Commissioners narrowly allow Henry County Expo to apply for CDBG grant; debate centers on lease, matching funds

The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 on Wednesday to allow the Henry County Expo organization to proceed with a county-led Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to finish the interior of the Expo community center and banquet hall.

Tina Henderson, a grant administrator with Mendenhall & Associates, told commissioners the Expo intends to seek a CDBG grant of $650,000 and that the Henry County Expo would provide a proposed local match of about $162,698.50. Henderson said the project would focus on the community center, banquet hall and a Purdue University Extension office space; she said the county must serve as the lead applicant because the county owns the property and that the Indiana Office of Rural Affairs (OCRA) had indicated the project could be eligible if the county meets the national low-to-moderate income (LMI) objective. Henderson said an income survey is required and that the county's LMI rate (stated in the meeting) was about 47.05%, below the 51% threshold; the Expo will attempt to secure roughly 800 survey responses to meet the national objective.

Brianna Chapman and Duke (Expo board officers) described the group's fundraising efforts, noted prior Ready 2.0 and food-and-beverage infrastructure funding related to the park property (Henderson clarified those funds supported park infrastructure, not the Expo interior), and said the CDBG route could accelerate interior work to a late-2025/early-2026 construction start if funded. Henderson explained timeline constraints: the group needs matching funds in place (she cited May 1st as a target to have funds in place) and an application deadline in June (she referenced June 20th), and she asked commissioners to reserve a CDBG slot for the Expo (round 1 and round 2 contingencies were discussed).

Commissioners debated whether to proceed without resolving outstanding lease and contract negotiation questions. Commissioner Debbie moved to table the request pending an executive session to discuss the Expo contract and lease; she said she wanted two weeks to review lease-change requests and negotiation status. That motion was discussed but not ultimately adopted. Commissioner (unnamed) later moved to allow the Expo to apply; Commissioner (second) then seconded. The board voted: two commissioners voted aye and one commissioner voted nay; the chair announced the motion carried 2-1. The commissioners also agreed to schedule an executive session the following week to further review lease negotiations and to coordinate a hearing and response with Expo representatives.

Henderson and the Expo representatives said they would proceed with fundraising and income-survey preparations whether or not the county reserved a slot; commissioners emphasized they would reconvene on lease terms and contingency plans, including scenarios if matching funds were not raised. Several commissioners said the project has taken multiple years and that a two-week executive-session review was reasonable to set a clear direction for the project's future.

The board's action allows the Expo to pursue a county-led CDBG application; commissioners asked staff to coordinate an executive-session meeting to review contract and lease questions and return with clear positions on next steps.