Trustees accept $60K in JEDD funding

As a Perry Township trustee, Robert Dawson helps to make many decisions on how the community’s government funding is spent.

On Feb. 5, however, Dawson played a different role when he delivered some money to add to the township’s budget.

Dawson, who also serves as chairman of the Perry Joint Economic Development District, gave his fellow trustees a check for a $60,000 distribution from the JEDD.

The announcement was made during a morning meeting of the township trustees.

He explained that the Perry JEDD Board recently voted unanimously to allocate funding to its three member communities: Perry Township, and Perry and North Perry villages.

Every year, the five-member JEDD board reviews the district’s finances and evaluates the feasibility of making a financial distribution consisting of a 60 percent share to Perry Township and 20 percent each to North Perry and Perry villages. Those terms were stipulated in a contract when the district was established.

Funding for the distribution comes from payroll taxes and netprofit taxes of businesses within the JEDD, Dawson explained.

When deciding whether to approve a distribution, the JEDD board looks at funding in terms of what could be shared with the three communities and what needs to kept internally to continue operating the district, said Perry Township Trustee Rick Amos.

The last distribution to three Perry communities made by the JEDD took place two or three years ago, Amos estimated.

While the overall amount to be distributed each time varies, this year’s total was $100,000. Dawson said JEDD board members who represent Perry and North Perry villages will be presenting their $20,000 checks at Village Council meetings in those communities.

Amos commended the district for its efforts to enhance the Perry region as a whole.

“That ($60,000) helps us tremendously and it also speaks highly of the ongoing activity from the JEDD,” he said. “Not only is that money is being reinvested in the purpose and the mission of the JEDD, but something left over that can be distributed to the communities that have some budget shortfalls and need a little bit of help.

“So that’s a win-win for everybody that’s involved — the two villages and the township.”

Township trustees plan to combine the $60,000 allocation with a $47,000 grant that the township already was awarded by Lake County for road improvements, and use the $107,000 sum to pave Florida Street.

Dawson said township Administrator Karen Sundy discussed the paving project with the Lake County Engineer’s Office.

“They chose to package (the Florida Street project) up with another road or roads that’s bid out (for work) from Madison Township,” he said. “They determined that would have the best positive impact for a bid.”

Bids for the contract are expected to be opened by Lake County on Feb. 26, Dawson said. The JEDD, which was formed about 20 years ago, strives to advance, encourage and promote the industrial, economic, commercial and civic development of the Perry area.

“That ($60,000) helps us tremendously and it also speaks highly of the ongoing activity from the JEDD.” —Perry Township Trustee Robert Dawson