SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
SEE OUR ELECTION SECTION INSIDE Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Volume 136 Edition 43
MSDMV may spend $18 million Tax-friendly updates could last 25 years By Lois Mittino Gray Initial steps were taken at the October 17 meeting of the Mount Vernon School Board to begin an ambitious $18 million plan to bring the six district school buildings up to shape and good for the next 25 years. A public hearing on the plan and its financing was held that evening with the announcement as to why it will not increase the local tax levy at all. The plan calls to upgrade HVAC, lighting, chillers, roofing and windows at Mount Vernon Junior and Senior High Schools, Marrs, West and Farmersville Elementary Schools, and Hedges Central School. Energy options, such as using solar panels, will be explored. School Superintendent Tom Kopatich began the meeting with an overview and timeline of the project and then introduced School Attorney Adam Farrar. Farrar explained that under Indiana law whenever a school corporation proposes to construct or renovate a school building at a cost in excess of one million dollars, it must first hold a public hearing. Farrar also explained another purpose of the hearing was that under Indiana Code whenever a school corporation proposes to enter into a lease for the construction or renovation of a school building resulting in total costs in excess of ten million dollars, the School Corporation is required to hold a public hearing on its preliminary determination to issue such bonds and enter into such lease. Board President Mark Isaac opened the hearing asking for comments or concerns, but no citizens were present at the hearing to provide comments or ask Artist Luke Randall uses gold leaf to regild a wreath on the gates questions. The hearing was advertised in the newspaof New Harmony’s Roofless Church. The gate regilding project will per and filed with the county clerk. take about three weeks. Randall is proud to restore the gate’s decoraAt the conclusion of the hearing, the board took tions to their original glory, as originally intended by their designer three actions passing three resolutions. Each one was Jacques Lipschitz, a renowned cubist sculptor. Photo by Zach Straw discussed and reviewed by Jane Herndon of Ice Miller
law firm of Indianapolis. The first resolution approved the project for the proposed maintenance of school buildings as described above, with no new construction. The expected tax increase will be zero because the current debt on the Farmersville and West School improvements from years ago will be paid off in 2018 and this debt will just replace it with no increase in levy. “We are doing this initial paperwork ahead of schedule so we can really look at options to put in before we begin work in 2018 and 19 on improvements,” Kopatich said. The board also adopted the preliminary determination resolution setting the limits for the term of the lease and/or bond issue, lease rental, annual debt service levy, and the annual debt service rate as well as other information as required. The lease will be for a maximum term of eighteen years with a maximum annual lease rental of $2,235,000. This figure has been estimated based on a principal amount of eighteen million in bonds and an estimated interest rate ranging from 2.5 percent to 5.10 percent with estimated total interest costs of $5,561,413 As a third item, the board adopted a declaration of official intent to reimburse expenditures incurred prior to the issuance of the bond obligations. “This is a federal tax requirement. If something breaks before 2018, this allows us to pay for it and reimburse ourselves from the bond money account,” Director of Business Loren Evans explained. “We could use it on the West Elementary chiller we just paid for if we choose to. We can go sixty days back from today when we passed the resolution to capture these funds.” President Isaac commented that he was “glad the
Continued on Page A12
Astra Zeneca presents plan to invest $146m, employ 70 By Valerie Werkmeister A representative from Astra Zeneca (formerly Bristol Myers) presented a large expansion project to the Posey County Council last Tuesday in hopes of attaining a tax abatement. Glenn Baldwin stated the project will invest $146,750,000 and focus on the packaging of its products. The construction of this new packaging facility could take as long as five years and further growth will depend on the availability of the equipment. Baldwin stated it can take as long as nine months to
ship some of the necessary equipment. He added the project will employ 70 additional employees. Due to the size of the project, county officials are considering the creation of a tax increment financing (TIF) district. The county would be able to capture the new taxes on the new facility which can be used on infrastructure that could benefit the county. According to figures tabulated by Umbaugh and Associates, the county could generate as much as $4.8 million in new taxes.
The council knows that if they approve the tax abatement, it could further entice the company to invest in the Mount Vernon site over other sites nationwide. The council will consider this project and complete scoring under the county’s tax abatement matrix during its November meeting. Council approved a new law under the Fair Labor Standards Act that requires exempt employees to be paid a salary of $47,476 beginning December 1. Attorney Beth Higgins explained highway superintendent Steve
Schenk is the sole employee the law would affect. Foremen under Schenk would not qualify since they do not hire or fire employees. There was some discussion regarding overtime. Schenk pointed out that his foremen have the potential to make more money with overtime than his new salary. Schenk may need to closely monitor overtime and approve as needed. Unfortunately, the coun-
Continued on Page A12
Posey Jail receives high marks but overcrowded By Valerie Werkmeister The Posey County Commissioners covered a variety of topics in a short amount of time during their meeting last Tuesday, October 18. First, they finished up some old business by approving the purchase of a new sound system for the Posey County Circuit Court. Liz Miller, the court administrator, had presented the topic during the commissioners’ previous meeting on October 4. Commissioners agreed the new system was necessary, but wanted to be sure there was adequate funding. In the meantime, Miller obtained additional quotes on the cost of a
new laptop and desk computer that will also be needed to run the system. Their costs are $899 and $885, respectively. The total cost for the entire project is $9,887.76. Auditor Sara Beth Meighen advised the commissioners that funds could be taken out of the circuit court’s ‘2000 fund.’ Commissioners requested verification from the State Board of Accounts, but granted approval pending their review. Joe Mattingly of Garmong Construction Services presented an engineering contract for work on the jail project from Alt and Witzig and
Continued on Page A12
A ribbon cutting was held for the new Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare center on Wednesday afternoon. The beautiful new building is located behind Dairy Queen in Mount Vernon. Seen here is Council member Larry Williams, Commissioner Jerry Walden, Mayor Bill Curtis, Commissioner Jim Alsop, SBH President and CEO Faren Levell, Coordinator Wendy James, Secretary Helen O’Neal, Chamber Representative Michelle Hudson, Maintenance Technician Tony Strohmeyer, President and CEO Heather Hertel, Caterer Nancy Harris, and Brittaney Johnson of the Southwestern Indiana Chamber. Photo by Zach Straw
Briefly
Do Belleville signs still exist here?
New Harmony to Trick or Treat Trick or Treat at New Harmony businesses on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 from 3 - 5 p.m. Fall Property Tax deadline set for November 10 You can pay online at www.poseycountytax.com., at any Old National Banking Center in Posey or Vanderburgh County (tax coupon required), in person or by mail at Posey County Treasurer, 126 East Third Street, Room 211, Mount Vernon, IN 47620. There is also a drop box located at the corner of Third and Walnut Street. Christmas on Main Street sets meeting date The Christmas On Main Street committee will be having its first meeting on Wednesday, October 26. The meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Police and Fire Station meeting room. Anyone interested in helping with the parade, Christmas events or children’s Christmas party, please join us that evening. We have new ideas for this year event, which will take place December 3. MVCC-BC to hold Chicken Supper MV Community Church - Black’s Chapel UMC will host their traditional chicken supper on Saturday, November 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. The menu includes fried chicken, dumplings, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, green beans, corn, cole slaw, homemade desserts, ice tea, coffee, and lemonade. Serving will begin at 4 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m. Adults $11, children four - 12, $6. Carry outs will be available. There will also be a Country Store featuring baked goods, craft items, and white elephant offerings. MV community Church is located at 1800 West Fourth Street, Mount Vernon, Ind. New Harmonie Healthcare sets Trunk or Treat Stop by New Harmonie Healthcare for a spooktacular time on October 26, 2016 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Rain or shine. Weather permitting, there will be a costume contest in the following categories: Scariest; Most Original; Cutest; and Funniest. Contest and prizes awarded at 5 p.m. Must be present to win.
By Lois Mittino Gray explainable, but not definitely paranormal,” remarked Halloween is just around the corner and if that corner Ricky Bruckman, director of the Mount Vernon sociis in the Belleville District of Mount Vernon, it could ety. Audience members were entranced by the varied be a scary place. Kenny Stevens, a historian with the photos of this supposed light energy ‘moving at a good Mount Vernon Paranormal Sociclip.’ ety, gave a talk entitled ‘Haunted Stevens delineated the boundBelleville’ at the Alexandrian aries of the old 18-block neighborPublic Library on Tuesday, Ochood called Belleville in history tober 18. books. The northern boundary is His talk was illustrated with Fourth Street, the western boundseveral recent images taken in ary is Locust Street, the eastern the Belleville neighborhood and boundary is Maple Street and the included historic tales of sorsouthern boundary is all the way did events occurring there in the to the Ohio River. A now-overlate 1800s. One interesting slide grown area near the river included showed the street sign at the corthe Old Iron Bridge. ner of Locust and Third Streets He painted a colorful picture of one night surrounded by glowthe rough and tumble neighboring white circles of light energy, hood in Riverboat Days. “When called ‘orbs.’ No one knows the boats would stop here for the source of these visual phenomnight, passengers would get off Kenny Stevens shows slides of an orb ena, but orbs occur in many picand ask where to go for a night of tures of the area taken by differ- near his own garage in the Belleville fun,” he told the audience. “They ent people using different style area. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray were told to go past the big homes cameras. on Mulberry and Walnut owned by lawyers and busiStevens moved to the Belleville area about 12 years nessmen and turn right into Belleville. It was the site of ago and his home is located behind McDonalds. He many taverns, brothels and pool halls.” showed a picture of his garage with some orbs and a In addition to the orbs, Stevens said some report moving streak of light across a corner. “These pictures hearing babies cry and mothers sob in the night. After have not been fully evaluated as yet. We want to see Continued on Page A8 what we have. Right now, we can define them as un-
$1.00
(USPS SPS 4 439-500) 3 9 5 00