Archives August 2015

Hometown Collaboration Initiative Focusing On Economy

Posted: Friday, August 21, 2015 7:00 am

Last week, the Hometown Collaboration Initiative team met to kick off the building block they chose, economy.

The team welcomed five new members to the group as well as Bo Beaulieu and Michael Wilcox, both with the Purdue Center for Regional Development and the Purdue Extension Community Development Program. Beaulieu and Wilcox led the group, examining their data and public input from the community forum and survey in the light of entrepreneurship and business retention and expansion. The highlight of the meeting was an activity which had the team map the assets or resources available to support their efforts in building the economy by the seven different community capitals.

Along with the new members, a crew came to film the Rushville team. The filming was done as a project to show small communities working on projects to benefit their community.

The building block phase will last four to six months, depending on specific block chosen. Through this process, the team will learn about how to help their community grow. Next will be the capstone phase followed by pathfinder implementation.

The team will lay out a plan with their coach Tamara Ogle, Beaulieu and Wilcox for the next few sessions. Next week, they will be exploring the different program and project options available in the economy building block and how they can contribute in the team.

Rush County is poised to use the HCI program to better its community for all who work, live and play here. Rush County looks forward to using HCI as a way to deepen public engagement and foster communication across community organizations.

Some information provided from http://indianahci.org/

Contact Kate Thurston @ 765-932-2222 ext. 105.

Precision Parts Manufacturer to Grow in Rush County / Add 62 new JOBS!

The Rush County Economic & Community Development Corporation announced that JM CNC, LLC, a computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturer, plans to expand its operations to Rush County, creating up to 62 new jobs by 2018.
The homegrown Hoosier company will invest $4.5 million to add 40,000-square-feet to its Rushville location. The renovation will provide additional space for 20 new CNC machines, employees, and production output. Formerly known as JM Manufacturing, the company changed its name to JM CNC on August 1 to reflect its new owner, Columbia City-based Impact CNC.
JM CNC, which currently has 38 full-time employees in Rushville, plans to begin hiring CNC operators, set-up, assembly, quality assurance and shipping & receiving positions immediately. Interested applicants may apply in person at JM CNC located at 167 East 200 North in Rushville.
“Indiana is such a business-friendly state that has so many resources to support business growth,” said Jerry Busche, CEO of Impact CNC. “Other businesses talk about the Midwestern worth ethic, but I believe that the Hoosier work ethic and family values far surpass those in any of our neighboring states, making Indiana a great place to live and work.”
JM CNC will act as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Impact CNC, its new parent company. Impact CNC currently supplies CNC work to the automotive, heavy truck, off-highway and oil industries. Impact CNC earned the distinction as a 2014 Company to Watch as well as receiving the Outstanding Supplier Support Award from Toyota the same year.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered JM CNC, LLC up to $400,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives.

“Rush County continues to be a pro-business community where industry leaders have confidence in the progressive economic environment, pragmatic workforce development programs, and local elected officials who encourage and welcome economic investment and growth,” said John McCane, Executive Director of the Rush County ECDC. “Rush County is excited to welcome JM CNC, LLC to our community. At the same time, we honor JB Vogel for his years of commitment to building a stronger Rush County.”
The Rush County Council will consider additional incentives at the request of the Rush County Economic & Community Development Corporation. “This is fantastic day for Rush County,” said County Councilperson Janet Kile. “Rush County maintains its efforts to create the best business environment for companies looking for a place to grow.”

The manufacturing sector accounts for approximately 25 percent of Indiana’s economy, contributing $64 billion each year and employing about 450,000 workers, according to Conexus Indiana. Indiana continues to have the nation’s highest concentration of private sector manufacturing jobs.

About JM CNC, LLC
Founded in 1977 by Roy Vogel, JM Manufacturing has experienced a series of rapid expansions under its current owner, JB Vogel, who purchased the company from his father in 1991. JM Manufacturing is a precision parts manufacturer that uses CNC equipment to produce intricate parts that are shipped to clients worldwide. JM Manufacturing will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Impact CNC, LLC and will be renamed JM CNC, LLC.

GOOD NEWS FOR INDIANA – Duke Energy Rates Decrease!

PLAINFIELD, IND. –
Duke Energy customers in Indiana are getting a break on their summer electric bills, and they can expect additional savings through the end of the year due to lower fuel costs.

Rates for the average residential customer have declined about 8 percent compared to last July, in large part due to lower coal costs. That amounts to about $10 in savings on a monthly bill for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours.

Costs in 2015 are also lower because extreme winter weather in 2014 drove up fuel and purchased power costs.

Rates for more energy-intensive customers, businesses that use large amounts of power, have declined about 9 to 10 percent compared to last summer.

Costs will reduce further over the next few months as lower-cost fuel replaces higher-cost supplies. Those additional savings, if approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in a filing made today, would amount to $2 monthly for an average residential customer during October, November and December. Some of the savings are also due to a true-up of previous cost projections.

“A large part of the decreases is due to a settlement with one of our large coal suppliers, which means reduced fuel costs to produce electricity—savings that we pass along to customers,” said Duke Energy Indiana President Melody Birmingham-Byrd. “These are significant rate decreases that will help our customers, especially industries and large businesses, reduce and control their costs, particularly during the summer when customers use more power and bills are higher.”

Indiana state utility regulators review utility fuel costs four times a year, and costs fluctuate, but a significant part of these decreases are due to lower pricing for a long-term coal contract. Fuel costs are one of the largest components of a customer’s bill.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission first approved a portion of the decreases in late March as part of the company’s quarterly fuel clause filing. Lower costs began appearing in customer bills in April.

Duke Energy Indiana

Duke Energy Indiana’s operations provide about 7,500 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 810,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it the state’s largest electric supplier.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.