Dubois County Council considering $500,000 contribution to Regional Wellness Center
The Dubois County Council is considering allocating $500,000 to assist in the construction of the Regional Wellness Center in Jasper.
At Monday’s meeting, the council discussed the amount they could potentially allocate for the project. Though they seemed to indicate a majority agreement to add $100,000 to the 2024 budget for the project, they held off on finalizing the decision until the September 18 meeting, which is when the budget has to be finalized for approval in October.
The Regional Wellness Center is a planned project involving a partnership between the City of Jasper, the Tri-County YMCA, the Indiana National Guard, and Memorial Hospital to create an indoor sports and recreation facility connected to the existing National Guard Armory on Bartley Street.
The estimated $37 million project will create a 91,000 sq. ft. facility with an 8,000 square foot fitness center, four full-court gymnasiums, 14,000 square foot indoor aquatic center, an indoor elevated walking track, four group exercise studios, and five community rooms including a community kitchen.
Councilman Ryan Craig broached the subject during a discussion on the budget at Monday’s meeting. He asked that if they plan on allocating money to the project, the council should discuss it and come to a consensus to add it to the 2024 budget rather than do so later.
“I personally think we should have put it in a budget if we’re going to do something,” Craig said, adding that it would be wiser to do so now rather than retroactively.
He recommended the council at least $500,000 to be paid over five years.
“That’s my ten cents. I think it is open for discussion,” Craig said. “I would really like to have a decision because I personally keep getting asked a lot about it, and I support it.”
He said the amount is the same amount the county allocated to Huntingburg in support of the Stellar Community projects.
Councilwoman Meredith Voegerl stated she was hesitant to agree to the pledge until she clarified some questions she had. Specifically, she mentioned the status of the Tri-County YMCA’s plans to build a pool in Ferdinand.
Craig pushed back on that, stating that it was out of the council’s control.
“We weren’t asked for money for the Ferdinand (pool) either,” Councilman Doug Uebelhor added.
Mayor Dean Vonderheide spoke to the Dubois County Council at the July meeting. He asked the council to contribute a million dollars to assist in the project. At Monday’s meeting, Craig stated he didn’t support the full million because of the work being done to create a regional sewer district with service to Haysville and Portersville.
“I want to make sure we have plenty of funds left for sanitary (sewers),” Craig added. “Which in its turn is going to be, I think, a very big deal for the growth in the county.”
Craig stated that he felt like everyone on the council supported giving money to the project. No one disagreed with him. “The only idea is how much,” he said. “I think $100,000 a year over five years is justifiable.”
Councilman Alex Hohl stated he could support the $500,000. “I’m with you; that was my minimum amount,” he said. “If you would vote to put that in, I would vote to put it in (budget) now too.”
Councilman Mike Kluesner indicated he could support that amount but wanted a contingency included that the money would only be made available if the project moves forward. Mayor Vonderheide has stated multiple times the project is going to move forward even if it has to be restructured or phased in to accommodate funding.
Voegerl asked if they had to choose the $500,000 if they wanted to add something to the 2024 budget, to which County Treasurer Sandy Morton said she would just need an amount for the line item in the budget. The total could be decided later.
Councilman Daryl Schmitt said he wouldn’t support any more than $500,000. He pushed for a final decision. “I think we need to make something (a decision on the amount), and it’s firm,” he said.
No action was taken, though.
After this, the council briefly discussed the Food and Beverage Tax Jasper put in place and whether the county should consider one as well. Though the consideration of any new tax was not readily accepted by any on the council, Councilman Schmitt noted that if the state moves forward with eliminating income taxes, something will have to be done to compensate for that lost funding. “That’s either going to fall on property taxes, or it’s going to fall on sales tax, which theoretically we can say that’s a consumption tax,” he added.
