The Lawrence County Industrial Development Council is always looking to improve the county by helping get businesses into the area.
LCIDC consists of 16 board members, including mayors in the county, looking for ways to bring businesses to Lawrence County.
The council helps with low interest loans, after the business gets a loan from the bank, as well as participates in the Lawrence County CEO program which teaches teenagers the skills it takes to meet the business world head on.
“We wish we could get more kids involved in the CEO program,” Wagner said. “Our schools have good education and our kids become doctors and lawyers, but they move away,” Wagner said.
LCIDC also works with the local chamber offices to provide support to new chamber members.
“We are always looking to bring in companies that will create five to 50 jobs in the area and meet the needs of the business,” Don Wagner, LCIDC administrator said.
They also work along side the Route 50 Coalition as well as Chevron and Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission.
A big thing the council helps with is the Foreign Trade Zone.
The FTZ brings in money to the community just by having a building at the airport for businesses to use when needed to bring items in at a cheaper price.
LCIDC is in compliance with FTZ board regulations as well as cooperates with the Bi-state Authority and Mid-American Air Center.
Most years, fundraisers are held that help local students with scholarships.
“We know times are tough right now, so we have not sent out the letters to the businesses like we usually do, asking for donations for the scholarships,” Wagner said. “We don’t want anyone to struggle.”
The scholarships are in the amounts of $2,000 that go to a Lawrenceville High School senior and a Red Hill High School senior as well as an adult returning to college sometime after they have graduated.
If someone comes to the council asking for help and it is unable to give that person the right help, Wagner said suggestions are offered for other places that will be able to assist the new business owner.
A couple of previous programs that assisted locals in the communities have ended such as the enterprise zone that allowed businesses in certain areas to get building supplies without having to pay tax on them; and the opportunity zone which farmers could have used to invest money in their business and not pay taxes on it after a three year period.
Anyone interested in attending a monthly LCIDC meeting, can meet with the board at 5:15 p.m. on the second Monday in the basement of the Citizen’s National Bank of Albion.
The bank is also the new LCIDC office and is located upstairs in the building that is located at 1300 15th Street in Lawrenceville.
Businesses may call at: 618-943-7575; or send an email at LCIDC146@gmail.com to find out more information about services they can offer.
“I think we need this right now,” Wagner said. “We need to bring in as much as we can to our community.”