By SHERRY LOSHNOWSKY
Tribune Staff Writer
A very special announcement was made at Wednesday's Miami County Economic Development Authority meeting one that left an unsuspecting board
member in total shock.
Jim Clary, who has sat on the MCEDA board and a few of its predecessors for 16 years, had recently announced his resignation from the organization
effective the end of the year. Clary has long been considered a leader within the group and has logged countless hours of involvement, particularly with the reorganization of Grissom Air Force Base after it closed.
It was quite obvious Wednesday that he never saw this announcement coming the board voted and unanimously resolved to rename Hangar 200 the
James B. Clary Hangar, in honor of his years of devotion to the group.
"The board didn't take this lightly," said president Don Cates. "It is well deserved."
Clary, who is president and co-owner of Modern Graphics in Peru, has long been interested in the economic outlook of the Peru community.
"I'm a small business man, so economic development has a direct impact on the health of my business," he explained.
In an interview last week Clary recounted a few milestones the board has achieved over the years. The first was a caretaker agreement put in place
where federal funding was provided to allow for the maintenance of the buildings and property at the base once it was realigned. For many years the
group contracted out the work with Hershel Manhart, who provided invaluable service and expertise.
Next was a rural, no-cost economic development conveyance, where the government transferred excess assets from the base to the county at no cost,
which made it so the entity could sell and lease the buildings and use the income for marketing and improvements.
Another milestone was bringing higher education to Miami County. Ivy Tech Community College and Ball State University had offered classes on base
and it was a goal of the board members to see to it that those learning opportunities would still be available in the county. Eventually Ivy Tech
opened again at the Grissom Aeroplex and offered classes, which were open to the public. Then the college moved to the old Holman Elementary School in
Peru, a more permanent location and one that would better serve the community as a whole, Clary said.
Lastly, and what Clary considered to be the biggest accomplishment of the board thus far, was the opening of the Grissom runway for public use.
Actually the runway has been open for general aviation since 1996, but prior permission from the Air Force was required and aviators had to have a
business purpose at Grissom.
It was a cumbersome process one that wasn't conducive to doing aviation business, Clary said.
After much discussion, Brigadier General Dean Despinoy, the commander at Grissom Air Reserve Base, said if MCEDA could find a fixed base operator to
provide services for aviators, he thought the runway could be opened up.This year a contract was signed for FBO services with Montgomery Aviation
and the prior permission agreement was done away with. In July, a ribbon cutting ceremony with the governor was held at Grissom to mark the occasion.
"For me, that was the day," Clary said. "Sixteen years later it finally happened."
The open airfield is surely a sign of good things to come for Miami County, from an economic development standpoint.
"When you're talking to people at (conferences) and you tell them Grissom is open, it changes the whole tone of the conversation," he explained. "They say okay, let's talk a little more."
He's resigning from the board saying that boards of that nature need new people and fresh ideas. But he still enjoys flying and hopes to stay involved, particularly in the aviation aspect of things.
"It's been fun, and at times demanding and frustrating," he said. "But the community has a great group of people, a board and a staff that works
hard."
He also said Peru and Miami County's local elected officials have been great to work with.
"People don't realize the intense competitiveness of (economic development)," he said. "For every deal that's made there were hundreds of cities vying for it. We have a very active board that puts in a lot of time and energy."
ProAssets Web Design & SEO
