Fowler, Indiana Official Website

LOCATION

County: Benton County size: 406 sq. mi.

Distance & direction to major cities:

97 Miles, North-West to CHICAGO, IL

97 Miles, South-East to INDIANAPOLIS, IN

200 Miles, South-East to LOUISVILLE, KY

205 Miles, East to CINCINNATI, OH

POPULATION

            Census Year                          Fowler                                    Benton County

            1970                                        2,643                                       11,262

            1980                                        2,319                                       10,218

            1990                                        2,333                                         9,441

            1995                                                                                          9,703

1989 Median household income:        $25,750                                  $26,860

1989 Per Capita income:                  $11,575                                  $12,024

CLIMATE

Coldest month: January Average temperature of: 20.1 degrees F

Hottest month: July Average temperature of: 72.9 degrees F

GOVERNMENT

Form & organization: Five elected Town Council Members; (President and four Trustees,) and a Clerk-Treasurer

Incorporated or unincorporated: Incorporated Class: III

Area within city limits: 1.25 sq. mi. Annual budget & year: 1,039,525

Primary sources of revenue: State and Local Property Tax

Fire insurance rating in community: 6

Police Protection: 4 officers, 24 hour coverage

TAXES

(Applicable State Property Tax Replacement Credit will reduce the gross tax rates)

Local- 2.29& Local option Tax

Total gross rate within city per $100 valuation: 2.3850

Assessed at: 33-1/3% Year payable: 1997

County-

Total gross rate within county per $100 valuation: 7.3843

Assessed at: 33-1/3% Year payable: 1997

State-

State retail sales tax: 5%

State corporate gross income or adjusted gross income tax:

Corporate gross income or adjusted gross income tax-0.3% - 1.2% or adjusted gross-3.4%; supplemental net income tax-4.5%

Unemployment contribution rate: .2% - 5.5%; experience rating

Benefits: Maximum 26 weeks, $50-$217

Maximum benefits for new claims filed after 7/1/97 will be $225

Workmen’s compensation rate: Employers Liability

Benefits: 66 2/3% of weekly wage; $428 maximum

Corporate franchise tax: None Machinery, equipment, inventory tax: Property tax

HOUSING

Total housing units in Fowler: 1,006 Total housing units in Benton County: 3,833

Average housing cost in Fowler: $55,000 Available rental units: Varies

Median Gross Rent: $326 Total hotel/motel rooms: 4 (is a Bed & Breakfast)

HEALTHCARE

Locally; Dr. Amanda Curnock, MD & Dr. Raymond Petrie, MD. Dr. Robin Sheets, DDS 

In Lafayette - 24 miles Southeast on 4 lane U.S. Highway;

Number of Hospitals: 2 (Home Hospital & St. Elizabeth)

Total number of beds: 740

Total number of doctors: 442

EDUCATION

Number of schools: 4 Total enrollment (K-12): 2,038

1996 COMBINED AVERAGE VERBAL & MATH SAT SCORES

Average SAT score: 490 Average Indiana SAT scores: 494

Average National SAT score: 507

VOCATIONAL TRAINING FACILITIES

Indiana Vocational Technical Institute - Lafayette - 26 miles

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, Lafayette

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Purdue University - West Lafayette - 21 miles

St. Joseph College - Rensselaer - 33 miles

Indiana University - Bloomington - 140 miles

Butler University - Indianapolis - 100 miles

Indiana State University - Terre Haute - 90 miles

ORGANIZATIONS

YOUTH: Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; 4-H; Little League; Pony League; Swim Clubs;

CIVIC: Fowler Chamber of Commerce; Rotary International; American Legion Post 57 & Auxiliary; 40 & 8

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post & Auxiliary; Benton County Historic Association; Tri-Kappa; Masons; Senior Citizen Center

AGRICULTURE

Historically, Benton County has been the TOP soybean producing county in the State of Indiana.

As well, Corn production has ranked in the top 3-6 counties, again on a statewide basis.

Both of these most recent 5 year leading indicators, are due largely to the vast rural setting, with favorable terrain,

soil conditions, and modern farming practices.

RECREATION

For over 30 years, the abundance of space and rich soil has allowed Benton County to be rated number

ONE in the State for its pheasant population, according to The Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Articles have appeared in most major sportsman magazines. In addition to private property,

the DNR manages 35 “public lottery” hunt sites, covering 2,500 acres, attracting both local hunters as

well as numerous out-of-state hunters form as far away as Georgia and North Carolina.

MAIN CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS

Purdue University; Local Theater; Benton County Historical Museum

BENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Number of Volumes: 35,000 Number of Cardholders: 2,346

PARKS

City: 1 (with pool)

State: Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife, 25 miles North; Turkey Run, 40 miles South

GOLF COURSE

Public: 9 hole course, in Fowler; 18 hole course, in Oxford

WATER WAYS

Nearby Lakes: 2 - Lake Freeman & Shafer Nearby Rivers: 2 - Wabash, Iroquois

LABOR MARKET

BENTON COUNTY LABOR FORCE ESTIMATES

                                              1986                1990                1995                July ‘97

Employed:                             4,040               4,455               5,250               5,485

Labor Force:                        4,400               4,610               5,520               5,655

Unemployment rate:             8.35%               3.46%               4.97%              3.13%

1994 COUNTY EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS

Total covered employment average: 2,556 Mfg. average - goods producing: 545

Non-mfg. average - service producing: 1,472 Government average: 539

                                                                          Low                            High

ANNUAL COUNTY WAGE RANGES:                   $9,623                         $24,770

1995 AVG. COUNTY ANNUAL PAY LEVELS:

                                           Benton                       Indiana          Pct Change from 1991 

All Industries Average         $18,237                       $25,382                       6.7%

Construction                       $14,047                       $29,008                    -59.4%

Manufacturing                     $20,081                       $34,885                      8.5%

Trans, Comm, Utility           $24,770                       $30,648                     22.5%

Wholesale Trade                  $23,076                       $31,870                       9.5%

Retail Trade                         $9,623                        $12,914                     13.4%

Finance                                $18,727                       $28,691                      7.3%

Ag & Related Services          $16,427                       $21,552                    15.8%

Government                         $19,766                       $24,991                      3.7%

GENERAL LABOR INFO:

% Manufacturing companies unionized: 0.0% State right to work law: No

MAJOR INDUSTRIES

Name: ALTIVITY PACKAGING Product-Container Packages              No. of employees-150

Name: HOLSCHER PRODUCTS Product-Steel yard ornaments            No. of employees-35

Name: POWELL SYSTEMS Product-Steel containers                           No. of employees-30

Name: SLON, INC. Product-Concrete yard ornaments                      No. of employees-10

ELECTRIC

Service by: NIPSCO Electric rate increase pending: NONE

NATURAL GAS

Service by: NIPSCO Gas rate increase pending: NONE

WATER

Service by: FOWLER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES

Source: Two (2) Underground Wells Pumping capacity: 1,200,000 gallons per day

Peak demand: 300 gallons per day Treatment capacity: 1,200,000 gallons per day

SANITATION

Waste Water Treatment Plant: FOWLER MUNICIPAL UTILITIES

Capacity: 7500,000 gpd

Dry weather flow: 200,000 gpd avg. Wet weather flow: 450,000 gpd avg.

Peak demand: 400,000 gpd Area covered by plant: Entire corporate limits

Percent of Capacity currently utilized: 30

WASTE REMOVAL

Service by: ALLIED WASTE - BID CONTRACTOR, for “weekly” home pick up

TELEPHONE                      

AT & T

CABLE TELEVISION

Insight

 
TRANSPORTATION

HIGHWAY: Interstate: I-65, 15 miles East

U.S.: 52, (4 lane) Through Town; U.S.: 41 (4 lane) 3 miles West

Indiana State: 18 & 55, Through Town State highway load limits: 80,000 pounds

RAIL: Short line: KBSR (Kankakee, Beaverville, & Southern Railroad)

With Major Access: Connections on: ICG, TPW, UP, CSXT, N&S, N&W, CONRAIL

Passenger: Amtrak; in Lafayette, 24 miles SE on 4-lane highway

TRUCK LINES: Local lines: Budreau Trucking; Williams Transport

Overnight delivery within 500 miles: UPS, FED-EX pick up points

AIR:Local airport: Kentland (12 miles North)

     Runways: 1 @ 3,600 feet

     Flights per day: 5

     Charter services available: YES

Local airport: Purdue University (22 miles South-East)

      Runways: 4 @ 600 and 4,600 feet

      Flights per day: 44

      Charter services available: YES

Nearest major airport: Indianapolis International, 100 miles SE

   O’hare International, 100 miles NW; Midway, 85 miles NW

PORT FACILITIES

Nearest: Burns International Harbor, Portage, Indiana.... 85 mi. North