T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 138 Edition 43
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
$1.00
Junior high eye sore doesn’t pose health risk By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the Mount Vernon School Board can now give a name to the “creeping crud” on the ceiling of the junior high school gym after hearing a report from Kim Dyehouse at their October 15, meeting. Dyehouse is a staff professional with Environmental Management Consultants of Evansville, a firm hired by the district to do air quality sampling in August and October in the school gymnasium. Both
times the air quality has come back as good. The unsightly discoloration growing on the ceiling after summer construction work has staff, students and parents concerned about environmental health. The ceiling was cleaned extensively during Fall Break, by the HASGO firm. Smooth surfaces like air vents wiped off well and look clean, while the ceiling’s heavy metal decking is rough like sandpaper and hard to scrape clean without proper brushes. “It is
now lighter in color, but we are far from finished and will clean it again with methods to keep it from getting airborne, and then continue to monitor it,” said David Frye, Director of Buildings and Grounds. While the cleaning firm was up high atop the ceiling, they took swabs samples to give to Dyehouse for analysis. She presented a report signed by Dr. Tianbao Bai, Laboratory Director, of Eurofins CEI of North Carolina where
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C : Cynthiana residents seeking assistance with water/water and sewer utility bills should contact the town Trustee instead of the Clerk’s office. The disconnect date pertaining to the Cynthiana utility bill will be changed starting October 1, 2018. As of this notice the disconnect date is on the fifteenth of the following month after the due date. This will be changed on the September billing, (due in October,) to be as follows: • Due date will stay on the twentieth of the month. • Penalties will be generated on the twenty-first of said month, along with disconnect tags being delivered on or around that time. • The disconnection date will be changed from the fifteenth of the following month to the thirtieth day of that same month. If that date falls on a Friday, then disconnection will occur on following Monday.
(USPS 439-500)
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County council approves 2019 fiscal budget
Blight program praised by board By Lois Mittino Gray Kudos were given to Mount Vernon Building Commissioner Sherry Willis for successfully completing all phases of the Blight Elimination Program (BEP) by members of the Mount Vernon Board of Public Works. City Attorney Beth McFadin Higgins spoke to this accomplishment at the October 11, regular meeting of the board. Higgins explained there are now between 42 and 44 empty lots where dilapidated homes have been taken down. “There is a lot of hard work that goes into taking just one of these houses down. It is a cumbersome process and she has spent much time arranging each one.” Higgins reminded everyone that the Board of Works passed Resolutions 17-05 in 2017 and 17-06 in June of this year authorizing appraisals to sell these lots, and additional ones she will be adding to the list. There are different procedures on how to sell them, based on the selling price, but she asked the board to approve the additional list in order to move forward with sales. “This will give us permission under statute to sell them and get these properties back on the tax rolls and off of the mowing list,” the attorney said. The additional properties are 318 E Third Street, 631 and 801 W Third Street, 419 and 700 E Second Street, 1218 Mulberry, 701, 1108 and 1309 Locust Street, 322 W Eighth Street,709 Main Street, 1018 E Water Street, 838 Sycamore, 403 E Lincoln Avenue, and 331 W Grant Street. Board member Williams asked if there is any interest in any of the properties and Willis replied yes, on several of them. Mayor Curtis said there was even interest in some of the more expensive ones. Mayor Curtis stated all those in favor of the motion to add those to the rolls should signify in the affirmative; and the motion carried unanimously. Another motion passed to allow for appraisals and Higgins would like to move forward with those naming the Board of Works as the purchasing
the samples were sent for mold growth analysis. Direct microscopy of the sample taken on October 8 found 50 percent fungal spores, 40 percent cellulose fibers and 10 percent skin scales. The mold was identified as Cladosporium, with a rating of 5, meaning greater than 75 percent of the mold growth sample was covered
Posey employees get $800 annual increase
Trick-or-treaters turned out in droves to Harmonie State Park Saturday for their annual Halloween event. Little Sawyer Oakley was a skeleton, Samuel Oakley was a clown, Jazalyn Ward was Maid Marion, Kaitlyn Oakley was a witch and Brant Oakley was Robin Hood. Staff photo
By Lois Mittino Gray Fiscal matters were at the forefront at the monthly meeting of the Posey County Common Council on Tuesday, October 9 at the Hovey House. The group passed a new 2019 budget, approved a 2019 Salary Ordinance, updated the 2018 Salary Ordinance, and addressed tax abatements for four major county companies. Throw in some additional appropriation and money transfer requests and numbers were flying fast at the lengthy meeting. After several days of looking at the budget and discussing requests line by line as a group, council members presented a budget of $26,447,812.37 for 2019. It was pointed out that this is an increase from last year, but Auditor Sarah Beth Meighen explained that it was due to a dump of COIT money into the General Fund in 2016, resulting in less needed last year. Councilman Aaron Wilson commented that, “It was a very positive process. We had a lot of good discussion. Of course, there were disagreements at times, but no one yelled.” The budget passed unanimously and Council President Heather Allyn remarked, “I can honestly say that we are all looking out for what is best for the county. Everyone has wants and needs and it is difficult to prepare this. We had to tighten our belts a little more.” Council also passed the 2019 Salary Ordinance, giving all county employees an $800 increase across the board. Councilman Dave Pearce credited being able to do this to the work of Assessor Nancy Hoehn and Recorder Mary Roades. “The funds they earn in their departments help to fund others, as it will not all come out of the General Fund. We greatly appreciate their efforts and want them to know that it does not go
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Southwind Dental purchases Volz practice
Pictured from left are Penny Appler, Dr. Nick Volz, Holly Poshard, Dr. J.T. Fullop, Kim Wolfe, Dr. David Wells, Julie Martin. Photo by Brittney Schmitt
By Pam Robinson After 32 years in the same Mount Vernon location, Dr. Nicholas J. Volz is retiring from his dental practice effective January 2019. Southwind Dental Care of Mount Vernon will expand to two locations. Dr. Janos Fullop will remain at 803 E. Fourth Street across from Dairy Queen. Dr. Fullop’s associate, Dr. David Wells, will continue the dental care of Dr. Volz’s patients, as well as his patients from Southwind Dental Care, at the familiar Mount Vernon Medical Center location, 1900 W. Fourth Street, across from Children’s Learning Center. Patients will be greeted by nearly all the same staff. All currently scheduled dental appointments (dental hygiene cleanings) at Dr.
Volz’s office for 2019 will remain the same, with Dr. Wells performing the dental exam. Patients may still call the same phone number, (812) 838-9626, with any questions or concerns. Both offices will be working together diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible for patients. Dr. Janos Fullop came to Southwind Dental Care 16 years ago in 2002. Dr. David Wells joined him four years ago in the practice. Dr. Wells grew up in southern Illinois and graduated cum laude from Southern Illinois University, or SIU, School of Dental Medicine in 2014. He is married with three daughters. Prior to attending dental school, Dr. Wells served our
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Group expresses concerns over Avery’s Place location By Lois Mittino Gray Gene Moore told the Mount Vernon Common Council at its October 11 meeting that making a hasty decision on the location of the new all-inclusive playground at the Mount Vernon riverfront would be “like a rock in your shoe for the next twenty years, and that is not a comfortable thing.” Moore spoke at the meeting as a representative of the Location Opposition Committee. He, and others present in the audience, were at the meeting to support the proposed inclusive playground called Avery’s Place, just not at its location approved by the Mount Vernon Board of Works. The committee conducted a survey of residents in the city and Black Township and circulated a petition, which now has upwards of 200 signatures, all of whom are in support of the creative playground for all children, including special needs and handicapped, but are opposed to putting it at the new Riverbend Park. Moore, who lives at 2010 Greenbrier Drive, moved to Mount Vernon in 1978 and loves it here. He feels that the new playground will be an asset,
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Mayor Bill Curtis talks with members of the Location Opposition Committee who spoke at the Mount Vernon Common Council meeting recently. He’s pictured here with Gene Moore on left and Dennis Noon. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray