By Janelle Morrison
The Town Council honored Michael Thomas Latz, former redevelopment commission president, at its monthly meeting June 3. Latz lost his fight with cancer on March 29. He served on the Boone County Economic Development Corp. for eight years as past secretary, vice president and president. Latz initiated the startup of several committees and programs benefitting Boone County businesses such as; the Fund Development Committee, the Business Retention and Expansion Committee, the Government Affairs Committee, and he started the Micro Loan Program that supports small business lending within the county.
Latz was the Master Design Engineer of the Anson project, a 1,700-acre mixed use development adjacent to Zionsville. He served on the Zionsville Redevelopment Commission for more than fours years and served as president. Under his leadership, the RDC established programs and projects such as; a Micro Loan program to support Zionsville small business lending, the 106th Street Water and Sewer installation project, the trail way path connection from U.S. 421 to Lion’s Park, coordinating the new road extension of Bennett Parkway into the FedEx land and was instrumental in bringing in the FedEx project to Zionsville. Latz was also a crucial architect in the redevelopment plan and purchase of the Dow property. He was also instrumental in the Harris Retail and Office building projects that are underway along Zionsville Road.
He gave countless hours of service to his community and its youth, working with the Indianapolis School of Ballet, the Zionsville youth football and soccer programs. He is survived by his wife, Sukie, and his two children, Emma and Lachlin. His family and friends were in attendance at the Town Hall meeting on June 3 to hear his colleague and friend, Mark Plassman, president of the Zionsville RDC, recite the resolution to honor Latz and to witness the dedication and renaming of 106th Street between Bennett Parkway to Zionsville Road as Mike Latz Memorial Way.
Plassman concluded the resolution and thanked the family, friends and Town Council for attending and adopting the resolution.
“We commemorate the memory of Mike Latz and keep foremost in our hearts and minds the importance of the many things he did for this community,” Plassman said.