By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — The odyssey of the Community Resource Center may be reaching its final act.
“This is a very big step forward towards getting the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) committed to the project,” said Brent Martin about the announcement of the signing of a letter of conditions for a loan that will make the CRC a reality.

Laura Freeman and Melissa Christiansen, both of the USDA, hand delivered the document to Martin, architect on the project, and the Reverend Ron Leichty, president of the CRC Board. By signing the document, the group agrees to abide by all the conditions set forth by the Rural Development program of the USDA. In return, the government agency will loan $2.39 million to the project to complete construction.
The document will now go to Washington, D.C. for final approval.
“The letter does not insure that those funds are approved or available, but what it does say is we will abide by their rules for the loan,” said Martin. “If Washington says the forms are fine and dandy then the money is obligated for the project.”
In the meantime, the letter will allow work to begin on the old Co-Op property south of West Jefferson Street in Plymouth. Funds for demolition of the current buildings and land acquisition are not part of the loan from USDA, so Martin hopes that during the next 45 days, while Washington goes over the final documents, the group can begin to make progress.
“C.B. Richard Ellis is acting as our leasing agent and they will begin to make contact with our potential tenants to finalize space requirements and lease arrangements,” said Martin. “Our attorney Jim Clevenger will be working on closing documents and title documents, and we will be finalizing our plans and specs for the State Rural Development office approval.
“Hopefully in three to four weeks we can start the demolition process.”
That demolition will be the beginning of the project that was a dream of social service agencies in the area 20 years ago. The building will allow agencies such as WIC, Heart and Hands, the Center Township Trustee, the Marshall County Housing Authority and others to pool resources, centralize services and do a better job in their mission of helping those in need in Marshall County.
The plan that started as a talking point at a lunch meeting is very close to being a reality.
“This is just very exciting,” said Martin. “We are one big step closer.”