SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Volume 137 Edition 3
Allyn, Wilson take their positions on council Higgins voted out as legal counsel By Lois Mittino Gray Newly-elected council members Heather Allyn and Aaron Wilson took their places at their first meeting of the Posey County Council on January 10. The organizational business, routinely done at the beginning of each year, went by in a whirlwind of activity that left some council members unsure of the legal status of their hired counsel.
Councilman Don Mattingly, who was elected 2017 Council President, announced that two lawyers were in contention for the appointment to be legal ‘counsel for the council.’ Incumbent Beth McFadin Higgins and William Bender both submitted proposals with a standard rate of $175 per hour. A nomination was made and seconded to retain Higgins and a show of hands vote was
taken. Four Republican councilmen voted ‘no’ to retain her and three members voted in the affirmative. Mattingly abruptly said, “Beth will be replaced by William Bender.” However, there was no motion made or no vote to hire Bender as Council Attorney. Trying to quickly move on, Mattingly was interrupted by Councilman David Pearce, the only Republican who sided with the two Democrats to retain Higgins during the vote. “I just want to publicly say that Beth has done an incredible job since 1989. She
has been a consummate professional, who when we asked for something, made sure we got it. She’s seen us through some tough times and I just don’t think this is the right thing to do making this decision based on political affiliation. That is my conviction.” President Mattingly thanked Pearce and commented, “I share these feelings as well. We definitely have large shoes to fill with this attorney position, but the vote has been
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Poseyville board convenes for first meeting of 2017 By Dave Pearce With two of the three Poseyville Town Council members in attendance, the board held its first meeting of 2017. Council President Bruce Baker was on hand for the meeting, as was member Ron Fallowfield. Member Steve Ahrens did not attend the meeting. The council gave the nod to re-elect President Bruce Baker for his twenty-eighth year as president of the council. He has served on the council for 30 years and it was announced during the meeting that he would celebrate his 65th birthday on Friday, January 13. Fallowfield told the quaint group present that the town was fortunate to have Baker. Three primary items were discussed during the meeting. Town Marshal Charles Daniel Carter will be leaving to attend the Academy on February 2 and arrangements are being made for coverage for the position while he is gone. Poseyville residents need to be aware that an ordinance has been read to change the entryway and exit into and out of the loop in front of North Elementary School. Vehicles may enter only from the east and must exit to the right, or
FACING OFF: North Posey’s Albert Spencer, left, and Mount Vernon’s Cade Latshaw went toe-to-toe at Central Duals on Saturday. Mount Vernon went on to top Evansville Central. Story on Page B1. Photo by Dave Pearce
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Briefly
Party of a lifetime
NP Hall of Fame tickets now on sale North Posey Hall of Fame will be held on February 25, at the North Posey High School Cafeteria at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $15/person by calling the Posey County News Office at 812-682-3950. Saint Wendel Trivia Night set Gather your team (up to eight people) and join us for this unique fundraiser to benefit Saint Wendel Catholic School. Attendees will compete for prizes during eight rounds of trivia. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner starting at 5:45 p.m. Trivia will start at 7 p.m. Plan to stick around after trivia and enjoy DJ music and social hour. Cost is $35 per person. Proceeds from trivia and raffles benefit Saint Wendel Academic and Athletic Programs. Questions or to reserve your table please contact Laureen Cates at 812-430-6737. Saint Philip Men’s Club schedules annual Sausage Sale The Saint Philip Men’s Club annual Sausage Sale will be on Saturday and Sunday January 21 and 22, 2017. The Sausage will be available after the Saturday evening 5:30 p.m. Mass and after the Sunday morning 9:30 a.m. Mass in the Hall located behind the Church. Bulk sausage, links, smoked links, brats, liver sausage, and soup bones will be available for purchase. Community invited to Saint Francis Relay For Life event You are invited to the St. Francis Relay for Life Team and Friends’ Brunch for Relay. This year’s menu will be grilled sausage, biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes, egg casserole, fruit and drink - all for $8 for 13 and over; $5 for those 12-3; and two and under are free. Serving from 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. Sunday, January 29. New Location: Poseyville Community Center, 25 West Fletchall Street. Date set for annual New Harmony Fire Department Sausage Supper The Annual Sausage Supper to benefit the New Harmony Fire Department is set to be held at the Posey County Community Center on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, beginning at 4 p.m. Mount Vernon Moose Lodge to host monthly Fish Supper Mount Vernon Moose Lodge 497 will have their monthly all-you-can-eat fish supper Friday night January 20, starting at 5 p.m. The lodge is located at 711 West Second Street, Mount Vernon, Indiana. Adults $10 each, children under 12 years of age $5. Dinner includes: all-you-can-eat fish, potatoes, hush puppies, baked beans, and slaw. Open to the public, we would love to see you. As always, your attendance is benefiting our local area. We thank you for your support.
New Harmony centenarian to be honored, celebrated January 31
$1.00
(USPS SPS 4 439-500) 3 9 5 00
By Lois Mittino Gray New Harmony centenarian Juanita Hyatt can remember back to the first time she thought about living a long life, thanks to a tired tramp passing by almost seventy five years ago. “I had just moved back to town from New Jersey and was sweeping off my front porch when he walked by and asked if he could sit on the stoop and rest awhile,” she recalled. “We talked for quite some time and he grabbed my hand and asked to tell my fortune. He looked closely at the crease around my thumb and said I had a very long life line. I was about 25 years old and laughed, but
now I think about it often, as he was right.” Juanita now lives in a newer house on that same site on Main Street, practically across the road from the homestead location where she was born on January 31, 1917. The one hundred years in between mark a life story filled with fun memories, family anecdotes, patriotic pride and a touch of tragedy. Through it all, Juanita remains a fireball who still drives a Dodge Avenger around, goes to the Johnson United Methodist Church every Sunday, and visits
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Juanita Hyatt shows off one of her most prized possessions - a personal letter from former president Herbert Hoover sent to her in 1962. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Schmitt made NP board president By Dave Pearce It was in with the new school board officers as they were elected near the end of the first meeting of the Board of Education of the MSD of North Posey County held in the Board office on January 9, 2017. But it was out with the old as later in the meeting, the board approved the retirement of North Posey High School Athletic Director Virgil Ferguson after 21 years of service to the corporation. Newly re-elected board members Vince Oakley, Brett Stock, and Amy Will were administered the Oath of Office by Board Attorney Bill Bender. Bender presided over the
election of officers for the coming year. Greg Schmitt was elected president and Geoff Gentil will serve as vice president. Amy Will was elected to serve as the board secretary while Carol Lupfer was elected to serve as the treasurer for the corporation. Jayme Bender was chosen to serve as deputy treasurer. Following the elections, Bender was chosen to serve as the School Board Attorney. Schmitt asked the Board to nominate members to the
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Cynthiana council tables everything on agenda Board interviewing new legal advisors By Dave Pearce Members of the Cynthiana Town Council became painfully aware of the actions that can and can’t be taken without the advice of counsel during their meeting this week. Jake Weis, who had been a member of the Bender Law Office in Poseyville and had served as the predominant ad-
visor for the board resigned recently. There was no legal counsel at the meeting so several discussions were held but little action was taken. According to City Clerk-treasurer Greta Mounts, the board discussed the ongoing process of trying to create and maintain a positive balance in the water and sewer accounts with a price hike for residents in the works. However, further action could not be taken because of the lack of counsel. Board members did discuss the probability of
water rates increasing by about $30 per month. Board President Todd Kennedy announced that the board was going to table everything on the agenda due to the fact that Jake Weis of Bender Law is no longer the attorney for the Town of Cynthiana. He decided to get out of private practice and has gone to work at the Corporate Offices of Shoe Carnival.
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