Common Council presented marketing proposal to attract out-of-state remote workers to Shelbyville

Internet-based company MakeMyMove wants to help the City of Shelbyville recruit.

Ben Ledo of MakeMyMove appeared before the Shelbyville Common Council Monday at City Hall to present a proposal to assist the city with marketing itself to out-of-state employees.

“Think of us as economic development through talent,” said Ledo (photo), a vice president with MakeMyMove. “What our site is, essentially, is a marketplace that enables communities to attract talent primarily outside of Indiana.”

MakeMyMove would target individuals working remotely and market them to Shelbyville for potential relocation. A total of 23 Indiana communities have enrolled with the Central Indiana based company.

Noblesville is the closest location to Shelbyville. The company has assisted bringing 31 households and 81 people to Noblesville.

“Across Indiana, the average household salary we are moving is $108,000,” said Ledo. “We are bringing a person that is bringing a job making $108,000. So you are pipelining a new job into your community.

“Fifty percent of the time they are bringing another adult with them, a spouse or a significant other. Thirty percent of the time those folks are taking employment with your local employers. And then about 30% of the time they are bringing at least one school-aged child with them that hopefully goes into the school system.”

There is an economic impact bringing these folks here, stated Ledo.

“In the state of Indiana, we’ve moved over 330 households, over 780 people,” said Ledo, “with the average salary at $108,000.”

MakeMyMove would talk with local city and business officials to create a marketing strategy for Shelbyville and then target people out of state to consider relocating to a desirable destination.

No formal contract was agreed upon Monday. The council will take the presentation under advisement.

In other council business Monday:

Agreed to move $75,000 to fund the city’s Crime Suppression Unit that works to create a drug free community. This contribution is made annually, according to Mayor Scott Furgeson. Received an update from Melissa O’Connor, Director of the Shelby County Youth Assistance Program on the work it does in Shelby County. The organization, which receives funding from the common council, is currently working with 136 at-risk youths that have been referred to the service.

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