ANDERSON — There were 103 new jobs added to the Anderson economy during the second quarter of the year, the members of the Anderson City Council learned.
Greg Winkler, director of the Anderson Economic Development Department, said since Jan. 1, 2012 the city has added 2,301 jobs, with 592 of those positions created by new companies locating in the city.
“The bottom line is I’m not satisfied with that number,” he said Friday of the 103 jobs created. “We need to find a way to bring more jobs.”
Winkler said since 2012 the city has grown the number of jobs committed to be created by new businesses and existing company expansion and increased the number of actual jobs.
“The job numbers will be fluctuating,” he said.
During the meeting, Councilman Art Pepelea asked if the Economic Development Department asks new companies to have their employees live in Anderson.
“We’re starting to see that happen,” Winkler said. “The last couple of proposals we’ve written and are currently working on have asked companies to have an interest in the Anderson community.
“We have asked them to create two internships for Anderson High School students and after three years in operation establish a scholarship program for Anderson High School students to attend Ivy Tech or the Purdue University School of Technology,” he said.
Winkler said the hope is to create 60 internships and scholarships over the next five years.
Pepelea said improvements to the Anderson Community School system will attract people to the community.
“ACS has never been better,” he said.
Winkler said that ACS Superintendent Terry Thompson is working to improve the perception of the education being provided by the local school system.
“As the quality of ACS improves, it will attract people to the community,” he said. “Education is vital in attracting new residents.”
Council members on Thursday were told that a $200,000 appropriation for Impact Container would be requested to be returned to the 2014 budget.
Winkler said the city was informed that the Impact Container project would not happen.
He said the $200,000 was appropriated from food and beverage tax revenues in 2012 and carried over to 2013.
“We’re going to ask the council to appropriate the money to be used in 2014,” Winkler said on Friday. “There is a possibility of $100,000 going to the Wigwam complex project and another opportunity that could be finalized next month.”
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