Daviess County coalition aims to boost economic recovery
DAVIESS COUNTY, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The Daviess County Economic Development Corp. has launched a coalition to promote economic recovery efforts during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the effort, the Advance Daviess County Coalition has begun its first initiative, a campaign to bring the Mid-States Corridor project through the county.
The coalition consists of leaders from the city of Washington and Daviess County, as well as the local business community and public safety and transportation sectors.
“In Daviess County, it is no secret that we have a variety of unique assets and opportunities,” Bryant Niehoff, executive director of the DCEDC, said in a news release. “Together, backed by this coalition, Daviess County is and will continue to be well-positioned to capture future growth and investment opportunities that push us to the next level.”
The DCEDC says the coalition has identified three main pillars for long-term economic recovery: growth and retention, supply chain creation, and quality of life. The coalition says the campaign, known as Daviess Driven, impacts each of those goals.
The Mid-States Corridor project is an effort to create an improved highway connection in southern Indiana. Project leaders in February unveiled a list of 10 preferred alternatives with the goal of narrowing it down to one by this fall.
“Daviess County provides a unique and advantageous opportunity for the Mid-States Corridor,” said Tony Graber, chairman of the coalition. “Not only does our close proximity to I-69 provide a great advantage for travelers, but it would serve as a major transportation artery connecting Northern Indiana to Kentucky, Nashville and as far south as Mobile, Alabama.”
Niehoff says having the Mid-States Corridor travel through Daviess County would help bring business growth and development, enhanced quality of life and place, and increased tourism, hospitality and safety.
The members of the Advance Daviess County Coalition include:
- Nathan Gabhart, President of the Daviess County Board of Commissioners & Founder/CEO of TrueScripts
- Tony Graber, President of Graber Construction/Graber Crane
- J. Michael Healy, Councilman for the Town of Montgomery
- Joe Morris, Executive Director of the Daviess County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
- Mayor Dave Rhoads of the City of Washington
- Bill Schmidt, General Manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC
- David Stowers, Financial Center Manager of German American Bank
- Grant Swartzentruber, Swartzentruber Brown & Regional Title Service
We’ll have more on the coalition and campaign with Niehoff in Wednesday afternoon’s INside Edge e-newsletter and this weekend’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.