HUD: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)  Low-and Moderate-Income (LMI) Data

• • Demonstrating Area Benefit to Low and Moderate Income Persons
  • Estimates are provided at three income levels: Low Income (up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI)); Moderate Income (greater than 50 percent AMI and up to 80 percent AMI), and Medium Income (greater than 80 percent AMI and up to 120 AMI). HUD publishes the margin of error (MOE) data for all block groups.

 This information is referenced at Brown County Matters  

To qualify for OCRA planning grants, the Low to Moderate Income level (LMI) has to be at 51% or higher.  An OCRA validated county income survey in 2017 identified a LMI level of 53.1% that qualified us for a 40K Economic Development Strategic Planning grant. The survey cost around $4.500 and was conducted by an OCRA-approved grant administrator and validated by an approved economist.

When we inquired this year about conducting another income survey, OCRA reviewed the Census Track Data and said we would not be eligible, given the “actual” LMI level of 40.4%.

GDP – County Economic and Income Base

2025 Economic Strategy – Best Bets :

• • • Housing
    •  Recreation
    •  Wholesale
    • Production
    • Retail

LMI Drop from 53.1% to 40.4 %

Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) – Facebook Page   Exciting News from Brown County! 

This post at Brown County Matters

• • Dave Stafford: For public servants, intent matters, By  Staff Reports , March 4, 2025 

Agenda

Audio of the meeting

‘Transparency and Accountability’   Brown County Council – Posting of Agendas, Minutes, Audio

• • Brown County Council – Agenda, Minutes, Audio – As of May 2, 2025

My Local Government Is Four Guys in Canvas Work Pants

Here, in the reddest part of a traditionally red state, anti-government posturing is unwelcome. There’s no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ There’s just us, governing and governed alike.

APC Agenda April 22 2025

Post at Brown County Matters.

Audio of the meeting.  The APC declined to stream the meeting on the County’s YouTube channel.

History. Last November, the APC voted 4 to 3 not to recommend the zoning change. Those not recommending the change included Kara Hammes, Jane Gore, Randy Jones, and Dave Hardin (Surveyor).  Those recommending the change included Andy Voils, Carol Bowden, Kyle Deckard. 

At their Apr 22, 2025 meeting, the APC voted 3 to 3 on the petition from Commissioners Clark and Sander to re-zone the property back to its original status.  Kara Hammes was absent.  The APC then unanimously voted not to provide a recommendation to the commissioners.  

The 3 votes supporting the petition to reverse the zoning were from Jane Gore, Randy Jones, and Carol Bowden. Bowden previously voted for the change.   Those supporting the current zoning included: Andy Voils, Kyle Deckard, and the new surveyor, Tim Allen.

In addition to the original vote by the APC not to recommend the zoning change, the Board of Zoning Appeals also did not approve either of the proposed projects that were the basis for the zoning change.  The BZA determined that the proposal for the Private Recreational Development (PRD) was too vague. They also identified that a Travel Trailer Park is not allowed in a Flood Plain District.  Jimmie Tilton then withdrew the project before the BZA voted on the issue.

The commissioner’s petition to reverse the zoning change supports the original recommendation from the APC and the vote by the BZA. 

• • Clark’s Presentation:
    • PowerPoint Slides: APC April 22 2025 IC-36-7-4-603 250420
    • APC 2025_04_22 Presentation (Slides) and Enclosures

Brown County Comprehensive Plan

• • Mar 27, 2025 Revision – Brown County Comprehensive Plan 3.27.2025
    • Context – “Steering Committee” – Comparison to Nashville Process
  • Current Plan – 2011 – Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)

Post at LinkedIn. 

America and the Exodus., The Free Press.  The story of Passover is not just a Jewish one. Our founding fathers were profoundly inspired by it. So was Cecil B. DeMille.

Why, asks Sacks, did Britain and The story of Passover is not just a Jewish one. Our founding fathers were profoundly inspired by it. where France and Russia failed?

• • The explanation is surely complex but much—perhaps all—turns on how a society answers the question: who is the ultimate sovereign, God or man?. . . . For the British and American architects of liberty, God was the supreme power. . . . For the French and Russian ideologists, ultimate value lay in the state. . . when human beings arrogate supreme power to themselves, politics loses its sole secure defense of freedom. . . . Societies that exile God lead to the eclipse of man.
  • The Renaissance, Nelson notes, reflected the pagan inheritance of antiquity and generated an approach to politics that was secular in character, whereas following the Reformation, “Christians began to regard the Hebrew Bible as a political constitution, designed by God himself for the children of Israel.” Liberty, Nelson argues, took root in the political Hebraism of the English-speaking world.

APC AGENDA Mar 25, 2025

Background: Voiding Tilton rezoning advances, March 11, 2025, Brown County Democrat

This post at Brown County Matters

• •  Audio of the Meeting – Begins around the 1:00 minute mark

APC Members were unaware that a citizen, including commissioners, could petition the APC to reverse a zoning decision.  

Summary.  In Nov 2024, the APC voted not to recommend approval by a vote of 4 to 3. The previous commissioners voted to approve 2 to 1. The Board of Zoning Appeals did not approve either of the projects proposed.  Residents sued the county to reverse the zoning decision. Two of the new commissioners submitted a petition to reverse the zoning decision in Jan 2025. The lawsuit was extended pending the final decision by the APC and Commissioners. 

The vote was tabled (delayed) until the April 22, 2024 meeting. APC members asked the commissioners for additional comments related to the guidance provided in IC 36-7-4-603.

This section is referenced by the Planning Director when introducing the proposed change to APC members.  Note that the “legislative body” consisting of elected officials (commissioners) are responsible for listening to all the citizens and making the best decision for the county. 

Other – IC 36-7-4-603, Reasonable regard for the following by the Plan Commission and legislative body

(1) the comprehensive plan;  Brown County Comprehensive Plan (PDF)
(2) current conditions and the character of current structures and uses in each district;
(3) the most desirable use for which the land in each district is adapted;
(4) the conservation of property values throughout the jurisdiction; and
(5) responsible development and growth.

Agency is the new superpower. With AI, intelligence is no longer scarce — but agency is. This has implications. Jeff Giesea, Mar 14, 2025.  PDF 

• • I’ve come to believe that agency — the ability to start, decide, act, adapt, and follow through — is rising in importance as AI continues to spread. We’re used to seeing raw intelligence as the ultimate advantage, but something is shifting. Intelligence is now everywhere. It’s on tap. It’s no longer scarce. The rare thing now is the ability and will to use it effectively.
  • Today, when I see the “You can just do stuff” meme, I think: Yeah, that’s it. That’s the vibe of this new era. A high IQ and elite credentials are wonderful attributes, but who cares? In a world where intelligence is everywhere, anyone can put points on the board and add to the march of human progress.

“Without me, you can do nothing” – Jesus, John 15:5

Evangelism from a Catholic Perspective – Evangelism (good-news_ization) is defined as:  Evangel – Good news; ization – process of doing or making

Evangelism from a Protestant Perspective “Share the good news with 120 Million Homes in the U.S. BY 2027“

• • Colorado Christian University –  Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics.   The 100% online, self-guided, and low-cost continuing education courses were designed by Lee Strobel, Mark Mittelberg, and other leading experts. The non-credit-courses are designed to equip students to evangelize and spread the gospel message of Christ’s love for the world. For students who want to further develop their evangelistic skills, CCU offers six-course certificates in the areas of cultural engagement, global apologetics, innovative evangelism, and practical apologetics.

Matthew 28:16-20. NIV  The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Here are some links to samples of Training Group material:

Facilitator Guide Sample – Introduction and Session 1: A Light to the Nations

1. Sample Video 01B – A Light Shines in the Darkness
2. Sample Video 01C – The Evangelization Pyramid

Facilitator Guide Sample – Session 11: Small Group Training, Part 2

1. Sample Video 11B – Discussing Scripture and Asking Good Questions
2. Sample Video 11C – Small Group Prep Method 

Supporting Informtion

Heroic Men  is a free platform with the best Catholic media for men. We are a brotherhood-building platform, so that men can use media to inspire conversations and host dynamic small groups in their parish. Strengthen the man, strengthen the family. strengthen the family, strengthen the Church.

• • Dr. Francic Beckwith – shares his personal faith journey away from the Catholic church and back.

Agenda Commissioners Meeting MAR 19 2025

Agenda County Council February 18 2025

Brown County Indiana Government Meetings – Starts at the 9:00 munite mark.

Vote Centers – Council agreed to the Resolution

• • NEW – BCEB v2 Vote Center Resolution
• Salary Ordinace – Tabled