One Dearborn County Stellar Announces "Stellar Week" for Community Engagement

These workshops will help inform Dearborn County’s proposal to OCRA for the Stellar Pathways program.

(Dearborn County, Ind.) - Community members and organizations are being invited to help the One Dearborn County Stellar Pathways Region identify a vision and supportive public projects during Stellar Week, August 19-23, 2024.

The City of Greendale, Town of Dillsboro, and Dearborn County are collaborating with One Dearborn Economic Development to compete for the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs (OCRA) Stellar Pathways designation. In June 2024, Indiana Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch and OCRA announced the One Dearborn County region as one of just four finalist regions for Stellar, securing a $50,000 planning grant to develop a new Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). Of the four finalist regions, two will receive the coveted designation and millions in state funding to catalyze SIP projects.

To kick off the SIP development process, One Dearborn County Stellar Week will include a series of public workshops across the county, community surveys, and additional engagement to inform the region’s vision, as well as help identify and prioritize projects. This initiative is part of the region's efforts to widely engage citizens in enhancing the quality of place and economic prosperity in Dearborn County.
 
Stellar Week Schedule:

Dillsboro Workshop: August 19, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Civic Center, 9824 Central Avenue, Dillsboro, IN 47018.

Greendale Workshop: August 22, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM at Greendale City Hall, 500 Ridge Ave., Greendale, IN 47025.

Bright Workshop: August 22, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Bright Lions Club, 2160 Lamplight Dr., Bright, IN 47025.
 
These workshops are open to all community members and will be conducted by HWC Engineering, the region’s planning consultant with expertise in community development and planning. The sessions provide an invaluable opportunity for residents to voice their thoughts and ideas directly to the leaders shaping Dearborn County's future. Each session will focus on gathering input to inform the One Dearborn County SIP, which will be completed by November 1, 2024.

In addition to the in-person workshops, an online public survey is available on the One Dearborn County Stellar Pathways webpage at www.1dearborn.org/stellar. This online form allows residents to contribute their insights conveniently, ensuring broad and inclusive participation in the planning process. The online survey will remain open through August 31, 2024.

To further encourage public input, One Dearborn Economic Development is offering to make staff available to present on Stellar Pathways and welcome additional public input from groups or community organizations across Dearborn County through the remainder of 2024. Interested groups can make arrangements by contacting Mike Perleberg with One Dearborn at mperleberg@1dearborn.org or 812-537-4010 ext. 7233.

Keep an eye on www.1dearborn.org/stellar for additional Stellar Pathways updates, engagement opportunities, and information. Learn more about the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs Stellar Pathways program at www.in.gov/ocra/stellar.

For more information on Stellar Week and the Stellar Pathways program, visit the One Dearborn County Stellar Pathways page: 1dearborn.org/stellar.