Kelsea DeGaetano, right, speaks at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the Pierceton Community Building regarding using some of Pierceton’s American Rescue Act Plan funds from the federal government on projects to better the town via the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program. Pierceton is one of four towns in Kosciusko County to participate with the county in HELP, and DeGaetano served on one of the committees to help determine projects for the town to complete. Listening at the table are from left: Pierceton Town Council President Mandy Espinoza, Vice President Matt Brubaker and Member Tom Barker and Town Superintendent Casey Boggs. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — Pierceton leaders are planning to construct an indoor recreational facility in town with a little help.

The Pierceton Town Council made that decision at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 6, as they discussed how to use the town’s American Rescue Plan Act money from the federal government as part of the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program.

Pierceton was one of four towns in Kosciusko County to participate in HELP. The program run by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs is meant to assist Indiana counties and communities with spending their ARPA money on projects to better their communities in four specific areas: Advancing E-Connectivity; Enhancing Quality of Place; Promoting Community Wellness; and Strengthening Local Economies.

Also participating in HELP locally are Milford, Etna Green and Mentone as well as Kosciusko County itself. Through HELP, the county has a community coordinator, Amy Roe, who is helping guide those in the area through the process.

She and OCRA are to assist the participating entities in gaining additional funding sources to further the monies for projects. To help with deciding on what projects the county and the four towns will implement, committees have been formed, with there being one committee for each of the four subject areas.

Committees met several times earlier this year to determine a list of projects that were presented before the council at Tuesday’s meeting. Feedback from the public regarding projects was also determined via an online survey and an event held earlier this year.

The proposed recreational facility falls under the HELP project category Promoting Community Wellness. Georgia Tenney was one of the people serving on that HELP committee and presented on the facility Tuesday.

As mentioned in her committee’s project notes, Pierceton needs a place for activities to happen in the colder months.

The committee also noted that people could play soccer and basketball there as well as board games. Kids could also meet with tutors, and people could rent the building for events.

The council also tentatively discussed where to put the building, mentioning the Brower Park area. However, council members didn’t make a final decision yet.

Pierceton received $231,386.30 in ARPA funds. It’s planning to use 30% of them to construct the building.

As required under HELP guidelines, the town must use that particular percentage of its ARPA funds through the program. That ensures a match of the same amount from OCRA, meaning Pierceton will have nearly $139,000 for the project.

The town also may use more of its own ARPA funds for the project if it so chooses.

The council also approved getting more information on the remaining projects the committees presented to possibly complete those in the future. HELP is set up to encourage communities to do just that, deciding on main projects and then planning for completing others using more ARPA funds or those such as grants.

Town leaders noted that they still have $200,000 available through K21 Health Foundation that could possibly be used for projects if they fit within guidelines.

The other projects that Tenney presented at the meeting on behalf of her committee were: repairing/remodeling tennis courts to create a new tennis court and two pickleball courts; adding handicapped accessible playground equipment; adding a community garden; and finishing a trail project in town.

Kelsea DeGaetano was part of the Enhancing Quality of Place committee. Her committee’s projects presented Tuesday included: improving and expanding sidewalks downtown; painting and repairing the facades of downtown buildings; putting a stoplight at SR 13 and Market Street; and putting a larger public information board at Brower Park.

Sue Mort served on the Strengthening Local Economies committee. That committee came up with a project meant to upgrade sewer and water infrastructure in town.

As for the last committee, Advancing E-Connectivity, it didn’t have any specific projects that it presented on Tuesday. Matt Brubaker, who served on the committee and is also vice president of the town council, explained that was due to Comcast considering expanding internet service in town and Kosciusko REMC helping with that in the country.