Commission approves $1,000 LCEA membership at steel level

The Crown Point Redevelopment Commission voted to join the Lake County Economic Alliance (LCEA) at the $1,000 “steel” membership level after a presentation by the alliance’s president and CEO.

Chris Slottis, president and CEO of the LCEA, told the commission the organization had returned with a membership proposal first discussed in November and that the alliance was offering a $1,000 level in light of budget constraints tied to the legislature’s passage of SB 1. Slottis said LCEA has been active in the area and has hosted events attended by Crown Point staff and elected officials; he noted the organization has also represented developers on tax-abatement matters such as Arcadia Cold Storage.

During his remarks, Slottis praised local staff and the city’s business park, saying, "Your staff has been excellent to work with, and your business park out on I-65 has been keeping us busy with a lot of our state leads." After brief discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the LCEA membership at the steel level ($1,000); the motion was seconded and approved on a roll call vote with all voting members recorded as voting yes.

Commissioners discussed the city’s prior membership history: the commission had previously supported higher-level membership (described as a platinum level in earlier years) and later reduced support to a higher mid-tier (around $5,000). The $1,000 steel level was presented as a lower-cost option to maintain a relationship with the alliance amid tighter municipal budgets.