Urban Indiana

Governor shifts oversight of LEAP water study away from IEDC

Gov. Eric Holcomb has directed the Indiana Finance Authority to begin "exclusive oversight" of a water supply study currently underway along the Wabash River that is meant to determine whether water can be piped from Tippecanoe County to Boone County to supply the LEAP Innovation and Research District without harming resources available to other communities.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp., the state's public-private job creation agency, had commissioned engineering firm Intera to study the feasibility of withdrawing as much as 100 million gallons of water per day from an aquifer connected to the Wabash River and transporting it to LEAP, a planned 9,000 acre or more advanced manufacturing district near Lebanon. The water would then be treated and piped into a tributary of the White River or the Eagle Creek Reservoir.

Holcomb is also instructing the IFA to accelerate the start of a planned comprehensive regional water study for north-central Indiana that will examine watersheds covering Tippecanoe County and at least 12 other counties. The study, which will be the fourth such regional water study the IFA has conducted since 2017, is expected to be completed in fall 2024.

Holcomb's 2024 agenda includes building awareness

At the top of Gov. Eric Holcomb's agenda for his eighth and final year in office is making local elected officials, not-for-profits and other community stakeholders aware of state programs that have been created or expanded during his administration.

That includes everything from apprenticeships and manufacturing readiness grants—which help Indiana companies invest in new technologies—to early learning programs and public health initiatives, Holcomb said.

"What I have come to subscribe to is that most people just don't know," Holcomb told IBJ in a recent interview. "People that do this for a living—philanthropies, foundations, local governments, trustees—they are drowning in a sea of acronyms or programs."

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/holcombs-2024-agenda-includes-building-awareness-of-state-programs

Holcomb makes workforce push in final State of the State address

In his eighth and final State of the State address Tuesday, Gov. Eric Holcomb called for commitments to improving third grade reading levels, expanding the childcare workforce and building greater awareness of the state's jobs programs.

His prepared speech, delivered to the full body of the Indiana General Assembly, highlighted items outlined in his 2024 agenda released Monday, including requiring a computer science class for high school graduation, working with public universities to expand offerings of two- and three-year degrees and a controversial proposal to hold back third graders who don't pass the state's reading assessment.

The Republican governor also drew attention to the state's achievements during his tenure, including $150 billion in GDP growth, $320 million in broadband investments and tens of billions of dollars in committed capital investments from companies looking to expand or locate in Indiana.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/holcomb-makes-workforce-push-in-final-state-of-the-state-address

Holcomb makes more board, commission appointments

Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday announced a series of appointments and reappointments to various boards and commissions. They include the Indiana Arts Commission, Indiana Public Retirement System Board of Trustees and Natural Resources Commission.

The appointments are:

Alcohol & Tobacco Commission

The governor made one new appointment to the commission, who will serve until January 31, 2026:

• The Honorable Mark Jones (Indianapolis), former judge of the Marion Superior Court

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/holcomb-makes-more-board-commission-appointments-6