Published: November 03, 2009 09:09 pm      

Council approves Ivy Tech funding

$100,000 would support scholarships for Logansport residents

Members of the city council this week defended their decision to establish a $100,000 endowment to fund scholarships for students at the new Logansport campus of Ivy Tech.

The scholarships would target two groups of students — those just shy of completing their degrees and those seeking a degree after obtaining a GED.

John Hatten, a Logansport resident, turned out for the meeting to voice his concerns about the decision.

“It troubles me that somebody suggested you were going to have to lay people off and now you are giving this money to Ivy Tech,” he said. “You have to prioritize your contributions.”

Council member Kerry Worthington told Hatten the council had not laid off city workers this year and did not intend to in the future. At one point during this year’s budget process, city officials had discussed the possibility of laying off a quarter of the fire department and half of the parks department.

A late amendment to the state budget allowed the city to avoid those layoffs this year, and officials are hoping to reach agreement with surrounding townships on creation of a fire territory that would stave off such actions next year.

City council president Chuck LaDow said the scholarships were meant to boost the city’s education level, an issue economic development experts have identified as a barrier to attracting new businesses.

“We want the jobs that need an educated workforce to come here,” LaDow said. “The level of education in a community is one thing businesses look at before deciding where to locate.

“We want to bring that economic development here and get this community headed in that direction. It’s something that we’re supporting.”

Worthington agreed.

“I believe this is high priority,” he said.

Hatten said he believed the council had false hopes.

“You think that people will get a degree and stay in Logansport?” he asked. “That is a gamble.”

Amy Sweet, a member of the council, said the endowment fund should be viewed not as a gamble, but as an investment.

“This money that we’re going to be spending is money well-spent,” Sweet said. “This is going to continue. It’s not a one-time thing where we are giving money and then it’s gone. This is not going to run out.”

The goal, she said, is to fund scholarships from the interest earned by the $100,000 endowment, making the scholarships continual.

In the end, council members won Hatten over.

“That is a good idea,” Hatten said. “I appreciate what you are doing.”

The council voted unanimously to dedicate $100,000 of the more than $700,000 available in the city’s Eastgate property fund to the new scholarships. That fund is supported by the rent Ivy Tech pays for the classrooms and offices it occupies in the city-owned shopping center.

In return for the gift, Ivy Tech plans to name the Logansport school’s library in honor of the city.

• Jennifer Tangeman is a reporter for the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or jennifer.tangeman@pharostribune.com.