PIKE: Mayor clarifies MakeMyMove program

By Editor | April 23, 2024 |

By BETH ZUMWALT

After Mayor Gary Mendenhall said there had been a lot of false information put out about the city’s involvement with the MakeMyMove program, Mendenhall went ahead to give some information about the program. The information was presented at the April16 meeting. The city entered into the program in hopes of bringing new families to the city.

“It is not a program designed to attract illegals to Pike County,” Mendenhall said. “Those applying to the program are thoroughly vetted, undergo a complete background check and submit an application to us. At least one family member has to be employed in some sort of remote work.”

Mendenhall said the income of the house hold has to be $65,000.

“Statistics show that our return on our $5,000 investment, will be an annual $6,665 annual increase in economic output per family with an increase in consumer spending of $44,634,” Mendenhall said.

With one family member being employed remotely, any additional family members could join the work force within the county, meaning the program could bring in teachers, nurses and other professionals which are needed in the county. Any children in the family that attend Pike County Schools will increase the average daily attendance numbers, meaning more money for the schools.

To date one family has been accepted and is looking at homes in Pittsfield, while three others are considered new movers and three more have been pre-approved. The city has set a limit of five to the number of families they can accept.

“If we get five families, that is almost a $256,000 boost to our economy,” Mendenhall said.

Several people have expressed concern that in addition to illegal coming to Pike County, the incentive package the city has put together, which includes $5,000 in moving expenses, a pool pass, a packet of coupons and incentives from local businesses,etc.

“Five thousand dollars is low,” Beth White, alderman from Ward 2, said. “If you look at what some of the other communities are offering, we are in the low range. There are some offering $12,000.”

Coming to the Pittsfield City Lake is a kayak rental kiosk. The kiosk will hold eight kayaks, with the possibility of two paddle boats to be added.

The city will split the cost of $29,000 with the operator, Rent Fun, and should see a return in the investment in five years. The kayaks will be rented in two-hour increments by using a debit or credit card to unlock a kayak. Similar units have recently been installed at other lakes in the area such as Brown County and Camp Point.

Alderman Chris Little asked why there was no swimming at the lake.

No one had a real answer, except, health department rules and insurance costs made it prohibitive.

Little asked for research on what it would take to bring swimming to the lake and the council agreed to look into it.

The council also finalized new guidelines for the industrial park. There are no new provisions, except the elimination of an industrial park board, which was never organized when the industrial park was founded. The finalization of the guidelines is just a reminder to owners of businesses in the industrial park that the rules are going to be more stringently enforced.

The council also implemented a $1,000 per year charge for commercial tree trimming businesses to dump tree limbs, branches and even small trees at the new city brush pile. The licenses can be purchased at city hall and the dump site will be monitored to make sure all commercial businesses have one. Individual citizens will still be able to take grass clippings and brush trimmings free of charge.

Jelly Stone Park, formerly Pine Lakes, will be able to sell liquor, both pour and carry out. The city approved the addition of a resort license at the meeting. Cost of the license will be $800 yearly.

A new stop sign will be installed at the intersection of Memorial and Jefferson to remind drivers the intersection is a high pedestrian area.

Mendenhall also reminded all golf cart owners to get their 2024 stickers, saying he had some reports of golf carts and side-by-sides with last year’s sticker.