Board member Ryan Rhoten stated, “The chance to revise the petition provides us a great opportunity to clarify a very complex document. We have not yet received a detailed list of issues from the County concerning the first petition. We look forward to reviewing the issues with the County and adjusting the petition to fulfill the multiple requirements of the state law.” Rhoten also commented on waiting until the first of year. “We believe the residents of Center Grove are best served if the Commissioners’ work on the petition to incorporate is not split over different groups of Commissioners.”

For an in-depth look at the plan for the town of Center Grove visit TownOfCenterGrove.com. The site, set up like a typical town’s website, makes it easy for residents to find information about services the town will provide, the operation of the town’s government, the proposed budget, tax rate and information on how homeowners can calculate the effect on their property taxes.

You can find information on the first version of the petition to incorporate here.

What law governs creating a town?

You can find the Indiana State Code governing incorporation here.

Does Center Grove Have Enough Businesses Property to Support a Town?

  Since businesses pay a higher property tax rate towns and cities like to have a lot of business property. Business property can help keep property tax rates lower.  But a low level of business property in not required to keep a property tax rate reasonable. There are cities and towns with a high concentration of business property and a high property tax rate.

The second way to keep property taxes reasonable is to run an efficient and effective town. The plan for Center Grove calls for the town to provide the services effectively and efficiently. Center Grove would start with a small percentage of its assessed value coming  from business property. Yet the proposed tax rate is lower than any town in Johnson County. Having a large business base is desirable but it is not a requirement to have a reasonable property tax rate.

Two more things to consider, a lower tax rate attracts businesses. The primary area for business expansion is allow the State Road 37/I-69 corridor. That is the largest remaining commercial area, not annexed by our neighbors. Growth in the area must be controlled locally so it benefits the Center Grove tax base, but does not harm Center Grove residents  with the wrong mix of businesses the result of poorly planned development.

When do we get to vote?

Starting a town in Indiana is control by state law (read it here). The law states that to create a town, residents must petition their County Commissioners requesting that an area becomes a town. The Commissioners then review the submitted petition, hold a public meeting to hear input from those on both sides of the issue, and make the final decision as to if the area should be incorporated. The law does not call for, or permit, a public vote on the issue. Residents do have the right to ”remonstrate against” the new town. The details on that process are also located in the state law noted above.

 What is going to happen to my property tax?

Every resident of a town or city pays a property tax to their town or city. Residents of the proposed town currently don’t pay a town tax. Your taxes will increase if the town is incorporated. However the impact on Center Grove residents is far less than if we are annexed in to Bargersville or Greenwood.

The tax rate submitted in the Petition to create the town is about 25 cents per $100 of net assessed value. A simple way to look at that is if your property tax statement says your home is valued at $100,000 your taxes will increase about $82 a year. If Bargersville annexes you, your taxes will go up. Greenwood’s rate is about 38 cents while Bargersville’s is about 76 cents.  If you remain in the unincorporated area, the increased cost of providing services will likely drive County taxes up.

The Center Grove property tax rate can be lower than our neighbors because of the limited government model that is being used to create the town. The proposed budget for the town keeps cost low. By entering into contracts with the county or businesses to provide services instead of buying cars and trucks and hiring a bunch of employees expenses are dramatically reduced. The town will also receive about $2.8 million in revenue from taxes you already pay but don’t come to our community because we are not a city or town. About half of the towns total budget needs will be covered by taxes we already pay.

We also want to remind you that “doing nothing” is unlikely to prevent a property tax increase. If Greenwood annexes you, your taxes will go up. 

Why didn’t we do this years ago? Isn’t it too late?

We cannot speak to why this did not happen earlier. It is not too late. With a limited government approach we have shown a viable town can exist within the unincorporated area. There is enough remaining property available for homes and other development. A Chinese proverb says “The best to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now.”

I moved to here to get away from the city. Why should I want Center Grove to become a town?

We certainly understand how you feel. Many people who now support the creation of the town of Center Grove have felt the same way. However, when they looked at what is happening around us they noticed a problem that needed to be addressed. Some of those issues include annexation of prime commercial areas, declining tax revenues, and a strain on the county budget making it difficult to repair neighborhood streets.

They asked themselves how we protect what we have. They concluded that if we are to protect our community our only option is to create a town with limited government, and a low tax rate. The Citizens for Center Grove plan does not take control of your future but is designed to protect it. For example if you have a clothesline today, you will be able to keep it under the town rules. Town government is not a home owners association. An elected town council will busy looking to the future, not trying to change what residents have already built. No one can stop things from changing but local government can control how things change.

Is there a difference between a city and a town?

Yes. Both are defined by state law. A town is required to have an elected clerk-treasurer and a part-time town council. A city also needs a mayor. There are also several levels of cities. Larger towns generally hire a town manager to handle the day-to-day operation of the town.

What actions are required for Center Grove to become a town?

All of the detailed requirements can be found in Indiana Code 36-5-1. Here’s the short version:

A petition signed by at least fifty (50) owners of land in the area to be incorporated.

The petition for incorporation must be accompanied by the following items, to be supplied at the expense of the petitioners:

A survey, certified by a surveyor registered under IC 25-21.5, showing the boundaries of and quantity of land contained in the territory sought to be incorporated.

An enumeration of the territory’s residents and landowners and their mailing addresses, completed not more than 30 days before the time of filing of the petition and verified by the persons supplying it.

A statement of the assessed valuation of all real property within the territory, certified by the township assessor of the township in which the territory is located, or the county assessor if there is no township assessor for the township.

A statement of the services to be provided to the residents of the proposed town and the approximate times at which they are to be established.

A statement of the estimated cost of the services to be provided and the proposed tax rate for the town.

The name to be given to the proposed town.

What area will be incorporated?

Any area within White River Township that is not currently part of a town or city. View a map of the proposed area here.

What’s the problem with doing nothing? Does it really matter if we are a group of homes surrounded by other towns and the county takes care of us?

It does matter. C4CG has studied unincorporated areas across the USA and found that virtually all of them face difficult choices. Decreased services, increased taxes and declining home values. These “unincorporated island” are a problem. Many states are taking action to prevent them from developing or requiring neighboring communities to annex these areas. We have tried to become part of Greenwood, but the reorganization effort failed. Bargersville has annexed large portions of the south part of the township but doesn’t appear interested in resdiental areas such as Center Grove. Learn more about the problems of Unincorporated Island’s here.

The Township has over $600,000 in the bank. What happens to this money if we form a town?

Incorporation will not change White River Township government. That money will remain with the township.

What is the likelihood that Greenwood and/or Bargersville will annex prime commercial areas during the process? Is there a way to stop further annexations during the incorporation process?

The petition to incorporate was submitted to the County Commissioners on August 7, 2012. That means that proposal to create the town of Center Grove is “first in time”. From that date on no annexations can take place unless the incorporation effort fails. If it passes, annexations of Center Grove will never occur; if it fails they can begin again with residents being unable to stop selective annexation.

Do Greenwood and Bargersville have to approve of incorporation?

Greenwood (and Indianapolis – we don’t expect them to have any objection) would have to permit the town to be formed within their “buffer zones.” Since Bargersville is a town, not a city, they don’t have buffer zone and therefore their permission is not required.

 Will Greenwood allow the town to be incorporated within their three mile buffer zone, up to their current city limits?

The County Commissioners will have to ask the City of Greenwood to see if Greenwood will allow the town of Center Grove to be incorporated within their buffer zone. Before the November 2011 elections the Daily Journal contacted members and candidates for the Greenwood Common Council and their response indicated that the Council would be willing to waive the three mile limit and allow us to incorporate. Recent comments from some Greenwood Common Council members are bothersome.

Is there a difference between a city and a town?

Yes. Both are defined by state law. A town is required to have an elected clerk-treasurer and a part-time town council. A city also needs a mayor, and a number of departments and department heads. It costs more to operate a city than a town.  Fishers, which is much larger than Greenwood, is a town, while Greenwood recently became a second class city. There are three levels of cities in Indiana. Larger towns generally hire a town manager to handle the day-to-day operation of the town, under the direction of the elected town council.

Find more answers to questions about the town in the “Advantages” section.

Send Us Your Question:

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After More Than Two Years of Work Residents File State Required Research, Information and Proposal to Create New Town

CENTER GROVE, JOHNSON COUNTY INDIANA (August 7, 2012) – The petition requesting the Johnson County Commissioners to incorporate the remaining unincorporated area in White River Township was delivered to the Commissioner’s office today. Residents of the Center Grove area have been discussing the idea of creating a town since the 1970’s. This is the first ever incorporation attempt to actually file the required information requesting the area become incorporated.

There have been several attempts to incorporate the community, including an attempt in 2009 to utilize Indiana’s “reorganization” statute that would have merged the area into Greenwood. That effort never made it on the ballot.  This citizen led effort, coordinated by the not for profit community organization, Citizens for Center Grove, is the first effort to ever complete a plan and move it forward to the point where a decision will have to made on what to do about the state’s most populous unincorporated area.

The effort still has several hurdles to clear before the area becomes a town. Indiana state law (IC-36-5-1) says that if a town is going to be incorporated within three miles of a city it needs the neighboring city’s approval. In the case of Center Grove that means that both Indianapolis City Council and the Greenwood Common Council must grant permission for the area to become a town.  The other challenge is raising the funds to send a certified letter to each resident of the proposed town notifying them of a public meeting that will be called by the Johnson County Commissioners.

Although state law has been modified in a number of cases to allow the use of less expensive methods to send notices via the United States Postal Service the incorporation law still requires certified mail. That is expected to cost supporters $50,000. C4CG board member Ryan Rhoten stated “The law clearly never expected an area this populated to have to be incorporated. Most towns are created when there are 1,000 to 1,500 residents. Avon waited until they had 4,000 residents and it is the largest town incorporated in recent Indiana history.”

Center Grove resident Cassie Burnett is working on the fund raising effort along with other supporters. “Asking residents to pay for a letter to themselves for $5 is not an easy idea to sell. However it is something we have to do if we want to protect the future of our community.” The organization continues to take donations to support the effort and is also accepting pledges towards the cost of the mailing. They also continue to look for a way to reduce the cost of the mailing. A mailing service provider contacted said they have never heard of a government agency, or municipality being required to send a certified letter to more than 10,000 addresses.

The next step in the process is for the Commissioners to verify the petition meets the state requirements and adopt a resolution recognizing the filing of the petition.

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This petition, and the plan for the Town of Center Grove, is the work of many people. The organization, Citizens for Center Grove has served to coordinate the effort and a large number of residents volunteered to serve in various capacities to help create the petition. Over the past two years the organization has met with hundreds of residents in two public meetings, held additional meetings in homes, at home owner associations, one-on-one, and read feedback from residents from a variety of sources. Input has come from those against any kind of town, those who thought the town plan was too limited, and those who see the town of Center Grove as the only hope for the continued prosperity of our community.

C4CG, as it is commonly called, has met with government leaders in the county and Indiana. They have met and talked with town managers from around Indiana and reviewed budgets from towns, cities and counties across our state and nation. Their research has allowed them to learn from cities that are just being created and the people who helped create them, cities facing financial challenges, towns facing bankruptcy and those emerging from bankruptcy. The plan has benefited greatly from hundreds of hours of research conducted by a graduate class of seven students from the IU School of Public and Environmental affairs. The residents of Center Grove owe them a deep gratitude for their effort to help our community.

The petition, with all supporting documentation. Anyone wishing to review the petition may do so at the Commissioner’s office in Franklin. C4CG noted that if Center Grove where a town, virtually any document affecting residents would be available locally, or most likely available online at the town’s website.

Here is a summary of the key points of the petition:

Proposed Budget

The proposed town budget was developed with considerable effort and attention to detail. It is important that the budget provides the flexibility to allow the council to address issues, or requests from residents, as the new town comes into existence.  During and after the June 12^th meeting we heard three important things from residents;

• The amount of the reserve should be doubled to 20%. That increased the overall proposed budget by $465,210.
• Many residents wanted to know what amenities the town would provide, such as trails, sidewalks and parks. The revised budget has an additional $231,000 added for amenities.
• There was a very strong feeling that the town begins to address planning and development issues as soon as possible. An additional $50,000 was added planning and zoning.

In response to those comments the budget submitted with the petition has been revised as follows:

• Proposed Budget Without Cash Reserve:        $5,389,082
• Cash Reserve Amount: $930,420
• Proposed Budget With 20% Cash Reserve:      $6,319.502
• Tax Rate with 20% Reserve: $ 0.2590

   View the Proposed 2014 Budget by Fund.

   View the Proposed Tax Levy & Rate.

Services Provided

• Police Protection
• Street Construction, maintenance, and lighting
• Sanitary Sewers – as may be needed
• Storm Sewers (MS4)
• Parks & Recreation
• Planning & Zoning

Other Services Available

• Fire Protection
• Schools & Education
• Electricity
• Water

Other Information included in the petition

• Area of the town: 22.57 square miles
• Population Enumeration: 27,149
• Assessed Valuation: $2.4 billion Source: County Assessor’s office – Tax District 37 & 38
• Assessor’s certification of assessed value

Executive Summary from the Petition

This petition to incorporate the town of Center Grove meets or exceeds the standards set forth in the Indiana incorporation code. The code calls for the petition to include:

• 50 Signatures from Landowners in the Territory
• Certified Land Survey
• Enumeration of the Proposed Territory’s Residents
• The Certified Assessed Valuation of the real property with the Territory
• Statement of the Services to be provided and the approximate times at which they will be established
• Estimated cost of the Proposed Services and Proposed Tax Rate
• Name of Proposed Town

It is important to point out that this petition is not for the approval of a traditional town. The town will not create duplicate services. The plan explicitly seeks out partnerships with area governments, communities and private businesses to create a town with a reasonable tax rate, limited government and local control. The town does not seek to control its residents but rather empower them to control the future of their community. The Town of Center Grove will operate based on the key characteristics of effective and efficient public organizations:

• Know the cost of government
• Focus on the core functions
• Seek out partnerships with area governments & agencies
• Budget for performance and measure it
• Embrace competition
• Measure customer satisfaction

Details on the operation of the town are outside the scope of this petition, but are being finalized. These details and the strategic operation plan for the town will be provided to the County Commissioners and the public as this process moves forward.

The idea of incorporating Center Grove has been discussed since the late 70’s. At that time the area’s population was about 10,000 residents. The idea has been considered every decade since. Each study leads to the same conclusion; the area needs to be incorporated before significant problems arise. However no community leadership, organization, or group of residents ever stepped forward with a detailed proposal which meets the state requirements that can be enacted by your vote, until now.

In 2009 an effort to use the state “Reorganization” statute to create a “new Greenwood” that included all of the Center Grove area was attempted. Although thousands of hours of work went into the development of a plan of reorganization, it too failed to fulfill the requirements of state law that would have allowed it to be voted upon. The merits of that effort are not something to consider here.

Our past failure to act has not prevented change; it has only added to the problems facing our community. In the past 30+ years the area has seen its commercial assets nibbled away by neighboring incorporated communities while the unincorporated area population has grown to more than 27,000. Growth will continue, area communities will continue to act in their best interest, as expected, and continue to selectively annex choice areas, while leaving residential areas unincorporated. History cannot be changed. However, our future can be managed.

Our community’s location is highly attractive, with its suburban location, great public and private schools, easy access to an international airport, and the coming of I-69, the only guarantee is that growth and development will continue. The challenge is how will that growth be managed?

Failing to act now will most certainly lead to the community becoming an unincorporated island. Unincorporated islands become increasingly costly for counties to support. Based on case studies from around the country they frequently result in tax increases for residents with no additional local control. They are a burden on county government, a system that is not designed to serve the needs of a highly populated community.

For the first time residents have put forward a workable plan, followed state law, and are presenting it to the County Commissioners asking them to allow community residents to have what larger and smaller towns and cities, in our county, state and nation already have; local control of their community. For the first time in the history of Center Grove a plan has made it to final step. Will the residents and government of this area have the courage to finally take action?

Of the 202 subdivisions in Johnson County, County government has allowed 105 of them to be developed in White River Township. There comes a time with a neighborhood when those who developed it, turn it over to the residents to control. It is time for the County to turn over the control of the community of Center Grove to its residents. Why should the residents of this area be denied the local control that all other communities in our county have? Incorporation is our last best hope to resolve the issue of what to do with the unincorporated community of Center Grove.

Therefore, by submitting this petition the residents ask the Commissioners review this petition, which meets all the requirements of the state statute, to make the findings called for by the state statute, and allow the residents of Center Grove to take responsibility for their future and to take “ownership” of the town in which they reside.

This petition, and the plan for the Town of Center Grove, is the work of many people. The organization, Citizens for Center Grove, a not for profit community organization registered with the State of Indiana and the Federal Government, has served to coordinate the effort. Over the past two years the organization has met with hundreds of residents in two public meetings, with additional meetings in homes, at home owner associations, one on one, and read feedback from residents from a variety of sources. Input has come from those against any kind of town, those who thought the initial town plan was too limited, and those who see the town of Center Grove as the only hope for the continued prosperity of our community.

C4CG, as it is commonly called, has met with government leaders in the county and Indiana. We have met and talked with town managers from around Indiana and reviewed budgets from towns, cities and counties across our state and nation. We have learned from cities that are just being created and the people who helped create them, cities facing financial challenges, and those emerging from bankruptcy. This plan has benefited greatly from hundreds of hours of research conducted by a graduate class of seven students from the IU School of Public and Environmental affairs. The residents of Center Grove owe them a deep gratitude for their effort to help our community.

We realize that NoTown.fourcg residents and the resident with the NoTownCG.com are entitled to disagree with those who want to create the town, we hope we can disagree without being disagreeable.

Contact the County Commissioners: They need to know there is widespread support for the idea of the town. We have made it easy to send an email to each commissioner. Click here to fill out one form and each Commissioner will receive a copy of your message. It takes less than three minutes. Please do it now.

Make a Donation: You can make a donation online here. We use PayPal but you don’t have to have a PayPal account to make a donation. If you wish to talk with a member of Citizens for Center Grove before you donate, or don’t want to donate online, you can find our contact information here.

Pledge to Cover Certified Mailing: State law requires that the residents seeking to incorporate a town mail a certified letter to every resident and landowner of  the proposed town. That is a very expensive requirement, about $5.25 per letter to 10,000+ homes. You can pledge to cover help cover those expenses. You will only donate if the effort gets to the point that the letters need to be sent. Make your pledge here.

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Want to learn more? Contact any board member or fill out the form and a representative of Citizens for Center Grove will contact you.

Ryan Rhoten: 317.372.6626
Dann Veldkamp: 317.345.9510
Cassie Burnett: 317.538.2219
Jody Veldkamp: 317.507.4334

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1998 – Smith Valley & SR 37

Look at the minimal amount of development that has taken place during that time.

There are reasons this area is not already developed. You could blame the recession. But the area didn’t develop before the recession either. Why, because the businesses that would like to be there but can’t get the deal done because there is no local government to work with. Target wouldn’t build on SR 135 until Greenwood agreed to annex the area. St. Francis has been trying for years to get a medical center built at Fairview and SR 37, but dealing with the county for part of it and Greenwood on utilities made it difficult. How long after Bargersville annexed the area along SR 135 at Stones Crossing did Community and Johnson Memorial Hospitals agree to build a medical center in that area? Local government provides the framework

2010 – Smith Valley Road & SR 37

for development, and to control development.

Only towns can effectively and efficiently manage to develop the economic potential of that area and all of Center Grove. Why not the

county? County government is already stretched too thin and does not have the responsibility, or the resources to develop the economic potential of our community.Even if the county did target development along that corridor would they chose the types of businesses that the residents in that area want, or would they take whomever showed up because they need the property tax revenue? And where is that additional property tax revenue invested? Anywhere the county needs it. Once the area is developed what stops neighboring communities from annexing and capturing the tax revenue? Nothing, only local government can protect our economic future.

Would area residents have more say if the town of Center Grove’s planning and zoning board was in charge of making decisions or the county’s planning and zoning board? Finally what if Bargersville decides to annex that area, they would only take the commercial areas, not the homes. The residents would have zero input into the development next door to them.

We can hope the county does the right thing, we can hope Greenwood or Bargersville doesn’t annex any more prime commercial areas, but hope doesn’t prevent or control change. Only action on our part can do that. The town of Center Grove, with a comprehensive plan, along with a volunteer planning and zoning board is the best way for our community to control its future.

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Forming a town will “protect us” as some have said, against having portions of us annexed into neighboring towns and cities. We need local government to protect us against annexation, as there is no other way to get this protection. While no one can predict what kind of council members the citizens of the town will elect, you get to vote for the person you believe will operate the town in best interests of the residents. They will be more responsive than the County, or any municipality of which we are not residents. Governments only do the right things when interested, informed, and engaged citizens insist they do the right thing.

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* The average pay of a Town Manager
* The average pay of a Clerk/Treasurer
* The cost per mile to maintain roads, including six different levels of repair
* The cost to establish and maintain a police department
* The availability and cost of office space for the town government
* The cost of supplies to operate a town government
* The Assessed Value of all properties within the proposed town
* The anticipated capital cost of the town
* The cost to comply with various Federal regulations
* The cost of benefits for the town employees

The budget will be set, and approved by the Department of Local Government Finance before we have a town council in place, in order to ensure the town has tax revenue as soon as it begins to provide services to area residents. [The details of this process will be decided when we become a town.) When the town council does create its first budget, in the first months of 2014, they will have to deal with essentially the same level of uncertainty that Citizens for Center Grove faced. This is simply the nature of making a budget and while it does have to deal with unknown factors, it is far from being just a guess.

View the Tax & Budget Analysis from Umbaugh and Associates here

View a breakout of what expenses are in what category of the proposed town budget here

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