Mike Wolanin | The Republic Bartholomew County Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz takes a break while looking over agenda items before a county commissioners meeting in the Bartholomew County Governmental Office Building in Columbus, Ind., Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.
Bartholomew County commissioners voted Monday to approve a capital improvement plan for utilization of County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) dollars for 2026-2027.
State law requires that county commissioners have a plan prepared for the specific uses of taxpayer money allocated for capital improvement in the county.
Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz, R-District 1, reviewed the two-year plan for the disbursement of CEDIT funds as a list with a balance of about $5 million.
Kleinhenz said that $1.5 million will be used to make improvements to county buildings and facilitate any equipment replacements or improvements.
Between 2026 and 2027, $110,000 will be allocated each year to support local economic development corporations by adding two seats to the Columbus Economic Development Board. One member will be a county commissioner and the other a Bartholomew County Council member.
Another $500,000 will go toward payments of the Highway Garage Bond.
In the calendar year 2026, $1.3 million will be set aside for an economic development project in the Northern Gateway area specifically for improving a stop light and Bear Lane for commercial purposes.
County road overlay or other improvement projects will have another $500,000 of the CEDIT funds.
“We are short money this year and probably years to come from the state of Indiana as they’ve kind of changed the rules of the game,” Kleinhenz said regarding this project.
Commissioner Tony London, R-District 3, said that the Bartholomew County Council gave some funds to help with this project.
“(The council) filled the gap temporarily and provided $1.5 million to replace (the cut funds). So this year, we’ll do what we normally would do,” London said.
The new fairgrounds storage facility also has $150,000 from the CEDIT funds dedicated to any additional or unforeseen expenses in that project.
Any leftover money from the CEDIT funds will be used in various projects to help with improving county roads or infrastructure.
The Capital Improvement Plan is due by March 1, but can be amended any time if needed, according to county officials.
