The Jasper City Council met on Tuesday evening to discuss many projects in development that span across city limits.
Tammy Humbert, Executive Director of the Dubois County Emergency Management Agency, discussed the revision of the Dubois County Multihazard Mitigation Plan, a plan that sees review and re-approval from the EMA every five years. The Council approved their support for the updated plan.
Josh Gunselman, the Director of Community Development and Planning, presented the progress and challenges his department has faced over the past year. The City of Jasper saw 102 homes created in 2023, and Gunselman reminded the Council of plans to resume Phase 2 of the Downtown Jasper Square Revitalization Project post-Strassenfest 2024. There was also praise for the development of the Downtown Social District, and the progress being made on the Impact Jasper Comprehensive Plan. (A plan which the City is looking to update for 2025).
Robert Krueger of Wagler & Sons was approved by the council to receive a Gas Contractor’s License.
The resolution to Authorize Funds to Transfer from the Community Crossings Fund to pay for upcoming projects on the Dewey Street Project was read and approved for a total of $75,930.00.
The Ordinance to Change the Zone Map for the Indiana Desk Planned Unit Development (PUD) District was read for the second and final readings, which the Council approved, facilitating the developers to continue their plans for developing the site into residential and commercial rental space. Read our original article on this project here.
The Indiana Desk District was also passed and adopted as an Economic Development Target Area, which allows the property owners of the development area to apply for tax abatements during their first years of construction and operation. The site of the Indiana Desk PUD is currently owned by Krempp Corporation Inc., and with assistance from the Jasper City Council, has now been passed and adopted as an Economic Revitalization Area, thus permitting the company to seek out tax abatements as agreed upon by both the private and city entities.
An Ordinance Annexing Certain Adjacent and Contiguous Territory into the Corporate Limits of the City of Jasper was presented for the public hearing and first reading, to which the Common Council incorporated this area into “6N”. District “6N” is on the Northwest side of Jasper, West of US-231, and is represented by Councilmember Kevin Manley. The Council approved the plans to develop land in this vicinity of town to become the “North Ridge Subdivision”, a neighborhood that would see the creation of a small-scale HOA neighborhood and multiple separate single-family homes.
The Resolution to Appoint a New Commissioner to the Indiana Municipal Power Agency was approved, ending Gerald “Budd” Hauersperger’s tenure and assigning Rob Young as the new Commissioner of the Board. “Mayor Dean Vonderheide Appoints Robert Young as New General Manager of Utilities”
The Council approved their support for the development of the Jasper Northside Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, along with any funding that the state may provide and any other related matters to which this project may incur. The Dubois County Council will also be expected to vote in support of this project, as the Treatment Plant is set to be a joint partnership with the City and County.
The entire one-hour Jasper City Council meeting for this month will air on 18 WJTS-TV, on Sunday, June 23rd at 8AM EST, with YouTube video upload to follow.
