Lake County Council Public Hearing and Special Meeting – January 29, 2026

The Lake County Council held a public hearing and special meeting at 2:00 PM on January 29, 2026, in Crown Point, Indiana. The primary agenda item was a resolution to designate an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) and grant real and personal property tax deductions for a proposed development by Venture One, with John Deere as the end user. Following a public hearing and extensive discussion, the council unanimously approved the resolution. A second agenda item, two ordinances concerning project labor agreements and responsible business practices, were deferred to the February meetings.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Andy Anderson, Superintendent of Tri-Creek School Corporation, spoke in opposition to the tax deduction structure, arguing that local property tax revenue is essential for schools and that the state has eroded local control. He stated that Tri-Creek Schools has cut staff, increased class sizes, and cannot make payroll within four years, urging the council not to treat schools as leftovers in economic development.
• Lorraine Bank, a South County resident, questioned why the area is called an "Economic Revitalization Area" and asked about the use of a $435,000 upfront payment. She expressed concern about the process and requested clearer maps in future notices.
• Christopher Galen, Lowell Fire Chief, stated that the development will create a burden on volunteer fire departments and the township, as they cannot afford equipment for industrial responses. He asked the council to plan for emergency services funding.
• Nick Pollock, Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters, expressed support for the project, noting that including carpenters in the project labor agreement ensures local workers are employed, which benefits the community.
• Randy Palmatier, Business Manager, Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, expressed strong support for the ERA and incentives, stating the project labor agreement ensures local workforce and the development is positive for the county.
• Heidi Lobb, West Creek Township Trustee, stated that residential TIF and tax abatements make budgeting difficult for townships and schools, and that the development adds service burdens without guaranteed funding.
• Alice Dahl, a resident, stated that the township cannot afford to provide fire and ambulance services for new developments, and asked for financial help.
• Paul Pansick, a South County resident and plan commission member, expressed support for the project, comparing it to catching a big fish with a good lure, and urged the council to use tools like LIT to support fire and EMS in unincorporated areas.
• Lorraine Bank (additional comment) asked for clarification on tax rate impacts and criticized the legibility of maps in the public notice package. She also raised an unsubstantiated allegation about the county auditor's audit, which was rejected by a council member.

Discussion Items

• Matt Reardon, Economic Development official, presented details of the project: a $225 million investment by Venture One for John Deere on 235 acres at I-65 and Route 2, creating 150 full-time jobs with $9.7 million in wages. He explained that the tax abatement is a phase-in of taxes, not a giveaway, and that the $7.2 million in taxes over 10 years will be paid where currently none is collected. The developer agreed to a project labor agreement including carpenters and a $435,000 upfront fee to the county for economic development purposes.
• Council members and Reardon clarified several times that in Indiana’s rate-based property tax system, adding assessed value does not increase revenue for taxing units due to levy caps; it only lowers the tax rate. Thus the abatement does not reduce any current revenue for schools or townships, but adds some upfront cash and future tax payments.
• Council members expressed concern for schools and fire services but were persuaded that the development will not harm existing funding and may provide long-term benefits through lower rates and cap space.

Key Outcomes

• Approval of the Resolution: The council approved the resolution for the Economic Revitalization Area and real/personal property tax deductions for the project. The vote was unanimous: Brewer – yes, Lindemotor – yes, Bilski – yes, Meyer – yes, Sei – yes. Other members not listed also supported. Following the vote, the council welcomed John Deere to the community.
• Deferral of Ordinances: The council voted unanimously to defer consideration of the two ordinances (Project Labor Agreements and Responsible Business Practices) to the February meetings, citing the need for further work.