Two Fort Wayne-area counties, Wabash and LaGrange, are among four regional finalists for Indiana’s Stellar Pathways program, the state announced Tuesday.
Wabash County and Connect LaGrange County were among 19 letters of interest for the program.
Each regional finalist will receive $50,000 to help complete a strategic investment plan, according to Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, who made the joint announcement.
The Wabash County application includes the county, the city of Wabash, North Manchester, Roann, LaFontaine and Lagro.
The Connect LaGrange County application includes the LaGrange County Economic Development Corporation, LaGrange County, town of LaGrange, Shipshewana and Topeka, according to the state’s news release.
Other finalists are:
• One Dearborn County: Stellar Pathways for Indiana Gateways, including Dearborn County Economic Development Corporation, Dearborn County, Dillsboro and Greendale.
• Warren County Region, including Warren County and Williamsport.
Relaunched earlier this year, the Stellar Pathways program is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative that the Office of Community and Rural Affairs oversees.
When the state offered Stellar Communities, the New Allen Alliance was a designated winner in December 2018 of about $5.8 million toward $17 million in identified projects. That alliance included Leo-Cedarville, Grabill, Harlan, Woodburn, New Haven, Monroeville and Hoagland.
The Stellar Pathways program works with communities in self-determined regions to support a shared vision for community and economic development. Local and regional partnerships are encouraged to develop and implement “sustainable solutions to challenges Indiana’s rural communities face,” the state said in its news release.
In an email response, the Office of Community and Rural Affairs on Tuesday declined to immediately disclose – without a public records request – the list of 19 regions to apply.
Grow Wabash County said it pointed out to state officials that its application was signed and supported by all of its incorporated communities.
“We are excited to continue to bring our partners together to enhance the quality of life in Wabash County through this transformative initiative,” Tenille Zartman, Grow Wabash County’s president and CEO, said in a statement Tuesday.
The organization noted in its press release that the Stellar Pathways program is a “reimagined version” of the Stellar Communities program that the city of Wabash participated in starting in 2014.
“Being a Stellar Pathways finalist will further our strong existing collaboration and commitment to progress and innovation,” Zartman said.
Wabash County has already worked to develop and enhance at countywide strategic plan, called Imagine One 85. That made the collaborative requirement to be considered for Stellar Pathways an easy one, the organization said in its release. It added that the planning and fine-tuning will continue before the Nov. 1 deadline for final strategic plan submissions to the state.
Representatives from the Stellar Pathways partner agencies evaluated submissions based on multiple factors, the news release said. These included demonstrated ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, implement projects, address challenges, secure additional funding and engage the community.
“The Stellar Pathways program empowers communities to invest in transformative improvements, and these four regions have displayed the vision required of a Stellar project,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “All four of these teams have not only understood, but embraced the challenge of collaboration which is an important foundation for improving quality of life for Hoosiers in their communities.”
Each region will also receive a customized workshop Aug. 12 with Ball State University’s Indiana Communities Institute to discuss project alignment and continued planning efforts, the news release said.
Emilee Fincher, marketing and operations manager with the LaGrange County Economic Development Corporation, said her region is prioritizing projects that prioritize talent attraction, housing, childcare and quality of place.
“Our collective efforts underscore the unity and determination of LaGrange County to embrace sustainable development practices, foster economic growth, and enhance our quality of life,” Fincher said through email. “We are leveraging the strengths of each partner to create a strategic roadmap that will guide our community’s progress now and into the future.”
Sherri Johnston, president and CEO of the LaGrange EDC, said in a statement that participating in Stellar Pathways shows the dedication to inclusive growth and meaningful impact.
“By harnessing the collective expertise and resources of our partners, we are poised to unlock new opportunities, address challenges head-on, and build a thriving LaGrange County that prospers for many years to come,” Johnston said.
Duke Bennett, executive director, of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, said the review process to get to four finalists was “very competitive.”
His office’s Stellar Pathways partner agencies include the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Department of Health, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Destination Development Corporation and Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
