also said the county has an approved engineering contract with United Consultants for the Memorial Park water and sewer work but that the county has not yet engaged the consultant because engaging would obligate local funds.

The council appointed a local REDI leadership representative. A council member moved that Ken (Kenan) serve in the local leadership role; the motion carried after a voice vote with one abstention. (The mover and seconder were recorded in the meeting transcript but not identified by full name in the public record excerpt.)

Discussion and next steps: Murphy said legal notices for the land transfer and planning items would run soon and that Baker Tilly would present potential incentive structures—including bonds, forgivable loans or reimbursement agreements—at the October meeting. No formal incentive agreement or final allocation was approved at Tuesdays meeting; council members asked for the Baker Tilly presentation and expressed support for moving quickly to meet the applicants timetable.

Why it matters: If approved and built, the project would place a medium‑sized manufacturer in Henry County and create new jobs. The REDI program provides state‑administered regional funding for infrastructure and development; county officials said the steering committees stated preference is to keep allocated money in the originating county when feasible.

What remains open: The firms final site plan, any incentive agreement, the county redevelopment commissions formal land transfer and plan commission approvals. The Memorial Park water and sewer project remains at pre‑commitment pending follow‑up information to the region.