Letter: Thought for the day: Westfield without Grand Park!

0

Editor,

Andy Cook attended many meetings prior to his running in the Republican Primary for Town Councilor in 2006 to hold office in 2007.  Mayor Cook went on to beat his opponent in the primary by a 2-1 margin.  I can truly say to you that the best man won that primary.  I can say that because I was his opponent.  Since that first election, Andy Cook has shown us tremendous leadership skills as well as being a visionary.

Andy Cook was then elected as Westfield’s first Mayor in November 2007 to hold that office starting in 2008, when Westfield became a City.  I was honored to be appointed by Andy as his first Economic Development Director for Westfield, also starting in January 2008.  For 2007, I had served as a Westfield Town Councilor and began organizing the economic development activities, including a business development trip to visit Japan with a group of Indiana government officials and business persons led by Governor Daniels.

Why present this piece of history?  It is to illustrate the vision of our current Mayor and why the community needs to support his re-election as the Mayor of Westfield.

Starting in 2007, economic development efforts focused on business retention (due to the upcoming US 31 upgrades), getting the message out to the development community that Westfield was open to planned quality development (initiated through two annual developers breakfasts), and also beginning the work of improving the infrastructure in the City of Westfield with a major new sewer line running west from the area of 181st and Dartown Road.  The update to Westfield’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan was approved in April 2007 after more than two years of work by a Steering Committee, the staff, and well over 200 citizens putting in thousands of hours of thought and effort into the update.  One of the major outcomes requested by residents, was to focus on the Downtown area we now call the Grand Junction.  I’ll save that discussion for another time.

At the same time, there was a concern that fields for youth sports might become housing developments and we began working with both WYSA and WYSI to plan for the future.  Once again, well over a hundred citizens participated in various meetings and discussions about the rapid growth of youth sports in Westfield and the need to have an adequate number of facilities to support our youth.  As that effort continued on, visits were made to various youth sports facilities in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and many other areas of the country.  Those persons, on that committee, learned about the positive aspects of such operations as well as the pitfalls, the costs involved in operating such facilities, and the various business models different communities and states used to develop such sport facilities.  That effort and study took years to complete culminating in the vision for Grand Park.

During 2008 and 2009, it became evident that the economic development effort would not bear fruit if we focused solely on the typical industrial search that was the direction taken by most communities.  The housing industry from 2008 forward, was in a major depression and many industrial firms were moving their operations overseas to China, Mexico, and other locations.   Competition for locating industry in Indiana, and elsewhere, was fierce.  Lack of a completed US 31 upgrade was also a major issue.   It was obvious that the pursuit of industrial businesses would have to wait.

Westfield also focused on working with the local businesses that would be impacted by the US 31 upgrade, as well as working to locate new businesses in Downtown Westfield.   Westfield had almost $100 million of assessed value (AV) that was at risk with the US 31 upgrade.   Replacement AV had to be found and fairly quickly.  But everyone knew that would take time.   At about the same time, the City and the schools were hit with the property tax caps, reducing revenue.  This was a combination of very different, but impactful events, all of which called for astute financial management by all of the local government agencies.    That was done.

In networking with many individuals involved with youth sports in Westfield and Indiana, it became obvious that there was a need for a larger Indiana facility for baseball and field sports such as soccer, lacrosse, etc.  Mayor Cook had the vision to realize that and drive the process to think BIG.  Doing it piecemeal would not work.  Westfield would have to reach higher to be out in front of the rapidly growing youth travel sports market.  Stretching ourselves would put us out front as well as create a barrier to entry for other communities that might be thinking about building such a facility.   Being first with this effort was critical to our success.  We are now at the point where the investments are being made, driving up our AV for the coming years.  Ultimately, that will have a favorable effect on tax rates.

Now, back to my original statement of:  “Westfield without Grand Park!”  Westfield would be in a very poor situation if there had not been someone with the vision eight years ago to really push the youth sports “industry”.  There is no doubt in my mind, that if we had continued to focus solely on industrial or other commercial development, we would not be in the position we are in today.  We would not be looking at increasing AV today and increased tax revenues due to that new development.  With the commercial development that will be coming to fruition over the next several years, we will not only replace the AV we previously lost to the US 31 upgrade, we will far surpass it.

Grand Park is an economic engine that saw over 900,000 visitors come to Westfield last year and is now an international destination.  My grandson’s soccer team recently played an opponent that was from the Toronto, Canada area.   Now, by driving commercial development because of Grand Park, we have an opportunity at achieving lower taxes through the economic development that has begun with Grand Park.  This is a great beginning that needs to be finished by those who started it.  It is not the time to slow down or stop the momentum being generated by Grand Park.

This is the time to maintain that momentum with the re-election of Mayor Cook, as well as the following individuals for City Council: Jim Ake (At-Large), Bob Smith (Dist.3), Steve Hoover (Dist. 2), Robert Horkay (Dist. 5), Chuck Lehman (Dist.4), and the election of Tom Smith for an at-large seat.  Stopping or slowing down the momentum we have built up over the last eight years would result in a terrible outcome that the citizens of Westfield cannot afford to risk.   We need to retain the dedicated, positive, hardworking team that is leading Westfield into a brighter future, the team that brings people together, that always seeks to involve Westfield citizens as part the process to move the community forward, and that team is led by Mayor Andy Cook.  Please take time to vote on May 5th and vote for good leadership and a positive future for Westfield.

Joe Plankis

Former Westfield Economic Development Director

Current President, Westfield Redevelopment Commission

 

 


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Letter: Thought for the day: Westfield without Grand Park!

0

Editor,

Andy Cook attended many meetings prior to his running in the Republican Primary for Town Councilor in 2006 to hold office in 2007.  Mayor Cook went on to beat his opponent in the primary by a 2-1 margin.  I can truly say to you that the best man won that primary.  I can say that because I was his opponent.  Since that first election, Andy Cook has shown us tremendous leadership skills as well as being a visionary.

Andy Cook was then elected as Westfield’s first Mayor in November 2007 to hold that office starting in 2008, when Westfield became a City.  I was honored to be appointed by Andy as his first Economic Development Director for Westfield, also starting in January 2008.  For 2007, I had served as a Westfield Town Councilor and began organizing the economic development activities, including a business development trip to visit Japan with a group of Indiana government officials and business persons led by Governor Daniels.

Why present this piece of history?  It is to illustrate the vision of our current Mayor and why the community needs to support his re-election as the Mayor of Westfield.

Starting in 2007, economic development efforts focused on business retention (due to the upcoming US 31 upgrades), getting the message out to the development community that Westfield was open to planned quality development (initiated through two annual developers breakfasts), and also beginning the work of improving the infrastructure in the City of Westfield with a major new sewer line running west from the area of 181st and Dartown Road.  The update to Westfield’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan was approved in April 2007 after more than two years of work by a Steering Committee, the staff, and well over 200 citizens putting in thousands of hours of thought and effort into the update.  One of the major outcomes requested by residents, was to focus on the Downtown area we now call the Grand Junction.  I’ll save that discussion for another time.

At the same time, there was a concern that fields for youth sports might become housing developments and we began working with both WYSA and WYSI to plan for the future.  Once again, well over a hundred citizens participated in various meetings and discussions about the rapid growth of youth sports in Westfield and the need to have an adequate number of facilities to support our youth.  As that effort continued on, visits were made to various youth sports facilities in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and many other areas of the country.  Those persons, on that committee, learned about the positive aspects of such operations as well as the pitfalls, the costs involved in operating such facilities, and the various business models different communities and states used to develop such sport facilities.  That effort and study took years to complete culminating in the vision for Grand Park.

During 2008 and 2009, it became evident that the economic development effort would not bear fruit if we focused solely on the typical industrial search that was the direction taken by most communities.  The housing industry from 2008 forward, was in a major depression and many industrial firms were moving their operations overseas to China, Mexico, and other locations.   Competition for locating industry in Indiana, and elsewhere, was fierce.  Lack of a completed US 31 upgrade was also a major issue.   It was obvious that the pursuit of industrial businesses would have to wait.

Westfield also focused on working with the local businesses that would be impacted by the US 31 upgrade, as well as working to locate new businesses in Downtown Westfield.   Westfield had almost $100 million of assessed value (AV) that was at risk with the US 31 upgrade.   Replacement AV had to be found and fairly quickly.  But everyone knew that would take time.   At about the same time, the City and the schools were hit with the property tax caps, reducing revenue.  This was a combination of very different, but impactful events, all of which called for astute financial management by all of the local government agencies.    That was done.

In networking with many individuals involved with youth sports in Westfield and Indiana, it became obvious that there was a need for a larger Indiana facility for baseball and field sports such as soccer, lacrosse, etc.  Mayor Cook had the vision to realize that and drive the process to think BIG.  Doing it piecemeal would not work.  Westfield would have to reach higher to be out in front of the rapidly growing youth travel sports market.  Stretching ourselves would put us out front as well as create a barrier to entry for other communities that might be thinking about building such a facility.   Being first with this effort was critical to our success.  We are now at the point where the investments are being made, driving up our AV for the coming years.  Ultimately, that will have a favorable effect on tax rates.

Now, back to my original statement of:  “Westfield without Grand Park!”  Westfield would be in a very poor situation if there had not been someone with the vision eight years ago to really push the youth sports “industry”.  There is no doubt in my mind, that if we had continued to focus solely on industrial or other commercial development, we would not be in the position we are in today.  We would not be looking at increasing AV today and increased tax revenues due to that new development.  With the commercial development that will be coming to fruition over the next several years, we will not only replace the AV we previously lost to the US 31 upgrade, we will far surpass it.

Grand Park is an economic engine that saw over 900,000 visitors come to Westfield last year and is now an international destination.  My grandson’s soccer team recently played an opponent that was from the Toronto, Canada area.   Now, by driving commercial development because of Grand Park, we have an opportunity at achieving lower taxes through the economic development that has begun with Grand Park.  This is a great beginning that needs to be finished by those who started it.  It is not the time to slow down or stop the momentum being generated by Grand Park.

This is the time to maintain that momentum with the re-election of Mayor Cook, as well as the following individuals for City Council: Jim Ake (At-Large), Bob Smith (Dist.3), Steve Hoover (Dist. 2), Robert Horkay (Dist. 5), Chuck Lehman (Dist.4), and the election of Tom Smith for an at-large seat.  Stopping or slowing down the momentum we have built up over the last eight years would result in a terrible outcome that the citizens of Westfield cannot afford to risk.   We need to retain the dedicated, positive, hardworking team that is leading Westfield into a brighter future, the team that brings people together, that always seeks to involve Westfield citizens as part the process to move the community forward, and that team is led by Mayor Andy Cook.  Please take time to vote on May 5th and vote for good leadership and a positive future for Westfield.

Joe Plankis

Former Westfield Economic Development Director

Current President, Westfield Redevelopment Commission

 

 


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Share.

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Stay CURRENT with our daily newsletter (M-F) and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox for free!

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By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact