Leaders of a planned deaf-friendly community in McCook County say they're cutting ties to South Dakota, and plan to move to Indiana.

Through an interpreter, the co-founder of the Laurent Company and the Laurent Institute, Marvin Miller, said leaving South Dakota was never something he wanted to do. But, he says the needs of his four deaf children come first. "We've had to make that decision. It's time now to move. To put our children in a much better school program. We're sad, we're very sad to be leaving South Dakota."

Despite the move, Miller says the effort to build Laurent, an integrated signing and hearing community will continue. For now it will be an on-line effort. "We'll be building the new board, we'll create a plan, we'll continue to do fund raising. In a way it's like starting again."

Around the town of Salem, the group faced plenty of questions and opposition. Some worried creating a town of more than 1,000 people at the intersection of I-90 and Highway 81 would raise taxes or encroach on the rural way of life.

McCook County Commissioner Bill Smith said many were also concerned the group wouldn't identify it's main financial backer. "If you have a closed book, it's a lot harder. I don't know, did you believe them? I don't know. We argued for a long time over money."

Miller says the challenges he's faced in South Dakota make him even more convinced the town needs to be built. But for now, for the sake of his family, they're headed to an area near Indianapolis where they can live around more deaf families.

Miller says the Laurent company is about $600,000 in debt, but it plans to pay it off as soon as possible.