Terre Haute City Council uses ARPA funds to address food deserts

Apr. 11—The Terre Haute City Council tackled the problem of food deserts Thursday evening when it considered two appropriations seeking American Rescue Plan Act funding to address the issue.

Terre Foods received $250,000 to accelerate the process to open the food co-op's store in 12 Points. The vote was 7-0, with Curtis DeBaun IV unable to attend due to a family emergency and Todd Nation recusing himself from the vote because he's one of Terre Food's member/owners.

Catholic Charities was awarded $150,000 in an 8-0 vote to continue its mission to bring sustenance to the food insecure. Jennifer Tames, the nonprofit's assistant agency director, told the council it had been running its food bank for more than 40 years and served an average 3.2 million meals annually.

Catholic Charities will also receive $70,000 from the Meijer store chain Thursday. It is one of 30 food banks in the Midwest receiving a portion of a $2 million gift from Meijer.

In other business, the council approved $2 million in ARPA funds to bring Indiana American Water into approximately 400 homes, many of which employ unreliable wells. The 8-0 vote would give money for the tap-on fees for homeowners wishing to connect their residences to the water supply.

The Council also approved by an 8-0 vote $64,000 for reimbursements for families who move to Terre Haute via the Make My Move program in conjunction with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Those who relocate to Terre Haute receive between $5,000 and $7,500 in reimbursements; 22 families have accepted the opportunity with another 100 considering the move.

City Engineer Marcus Maurer asked the council to approve an ordinance that would remove the traffic signal at 3rd Avenue and 13th Street and make it an intersection with a two-way stop. Maurer told the council the signal had been inoperative for years and the traffic there didn't justify a signal. The ordinance passed, 8-0.

Terre Haute Fire Chief Darrick Scott and Diana Luther, deputy chief of Emergency Medical Services operations, requested that the council amend the City Code to change E.M.S. user fees with a modest hike. Luther said it would not affect taxpayers, but only those who used the service.{/span}

Councilpersons Amanda Thompson and Jim Chalos suggested they could have even increased the rates a little more, as Terre Haute's fees are among the lowest among cities of similar size or whose EMS teams run a similar number of service calls. The measure passed 8-0.

Maurer was also behind a request approved 8-0 to transfer $70,000 to a capital improvement plan to allow his department to partner with Vigo County officials on a number of projects. {

The council also approved a special ordinance rezoning parcels of land at 1118, 1134 and 1200 S. 16th St. to an R-1 Single Family Residence District to make way for building homes.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at david.kronke@tribstar.com.