Articles
Governor Daniels' Weekly Wrap-up: 10/10/07
A look at news and events in the Daniels Administration
Governor's Newsletter
October 1-7, 2007
Leading organic food company to locate its national production, distribution center in East
Oct. 3, 2007- Really Cool Foods, one of the nation's leading natural and organic prepared foods company, announced it will locate its national production and distribution center in
The New York-based company plans to invest $100 million to build and equip the complex in a number of stages, and estimates it will create more than 1,000 new jobs for the area over the course of the project.
"Really Cool Foods saw what Dot Foods, Nestle, ACS, IBM, Indalex, TS Tech, Tomasco and others have: East Central Indiana is a great place to do business," said Governor Mitch Daniels. "To describe what's going on in this part of our state, you can't do better than the company's name."
"Choosing to build the Really Cool Foods National Production and
State to move ISTEP to spring
Oct. 5, 2007- Governor Mitch Daniels was joined by Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Suellen Reed and members of the State Board of Education to announce that the ISTEP test will move back to the spring.
"Some commitments we were able to keep on the first day, dozens more in the first couple of years. Putting ISTEP back where it should be took a little longer, but this is a great result," said Daniels. "The test will be in the spring, the results will be in hand months sooner, the cost to taxpayers will go down, and school will no longer start sooner than it should."
The governor said the State Board of Education informed him it has concluded negotiations for a spring test and expects to soon enter into agreement with CTB-McGraw Hill and Questar Assessment, Inc. to provide the new assessment at a lower cost than now paid annually.
The cost of the test was $31 million annually. It will drop to $29.5 million each year for two years, then to $28.5 million in the third and fourth years.
Auto parts manufacturer to consolidate its Midwest operations in
Oct. 4, 2007- Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from automotive parts manufacturer PMG Indiana Corporation to announce the company is consolidating its
PMG Indiana Corporation, a powder metal supplier, will invest more than $11 million to relocate their Dayton, Ohio-based production and research and development operations to a new facility adjacent to their 140,000 square-foot production facility.
"We have worked hard to create a competitive business climate that encourages businesses to invest in
Company to grow its operations on Indy's Eastside
Oct. 1, 2007- Major Tool & Machine, a leading engineering, fabrication and machining services company, announced today it will expand its operations in
The family-owned company will invest $20 million to add 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space and automated production equipment to its eastside operations.
Retired teachers to help
Oct. 3, 2007- Governor Daniels joined Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard and Indiana Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) executive director Ralph Ayres to announce a new partnership between the IRTA and the Indiana Supreme Court's Guardian Ad Litem/Court Appointed Special Advocate program. For the IRTA's new volunteer project, group members will serve as advocates for children in
"Since day one, we've made protecting
Governor participates in Circle City Classic parade with Mitch's Kids
Oct. 6, 2007- Governor Daniels invited students from the Mitch's Kids program at the Anderson and Muncie Boys & Girls Clubs to have breakfast in his office and walk with him in the
Mitch's Kids, a statewide initiative introduced by the governor, is operated in conjunction with the Boys & Girls Club after-school POWER Hour program, serving 5- to 14-year-old at-risk students at more than 65 clubs.
In 2006, more than 4,500 Hoosier children received homework assistance and tutoring in reading and math through Mitch's Kids. The governor renewed the program, aimed at closing the achievement gap for low-income and minority students, for 2007.
Governor's schedule for October 10-12
Wednesday, October 10
- The governor will join executives from a publicly traded life sciences company for a major economic development announcement that will include details on the company's relocation of its national headquarters to
2 p.m.
Methodist Hospital Petticrew Auditorium (located behind the main lobby)
1701
- The governor will give the keynote address at the Delaware County Lincoln Day Dinner.
6:30 p.m.
Friday, October 12
- Governor Daniels will address attendees during the plenary session at the Governing Live! Managing Performance 2007 conference. The governor's speech is titled, "Managing Performance: The Governor's Initiative."
9 a.m.
IN THE NEWS
Local officials perform well to seal deal for 1,000 jobs
Oct. 5, 2007
It was apparent late last week that local officials involved in the negotiations to bring Really Cool Foods to the
But just how big the deal they and state economic development officials brokered wasn't clear until Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony for the company at the park.
During the event that drew more than 300 people to a vacant field near
The jobs, solid ones that will allow employees and their families to build secure futures, are welcome in an area that hasn't had a lot of economic news to cheer about in quite some time.
Luring Really Cool Foods to
The work that went into convincing Really Cool Foods to make our state and county its largest and most ambitious enterprise to date was impressive. And those who labored to bring the deal to its incredibly successful conclusion deserve our thanks.
Let's start by recognizing the work of Jim Dinkle, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of
The
Gov. Mitch Daniels, as CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, used the influence of his office and his talented IEDC team to convince Really Cool Foods that no better place was likely to be found for the firm to build its future.
All deserve our thanks for an accomplishment from which we all stand to benefit.
Students question Daniels
Gary Post Tribune
Oct. 3, 2007
By Amy Lavalley
Freshman Tyler DeMar of Chesterton came with questions about job training.
VU sophomore Adrian Gober of
And so it went Tuesday in the lobby of the
Apologizing for the 40-minute delay in his arrival because of the fog, Daniels ran through a brief list of his accomplishments since taking office, including bringing the state back into solvency without tax increases and reinvesting in the state's infrastructure.
He then turned the floor over to the students for more than an hour, taking questions on everything from what he's learned as governor to dress codes in the schools.
Daniels came to VU by way of an invitation from third-year law student Sebastian Smelko, who did an internship in the governor's office during the summer and continues to work with the governor's general counsel.
"We know that the governor takes great delight in visiting with college students and hearing what's on their minds," said Reggie Syrcle, executive director of the Office of University Relations.
Daniels bypassed the podium and microphone to address the audience.
As far as job training, Daniels told DeMar that the heart of the challenge is diversifying the state's economy.
"Our state is the most manufacturing-intensive state of all -- not
Buckley, a lifelong
Daniels said that, for one thing, tax deductions for military retiree pay had not been adjusted in 25 years, which he's since taken care of.
Other changes have been made as well, he said, offering to get Buckley a write-up of some of the accomplishments. "We're not done," Daniels said.
Daniels told Gober, who attended the
"Nobody at home is saying, 'I want to read to you.' Nobody at home is saying, 'Did you do that homework?' " Daniels said.
ISTEP+ testing returns to spring
Daniels says move will save money, provide results earlier
Oct. 6, 2007
By Niki Kelly
The debate over when to administer the annual proficiency exam has raged for years. Originally it was given in the spring but was moved to the fall in 1996. In recent legislative sessions, Republicans have favored moving the test back, while Democrats claimed it would cost too much.
In 2006, the General Assembly assigned the State Board of Education the task of developing a comprehensive assessment system and Friday's announcement is the core of that system.
"Putting ISTEP back where it should be took a little longer, but this is a great result," Daniels said. "The test will be in the spring, the results will be in hand months sooner, the cost to taxpayers will go down and school will no longer start sooner than it should."
The state board adopted a plan in November 2006 and issued a request for proposals early this year for the new assessment system.
ISTEP+ is the state's accountability test, and results are used to measure success against the federal accountability law - No Child Left Behind.
The language arts, math and writing sections of the test are given in grades 3-8 and science is given in grades 5 and 7.
Under the new plan, social studies testing will be added for grades 4, 6 and 8.
Daniels said the cost of the test was $31 million annually, but under a newly negotiated contract with CTB-McGraw Hill and Questar Assessment Inc., the cost will drop to $29.5 million for the first two years and $28.5 million in the third and fourth years.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed clashed with Daniels in 2006 over the cost of the change. She claimed it could reach $45 million over four years while Daniels characterized it as zero. A third estimate from Legislative Services Agency was $11.2 million over two years.
In the end, Daniels said the move is actually saving state taxpayer dollars.
"That apprehension was a natural one," he said about possible rising costs. "We sent the right negotiating team."
There will be some additional costs to incorporate diagnostic testing in the fall and throughout the year, but that part of the contract is still under negotiation.
"This marks the first step from a stand-alone test toward a true assessment system that measures student progress throughout the school year," Reed said. "We are hopeful that our testing vendors will deliver on the promises outlined in their proposals, and the associated cost-savings can be reinvested in on-demand classroom assessments that help guide instruction and student learning throughout the year."
Students will take the current ISTEP+ for the last time in September 2008, covering what they learned in the 2007-08 school year. They will take the new test in spring 2009 on what was learned in the current academic year.
The 2008-09 school year will be the only time students will have to take two tests.
The state's graduation qualifying exam is also getting a big makeover.
Instead of one test that 10th-graders must pass to graduate, students must pass three end-of-course exams in Algebra 1, Biology 1 and English 10. The tests will be administered at the completion of the course no matter what year the student takes the class.
One concern with a switch to a spring ISTEP+ was that educators would eliminate the writing portion of the test because of the length of time it takes to grade it. Under the plan announced Friday, the writing portion will remain but will be given earlier.
The schedule for 2009 is to give the writing test from March 2 to 11 and the rest of the ISTEP+ from April 27 to May 6.
Results will be returned to schools and families by August 2009.
Daniels said he hopes the new system will mean less prepping and review in the fall, and he encourages school districts to push back their start dates to around Labor Day.
Mike Pettibone superintendent for
"We have taken away the joy of beginning school because of these pressures," he said.
He also said that many educational experts spoke with the board before any decisions were made and he is convinced the change will mean more effective schools.
"I'm excited," Pettibone said.
WestGate @ Crane Opens First Facility, Breaks Ground For Fortune 500 Contractor
Inside
Oct. 9, 2007
The first of several buildings planned for The WestGate @ Crane Technology Park officially opened in September. EG&G, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the $4 billion URS Corp., is one of the major commercial contractors for the $2 billion Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) next to the park. Certified as the state's only three-county Certified Technology Park, WestGate is a natural marketplace for defense contractors currently providing technical support and research and development services to the base.
Jim Schonberger, business manager for EG&G, says the company has been working with
EG&G says it will initially employ 50 workers, but the number is expected to increase "significantly in the coming months as a result of transitioning efforts," according to Graham Alderson, vice president of EG&G Technical Services. Schonberger says the 25,000 square foot facility can also be expanded to 40,000 square feet. The EG&G facility will also be home to the offices of Crane Technology Inc., a non-for-profit organization supporting commercial development associated with NSWC Crane.
"When we fought to save Crane in the 2005 Base Realignment and Closing (BRAC) process we knew it had enormous potential for economic development in this region. Now that potential is becoming a reality," said Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman.
"An operational and growing WestGate tech park is expected to be a major asset in our collective efforts to support
Schonberger says the company is also anxious to be joined by others in the technology park.
Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) broke ground in July on a new $4 million facility, which expects to create up to 75 new jobs. The Fortune 500 defense company represents one of the largest civilian contractors for the nearby $2 billion Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC).
WestGate Partner Dale Ankrom says ground has also been broken on a new business incubator and accelerator building and the tech park is close to signing deals with three tenants for the building. Ankrom says the two new buildings are expected to create more than 100 new jobs.
Ankrom says the demand for the park is growing and he thinks there could be up to 30 new buildings added over the next three years. He says the park is working hard to attract new tenants.
Ankrom says a $35 million investment by WestGate will bring other development to the park, including a hotel, retail shops and walking trails. He says the park is being designed to provide a campus atmosphere.
Ankrom says the tech park is well on its way to serving surrounding businesses and communities. "Given its location next to NSWC Crane, the WestGate @ Crane Technology Park is in an ideal location to develop synergies with on-base research and development operations," said Ankrom.
