News of Honda’s official announcement Wednesday that its newest plant will be located in Decatur County met with favorable reaction among Rush County civic leaders.

Company officials as well as Decatur County and state officials announced Wednesday that Decatur County will soon be home to the more than $550 million plant, which will be located west of downtown Greensburg. The vehicle assembly plant is expected to employ about 2,000 and to begin production in 2008.

“It will have an economic impact on Decatur and Rush counties as well as surrounding counties. It’s going to be a tremendous boost,” Tom Barnes, Rush County commissioner, said. “It will definitely effect Rush County.”

The benefits of the new industry won’t stop at the county line, according to Barnes. “This is not limited by county lines,” he said. “The greatest potential is spin off jobs. I truly believe it will effect quite a few people.” He also noted the potential for growth in real estate values and retail sales and also foresaw an impact on the school corporations and hospitals.

Greg Griffin, executive director of the Rush County Economic & Community Development Corporation, also forecast benefits for the area. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for Decatur County, but also for the whole southeastern Indiana region,” he said. “Rush County, being so close to this facility, we have an opportunity here to attract additional suppliers and vendors that will be supplying Honda motor company. We need to position ourselves to take advantage of the significant potential investment in this area.”

Paul Barada, president and founder of Barada Associates and nationally-recognized authority on pre-employment screening, predicted a favorable effect for Rush County.

“From the standpoint of the economic impact on Rush County this is a once-in-a-century opportunity we can’t allow to pass us by,” he said. He gave as an example the area of housing. “We should be talking to home builders now about housing developments south of Rushville. Also, we need to position ourselves to attract companies that will provide goods and services to Honda.”

“If they are going to hire more than 1,500 people, they can’t all come from Decatur County,” he continued, explaining that county has a low unemployment rate. “Some employed people will apply and that will open up their jobs.”

Mary Ann Bridges, as Heart of Rushville executive director and mother of Greensburg police officer Brendan Bridges, had a double interest in the announcement. “I’m thrilled for Decatur County,” she elated. “I’m hoping there will be benefits to Rushville and that Rush County will get some of the spin off. Any time this happens it’s a benefit. We’re always happy for the ones that get that kind of development and we hope we can share in their good news.”

Pam Leisure, Rush County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, was optimistic. “The addition of the Honda plant to Greensburg and Decatur County is a huge boost to the Southeastern Indiana region,” she said. “The Rush County Chamber of Commerce is excited about the potential secondary development, which will undoubtedly affect the entire region due to the location of the Honda motor company!”

“A plant such as this will help strengthen the region’s workforce by providing good-paying jobs, more housing by attracting people to live in the area and help create economic prosperity and stability to the area,” she said. “We would like to congratulate Decatur County and welcome Honda to Southeastern Indiana!”

Rushville Mayor Bob Bridges sees the development as the fruition of a vision. “The mayor’s office and the City of Rushville are pleased to welcome Honda to Greensburg and Southeastern Indiana,” he said. “With the location of this industry to the southeast region of Indiana we are making a commitment and a statement. That statement is that we are now being recognized in the economic development arena.

“When we started the I-74 corridor group a few years ago, this was our goal, to bring economic prosperity and growth to this region of Indiana, which has been overshadowed by the major metropolitan areas in the past. This vision is now coming to fruition. Rush County is in full support of economic growth because we fully understand what is good for a neighboring community is also good for Rushville and Rush County.”



Rushville Republican Staff Writer Jan Voiles can be contacted at (765) 932-2222; at P.O. Box 189, Rushville, IN 46173; or at jan.voiles@cnhimedia.com. To add a comment to this story visit our Website at www.rushvillerepublican.com.