Perry County commissioners approve resolution to create local economic development nonprofit

The Perry County Board of Commissioners on an oral vote approved a resolution creating Perry County Economic Development Incorporated and designating the nonprofit as the county's local economic development organization to partner with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

The action, presented at a brief special meeting, says the nonprofit will be organized "exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes" under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and authorizes RJL Solutions to prepare and file required incorporation documents with the Indiana Secretary of State and the Internal Revenue Service.

County officials said the resolution responds to a March 24 letter asking a regional partner to represent the county and to recent changes at the regional development council. The transcript indicates the county sent the request to RJL to represent Perry County with the Southwest Indiana Development Council (referred to in the meeting as SWIDAC). Attendees said SWIDAC adopted new bylaws on May 23 that require a nonprofit organization be the designated local representative for a county.

County staff also told commissioners that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) expects counties to belong to a regional development district (referred to in the meeting as SWIDEC) through which state funds flow before reaching local governments. The resolution states that designating a local nonprofit will allow Perry County to participate in that structure and to pursue industrial and business-development opportunities with the IEDC.

The text of the resolution places responsibility on RJL Solutions to file incorporation paperwork and to pursue tax-exempt status; the resolution also notes that the document will be signed by the commissioners and attested by the county auditor. The motion was put, met with an "Aye" response and was declared passed; no roll-call vote or numerical tally was recorded in the transcript.

The meeting included a short personal remark asking for prayers for Commissioner Jaminski, and then returned immediately to the resolution and adjournment. The transcript records no further public comment or formal debate over the resolution's substance, funding implications, or governance structure.

Next steps shown in the resolution text are incorporation paperwork filing and administrative sign-off; the transcript does not specify a timeline for filing, the composition of the nonprofit's board, or any budgetary commitments tied to the entity.