If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes six towns and one county to create a stellar community. That’s exactly what Marshall County Crossroads accomplished through a collaboration made up of the towns of Argos, Bremen, Bourbon, Culver, LaPaz, Plymouth, and local townships and Marshall County with its effort to be designated an Indiana Stellar Community by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch.
The payoff came shortly after 10am today with the phone call that notified members of the Crossroads Committees that Marshall County Crossroads received the Stellar Communities designation.
“We were a finalist in 2018,” said Kevin Overmyer, president of the Marshall County Commissioners. “Although it was disappointing we did not receive the designation last year, it gave us the determination to come together stronger and more focused. We are very close to finishing a Quality of Life Plan for Marshall County, and the Stellar designation is huge in helping us get that Plan fully implemented.”
The Crossroads team made a formal presentation on November 12th to the state representatives tasked with making the Stellar designation.
According to Overmyer, “To say we’re thrilled about receiving the designation is an understatement. The designation reflects not only nearly two years of work involving hundreds of members of our community, but a broader commitment to quality of place, housing, education and skills, arts and culture, health and wellness, workforce development, industry and entrepreneurship, transportation and trails, diversity and inclusion, and leadership capacity building.”
Ginny Munroe, Culver Town Council President and Crossroad’s Leadership Capacity Building Chair, states “Being designated Stellar is a great honor for Marshall County, but it’s also just the beginning of the work we want to accomplish. Leaders from across the County came together to create a vision and plan for creating Great Hometowns. For all of us, it’s been about making a difference for our neighbors, friends, and families.”
The Stellar Communities designation is a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment into the community led by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. Additional agencies involved are Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Office of Tourism Development, Department of Natural Resources, Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana Arts Commission, and the Indiana Bond Bank.
Munroe adds, “We are prepared to implement our Stellar projects, but better than that: we are also now prepared to work together on other regional initiatives that will make Marshall County’s hometowns the best in the Midwest.”
About Marshall County Crossroads
Marshall County Crossroads is a collaboration of leaders from across the region that engages with and inspires our communities to connect, collaborate, and create high-quality hometowns. This will be done by creating healthy, livable, thriving, and sustainable communities that provide current and future residents of all ages, races, and genders the best hometowns in the Midwest to live, work and play. www.MarshallCountyCrossroads.com
Social Media Handle: @GreatHometowns
