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Henry County staff announce $500,000 EPA assessment grant and regional entrepreneurship partnership
Summary
County staff told the Henry County Council the county secured a $500,000 EPA Phase 1 environmental assessment grant, is partnering on a $40,000 REAP entrepreneurship program, and will host two tax-increment-finance education sessions led by Baker Tilly this month.
County staff told the Henry County Council that the county has been awarded a $500,000 U.S. EPA assessment grant to fund Phase 1 environmental assessments for commercial and industrial property across the county. "So that's $500,000, for phase 1 environmental assessments, anywhere in the county, commercial or industrial property," a staff member reported during the meeting.
The same staff member said the county is also a partner in a Regional Entrepreneurial Pipeline (REAP) program, a $40,000 grant that will fund entrepreneurship programming in Rush, Fayette and Henry counties. He added that the REAP funds will not be administered through county government.
Officials also announced two tax-increment-finance education sessions to be presented by Baker Tilly: July 22 at noon and July 29 at 6 p.m., in Newcastle's municipal building council chambers. The staff member said the sessions are intended to help elected leaders and community members better understand how TIF works and to counter misinformation.
The council did not take any formal action on the grants at the meeting; the staff report said paperwork with the EPA is underway and the assessment funds are expected to be available in the fall. The staff member said the county will advertise the grant opportunity to property owners and that property owners must be willing to partner when seeking an assessment.
The announcements were made during the meeting's general staff reports; council members asked logistical questions about session timing and encouraged attendance to improve TIF literacy ahead of upcoming budget work.
