T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 139 Edition 12
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
$1.00
North Posey School Board hears concerns, moves ahead By Dave Pearce The Metropolitan School Board of North Posey heard several concerns during the public hearing portion of their school board meeting held on March 11 at the North Posey Junior/Senior High auditorium. With the board planning to spend some $7.5 million on capital projects, several residents asked questions and voiced concerns about the planned projects. School Board Attorney William Bender began the meeting by opening the hearing on the three proposed construction projects at North Elementary, South Terrace, and at the Junior/Senior high schools. Bender told the patrons that if they wished to speak at
the hearing on any one of the projects, they should complete a sign-in sheet at the back of the room. He indicated after a presentation by the administration and its advisors, there will be an opportunity for the public to make comments about any of the individual projects. Mr. Bender let the public know each person should limit their comments to three minutes and that the topic be limited to the proposed projects under consideration. Bender then informed the Board that the Notice of this Hearing was published as legally required on February 26, 2019 in The Posey County News and on February 27, 2019 in the Mt. Vernon Democrat. He reminded the Board that pursuant to Indiana
Code 20-26-7-37, before a school corporation may spend more than $1,000,000 to build, repair or alter a school building that will be financed by a lease or bonds, it must hold a public hearing at which explanations of the potential value of the projects to the school corporation and community are given. The following patrons addressed the Board: • Tom Latham was interested in knowing what security features would be included in the projects; specifically, would bulletproof glass be included. • Rick Nightingale stressed that there needs to be more transparency with the projects. He was concerned about the turf field,
Poseyville water supply is improved
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MV Council makes big clean-up strides By Lois Mittino Gray Buying property for two major city projects was the main order of business at the March 14, Mount Vernon Common Council Meeting. Council members voted to exercise options to purchase the property at 401 and 403 Main Street and property on the Keck Bypass to build the new city water tower. They authorized Mayor Bill Curtis and Clerk-Treasurer Christi Sitzman to sign all documents necessary to carry-out the purchases. The real estate on Main Street includes the vacant lot on the corner of Fourth Street and the old Tressler Building alongside it. The building, once the former license branch, is a dilapidated eyesore with broken windows and peeling paint. The city’s offer to Timothy Bosecker of $20,000 for the properties has been received and accepted. Mayor Curtis said the city is currently working on trying to buy two other adjacent pieces as well, and that should happen fairly quickly. Once the sale goes through on 401 and 403 Main, the plan is to get the broken glass windows covered up and get the building in a safe condition. Once that occurs, the Economic Development Coalition will work with the city on getting a grant for the demolition, as they are available for demolition of commercial buildings. The Mayor said the city will need to get the application in as soon as possible, and these grants come along on a monthly basis, instead of annually, and it may speed things up. He added that the state will do an “historical” review of the building as well, and that may take time.
By Dave Pearce Poseyville residents were given good news at Wednesday’s Poseyville Town Council meeting as Town Board President Bruce Baker informed the board that nitrate levels have dropped significantly in recent tests, making Poseyville’s water supply safer. However, the water supply cannot be declared safe until the Indiana Department of Environmental Management reading is done in April. An action plan is also in place, as required by IDEM. Baker indicated that the nitrate levels on recent samples on well number one were down to 7.47 from the earlier reading of 10.4. The high reading recently made it necessary for the town to proclaim that the water supply was unsafe, particularly to infants less than six months old. The report on the recent reading from the second well was down significantly, as well, to 8.82. Any reading under 10 requires no action from the town. But despite the favorable readings, town board members are look-
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and wished to have a more detailed breakdown of the proposed projects. • Stephen Butler indicated that he was confused on the actual projects total and was concerned about the longevity of a turf field, which has been included on this list of possibilities for the project. • Mark Seib stressed that he agreed the future of our youth is important. He said he is concerned about using bond/tax money for items like a turf field and feels the district should seek donations for such items. He indicated there should be list of priorities and is concerned the he feels the Board has not
Matthew and Robin Matulich enjoy the festivities at the annual St. Matthew Auction held Saturday evening at the Posey County Fairgrounds. Photo by Dave Pearace
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Mount Vernon man charged with theft of donated funds By Dave Pearce A Mount Vernon man has been arrested and charged with intentionally exerting unauthorized control over a bank account that had been set up in the name of a five-year-old Mount Vernon girl. The girl’s mother, Heather Breyenne Wease was killed in an automobile accident on Sept. 17, 2018, in front of Marrs Elementary School on Highway 66 east of Mount Vernon. The 5-year-old was also in the vehicle when the accident occurred.
David Wease
On January 8, 2019, a warrant was issued for the arrest of David Wease, 26, of North Canal Street in Mount Vernon. Wease was married to Heather at the time of the accident. According to the probable cause affidavit, following the death of the young girl’s mother, an account was established in the young girls’ name. The young girl was released into the custody of her biological father, Aaron Roberts, on the night of the accident. He was granted
sole custody the week after the accident. Roberts told police he had recently changed his address and had filled out a Change of Address notice with the United States Postal Service. The change of address also included the child’s name, since she now lives with her father. On or around November 7, 2018, the child received a piece of mail from Evansville Teacher’s Federal Credit Union, the establishment in which the account had
been opened. The mail was a statement on the account and it showed that on October 4, 2019, and again on October 16, 2018, Internet withdrawals had taken place from the account. The amounts of the withdrawals were $400 and $27. The girls’ father told police he knew that an account had been opened in the girls’ name because it had been published in her mother’s obituary. Roberts said he had never received any money that had
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Family Matters...and it shows Posey organization receives top honor for integrity during annual awards Special to the News the largest crowd we’ve ever had to celebrate servant lead- and Environment; and Health and Social Services. “We are At Thursday’s Celebration of Leadership (COL) ers in our community.” thrilled to announce 2019’s class of amazing recipients.” Awards, LE’s CEO Lynn Miller Pease gathered all past At the 24th Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards Project/Program - Community Collaboration Award and present board members on the stage to an- Honor Flight of Southern Indiana, Inc. nounce a name change to “Leadership Everyone,” Honor Flight Network was created to honor Amershowcasing a a beautiful video that highlighted the ica’s veterans for all their sacrifices. Honor Flight of diversity and inclusion over LE’s 41 years. Miller Southern Indiana and the Honor Flight Network hub, Pease stated, “The name describes what happened serves the Indiana counties of southwest Indiana and at Celebration of Leadership this year—everyone western Kentucky. Honor Flight transports our local was represented. But it also describes the amazing heroes to Washington, D.C. on what has been referred inclusive work we have been doing with everyone, to by one of the veterans as “the honor of a lifetime” every year, every time! ‘Leadership Everyone’ to visit and reflect on their memorials. Honor Flight describes servant leadership at its best and it sets also hosts alumni meals, activities, and more. The our region apart as one of the most collaborative and trips and events are made possible by the help of genvisionary communities, based on Leadership Everyerous donors and volunteers. Their board members, one’s mission: ‘Diverse servant leaders transforming committees and volunteers are true examples of colcommunity.’ One short video says it all.” laborators and servant leaders. Leadership Everyone’s – title sponsored by Fifth Business/Organization- Integrity Award - FamThird Bank – brought together over 1,600 commuily Matters of Posey County nity members last night to celebrate the inspiring exFamily Matters of Posey County’s is an entirely amples of servant leadership by individuals, projects donations-based organization dedicated to helping Here, Beth Russell receives her Leadership Evansville award at the Old or organizations. The diverse audience gathered at National Events Plaza. Congratulations to Family Matters of Posey County families by providing services that range from rent/ the Old National Events Plaza in downtown Evans- for winning the Business or Organization Division Award at Celebration of utility/food assistance to locating child care to helpville to cheer on 175 nominees. Leadership Everyone Leadership Thursday evening. Photo by Dave Pearce ing with job applications, and transportation, as well Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Miller Pease, was inas providing over 400 backpacks filled with school spired by the numerous acts of servant leadership before, ceremony, 40 awards were presented to hundreds of re- supplies to deserving children prior to each school year. during and after the event: “LE is so pleased that we have cipients who demonstrate outstanding selfless community The organization coordinates with several others around the highest number of people attending COL. Thanks to service in the following categories: Arts; Community and the county including the Salvation Army and their bell our amazing sponsor, Fifth Third, we were able to pull off Neighborhood; Education; Government, Public Service, ringers to bring in donations and resources.
(USPS 439-500)