Tipton — Gayle Van Sessen, the economic development director for Tipton County, is at the center of the dispute over the future of a joint operation.
In 2009, the city of Tipton and Tipton County signed an agreement to coordinate economic development efforts. The city provided $50,000 of the funding and the county contributed $65,000.
That agreement between the city and county ended last week, leaving the department with no funding for 2011.
Van Sessen’s contract, which pays her $6,833 per month, expires on May 31.
The Tipton County Council was not asked by the commissioners to appropriate the $65,000 in the 2011 budget. That request is expected to be made in January.
Commissioner Mike Cline and outgoing Commissioner Kenny Zigler said they want Van Sessen to continue in the position.
However, Tipton Mayor Dan Delph has said he won’t renew the agreement with the county as long as Van Sessen is the director.
Delph said the dispute concerning Van Sessen has nothing to do with personality, but was instead an issue of job performance.
“The point is being missed,” he said, “it is the quality of the person we got.”
Despite Delph’s position, the commissioners on Dec. 27 encumbered $17,000 in economic development funds and other funds designated for other projects to pay Van Sessen through the end of May. That included funding that came from the city.
That action by the commissioners led to a lengthy 90-minute discussion during the Tipton County Council meeting the following day.
During the meeting, Council President Brad Nichols raised concerns about the commissioners’ actions to encumber Economic Development Income Tax funds to pay Van Sessen’s contract.
Nichols said the commissioners could encumber $17,000 budgeted for economic development, but not funds intended for other projects.
He said the Indiana State Board of Accounts would not approve the encumbering of funds designated for specific projects to pay Van Sessen’s contract.
“The encumbrance has to be relevant to a bill or contract for project the funds were appropriated for,” he said.
Council members encouraged the city and county to reach an agreement to continue the joint economic development venture.
“I have faith this county will work with the city,” Nichols said.
Zigler said three members of the Tipton City Council wanted the current agreement to remain unchanged. He also said he has received no complaints about Van Sessen’s job performance, a point that was disputed by Councilwoman Beth Roach.
Roach said she was contacted by a local business owner and knew the commissioners were contacted.
“We can’t throw out economic development just because someone didn’t like what someone did,” Zigler said.
Incoming Commissioner Phil Heron said Delph will not discuss a new agreement as long as Van Sessen remains in the position. He said conversations with the city are continuing.
“It’s performance, we would do a lot better without her,” Delph said.
Van Sessen came to Tipton County from Crown Point where she was the executive director of the Greater Crown Point Chamber of Commerce for 15 years. She made an unsuccessful run for mayor of Crown Point as a Republican in 2007. She also lost a bid for the GOP mayoral nomination in 2003.
Council members were critical of the oversight by the commissioners of the economic development department’s activities.
“Without feedback and direction from the executive branch, economic development will struggle,” Nichols said.
Roach said Van Sessen or any director needs direction from the commissioners and mayor.
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed,” she said. “You need to be more on top of things.”
Heron said the group has failed and there needs to be a direction established.
Councilman Scott Friend said talks about the agreement started in August and no agreement has been reached.
“You need to consider another option beside Van Sessen,” he told the commissioners.
Friend asked if a job evaluation had been done of Van Sessen’s performance and Commissioner Jane Harper indicated none was done.
“It’s not the end of the world if we don’t have a director for a few months, we’ve done it before,” Harper said.