Washington’s City Council took action to help the local economy grow and to put a dent in the local mid-range housing shortage. The Council approved an ordinance declaring the area of the Indiana Municipal Power Agency’s new solar field an economic development target area and granting a ten-year tax abatement. The new 9 megawatt solar park will be the largest in the IMPA electric generating system. All the electric power generated by the solar field will be funneled into Washington’s power grid. In other economically related action, the Council took another step at improving the area’s housing shortage with the approval of a resolution granting a real property tax abatement for townhouses to be built on Bussard Road. Mayor Rhoads explains.
Council members added a stipulation that the approval of the resolution was dependent on the economic development contract requiring the townhouses to be market based and not government-subsidized. In other business, council members reluctantly approved an increase in storm water utility rates. Rates for the storm water utility will go up by $1.90 per month for the average household. Storm Water is the newest utility and is required by the state.The new rates will allow the utility to stand on its own two feet. Utilities do not receive tax funds and are dependent on user fees for their respective budgets. The Council also approved the appointments of Anita Ash to a one-year term on the Davies County Economic Development Commission, David Dahl to the City Economic Development Commission, Tom Tucker and Rick Powers to the Redevelopment Commission, and Randy Emmons to the Downtown Design Review Committee.
