Stories
 •6 Selloffs Ratified
 •After Record 2002...
 •Alertness Higher after 9-11
 •Almco Praised...
 •Banking Service
 •Bluffton Fiscally Strong...
 •Bluffton Regional Medical
 •Bluffton-Harrison
 •Courthouse Completed
 •Drainage Board
 •Higher Education....
 •Inventory Tax Gets the Axe
 •Kneller Leads Planning
 •Large Markle...
 •Light at the End...
 •Million Dollar Attack
 •New Food Store in Old...
 •Norwell Progress...
 •Oldest Firm Recognized
 •Ossian Revitalization...
 •Planning Ahead
 •Poore Brothers Finds
 •Rebuilding the Bluff
 •Reed Risks It All...
 •Ribbon Cut at RiverTerr...
 •Southern Wells
 •State of the City...
 •Tradition, Transition at
 •United Way Succeeds...
 •Wayne Metals Adds...
 •Wells Ag Business May Be
 •Wetlands Progress...

 Advertisers
 •Adams County Memorial Hospital
 •Adams Wells Internet
 •ADM Alliance
 •American Family Ins.
 •A Different Light
 •Bi County Services
 •Bluffton Regional
 •The Bowling Center
 •Briner Building
 •Capri Apartments
 •Caylor Nickel
 •Chalet Real Estate
 •Covenant Chapel
 •Craigville Diesel
 •Cupp Realty
 •Curves
 •Daniels Jewelers
 •Decks
 •Edward Jones
 •Elzey-Patterson
 •Express Printing
 •Farm Bureau
 •Farm Credit
 •First Bank of Berne
 •General Insurance
 •Gerber Furniture
 •Good Shepherd
 •Goodwin Memorial
 •Hiday
 •Hiday Service
 •Ideal Homes
 •Innovative Concepts
 •Jimmy's Body Shop
 •John W. Carnall
 •Markle Bank
 •Markle Medical
 •Marks Heating
 •Mike Anderson
 •Minnich's Lawn Care
 •National Oil
 •Ossian State Bank
 •Pak-A-Sak
 •Palmer Ins.
 •PeopleLink
 •Peyton's
 •Pizza Hut
 •Pretzels Inc.
 •Raymond James
 •Shaw Real Estate
 •Shideler Chiropractic
 •Superior Auto
 •The Wellness Center
 •Troxel Equipment
 •Wells Fargo
 •WW Concrete

Wells County 2004 Becoming Wells 2007 -- and New Vision

By JIM BARBIERI
It was review time on May 13 here for a program launched back in 1999 -- Wells County 2004.
Suddenly it was realized that 2004 was coming up on the horizon. How much had been achieved in the 1999 five-year plan that had been launched with fanfare in the last year of the 1900s?
Maybe more than many expected. The program was given a “grade” of “3” on a scale of 5 -- and the community was told that is better than most.
“Congratulations,’’ declared national consultant Jim Dittoe, who had led in presenting his “Winning Communities” program in 1999.
.With the rain water about as deep this spring as the snow was in his early 1999 appearances here, Dittoe recalled that 91 community leaders and activists had turned out in the wintry setting of over four years back.
He was impressed also by the turnout of around 50 on May 13, 2003, for the update on the way to 2004 -- a time that seemed much in the future back in the early days but now is just around the corner.
Dittoe was most impressed, optimistic and comfortable here over what he cited as an exceptional spirit of cooperation in Wells County -- between the city and county and between the various interest groups.
Dittoe had sent for and received advance updates from task force chairpersons and had handouts with the 1 to 5 ratings given by the task force chiefs on the goals and objectives in their fields.
However, no report had been received by him on housing, and the one on education was totally pessimistic -- a point contested by some at the meeting, citing new schools opened or on the way, the Wells County Foundation recognitions awards and other scholarship awards, the new Turnaround program and much more -- a lot of it since 1999. Dittoe said he would recheck this situation.
In fact, the discussion brought out a number of things in the various fields that reflected very positive progress even if in a different form from that which the task force had envisioned.
Being established by Dittoe leadership later that day, with help of Mayor Ted Ellis and Keith Huffman, the 1999 co-chairmen, was a steering committee to seek a strong stretch run toward advancing more strides in the final months to 2004.
In addition, Dittoe asked all present -- and extended an invitation to any in the general public -- to give their replies to three questions:
-- From your point of view, what are the assets of Wells County community?
-- From your point of view, what are the challenges of the Wells County community?
-- From your point of view, what are the opportunities of the Wells County community?
These were to be mailed to Dittoe at 12708 Stanwich Place, Carmel, Ind. 46033 by May 19.
Reminded by Dittoe was that great changes and developments have occurred over the period since 1999. Fresh in mind nationally, of course, was the September 11th attack on America and all the international developments including the very recent war.
Others thought of the 2000 election, and the big fiscal crunch for the state. At home, the $85 million investment here by DPL Energy, the new Bluffton High School, the new Lancaster Elementary School, Wal-Mart and the north-end Bluffton development and much, much more.
Cited among fully achieved points from 1999 aims for Wells County 2004 were:
-- Public awareness aim of the social services through the just announced Community Resources book, “The 2003 Guide to Community Services” as placed in circulation by the United Way (UW) of Wells County. UW executive director Pamela Beckford had copies with her at the 4-H Building update on May 13. Her office is selling them for $8 to defray costs.
-- Request submitted for a four-lane access of Ind. 1 to I-469. A transportation plan advanced to the state through a major study includes a four-lane connector.
-- Re-routing of Ind. 124 over the Gerber Bridge and bypass.
-- Requiring a 60-foot right of-way for rural road pavings. (The goal in 1999 mentioned 50 feet but the county went to 60 feet.)
-- Expansion of Wayne Street to accommodate traffic from the new high school.
-- Rescue of both the Allen Auditorium and the former Tiger gym in the old high school and salvaging of other newer parts of the old high school as worked out via the service of the school board and the interest and program of Life Community Church plus cooperation of neighbors.
-- The obtaining and retaining thus far of the new Ind. 124E JobWorks local training center for recruitment and training of local employees for local industry and business -- an economic development goal.
-- Development of a competitive marketing program for economic development -- a mostly achieved aim. The same for completing existing industrial parks with adequate access and with marketing. Also a satellite Small Business Development Council office is now located in Bluffton.
-- While a revolving loan fund has not been established for matching funds on economic development program, the city of Bluffton has its “Keebler Fund” (with a balance of about $1 million) in this respect, and the county commissioners have allocated $100,000 to a “contingency” fund.
-- The county commissioners have launched, with county council cooperation, the steps to a countywide sewer district and dealing with priority environmental needs in the field. The county drainage board has been pro-active in major project strides for drainage needs of the county, its agriculture and many others.
-- Wells Community Theater and programs and staff of Creative Arts of Wells County have had big successes in achieving funding with Wells County Foundation and other support and cooperation. This has been among the advances for youth and youth opportunities here.
-- Both Bluffton and Ossian have retail district revitalization efforts in progress, as does Markle.
-- The county’s Subdivision Control Ordinance has been updated and enacted by the county after being certified by the Area Plan Commission. It is currently being ratified. It allows six selloffs instead of four in rural Wells County. This change and others were concluded from the studies and meetings of a large committee inviting participation from every township.
-- A rental housing law and program with minimum standards for protection of the public and interests of landlords and tenants has been adopted by the city of Bluffton. At their last meeting, the county commissioners took up for discussion and active consideration and ideas for a building inspector and inspection program.
-- A pedestrian bridge will be built and paid for by the state to parallel the Crosbie Main Street Bridge just west of the main bridge, which is to be renovated by the state by its 70th anniversary in 2004.
Mayor Ellis opened the review event by commenting on the importance of being visionary.
Dittoe spoke of the value of the quality of life in a community.
Roger Sherer, 4-H youth educator, cited the “What’s Up in Wells County” as another stride. Maureen Butler of Creative Arts cited youths in musical proctions and their own innovative dance activities here.
Mayor Ellis noted the city-county cooperative approach for a traffic infrastructure study and countywide corridor planning, working with the plan commission so that planning comes ahead of growth not merely reacting.
Keith Huffman picked up on that same point. citing the urgings to the Wells County Area Plan Commission to do more pro-active planning rather than solely reacting to requests. Wells Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development CEO Garry Jones was most highly impressed when coming here by the city-county cooperation and between the chamber and economic development interests.
Beckford of the United Way referred to the county’s “vast wealth of resources.” She and others were high on the services and help of the Wells County Foundation, whose executive director, Bette Erxleben, affirmed that “I have a great job” in working on the community roles here.
Among the many at Tuesday morning’s Wells County 2004 recharging were City Council president James Phillabaum and Public Safety Director Robert Plummer in addition to the mayor; County Commissioner president Randy Plummer and County Council members Larry Brown, Jim Oswalt and Jim Van Winkle; County Auditor Mary Towne, County Assessor Connie Prible, County Treasurer Rinda Harnish, former mayor William Fryback, Bluffton Regional Medical Center president Tom Clark, Wells County Library director Stephanie Davis, Bi-County Services president John Whicker, Wells County Chief Probation Officer Greg Werich, longtime Ossian Development Corp. official Ed Goetz and numerous others in active roles here.
Some of the matters on which progress has been made and more might be generated to get them going by 2004 include a seasonal newsletter on youth activities and possible quarterly youth roundtable; more incentive programs for struggling business locations or communities, development of an all-community calendar, and increasing the quality, availability and affordability of childcare and early childhood services.
Among 1999 aims or discussion hopes showing scant signs of going any place, at least in time for 2004, are an exchange with the state to get SR 301 in return for Marzane Road; using CEDIT (County Economic Development Income Tax) money to pay for new road projects, and implementing an “impact analysis” program.
On balance, Dittoe saw the achievement and status here as well above average for such five-year programs.“You are better off today because of actions taken four years ago,’’ he affirmed.