T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 137 Edition 46
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
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North Posey student arrested Camp: Every precaution was taken to keep students safe during ‘incident’ By Dave Pearce An “incident” at North Posey High School on Tuesday caused a considerable amount of worry and concern throughout the district. According to police records and North Posey School Supt. Dr. Todd Camp, a North Posey High School sophomore will be spending time in a juvenile center as the result of his actions. “On Tuesday, we had a student who had on a Kevlar vest, a back-jacket vest
or a bullet-proof vest, whatever you want to call it,” Camp explained. “He was wearing it most of the day underneath a shirt or a jacket. He made no specific immediate threats to anyone.” But Camp explained that when the student got into his physical education class, he was approached and told by the principal that he could not have a Kevlar vest on. Apparently, several students
were aware of the jacket during the day but none had reported it. Once reported, the student was questioned as to why he was wearing the jacket but he did not have the jacket on when he was approached by Principal Scott Strieter. “It was underneath his clothing and I guess there were a few times he had showed it to some of the students during the day,” Camp explained. “A student saw it and it scared them and they sent a text to their parent. Someone then called a police
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Common Council OKs first Board OKs reading of salary ordinance solution for extended Mayor, councilman Hoehn spar over substitutes sewer tap-in fees
By Lois Mittino Gray Doing away with sewer tap-in fees and establishing salary rates for the elected officers of the city were the main items addressed at the November 9, meeting of the Mount Vernon Common Council. Council members passed the first reading of the salary ordinance for next year. Then
they voted to suspend rules to have the second reading at the same meeting. Since the meetings near the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are cancelled, this will allow council to have the third reading and pass the ordinance in the remaining meeting left of 2017. No public hearing is required for this ordinance. “That way everyone can get paid in time at the start of 2018,” Mayor Bill Curtis noted. The pending ordinance sets the Mayor’s salary at a composite of: $32,734 from the General Fund, $6,050 from the Water Util-
and More on 6415 Leonard Road, led the procession of speakers. “For a lot of us around the corridor, we are not big corporations, but mom and pop businesses trying to make it. Funds are at a premium. The $4,200 fee is pretty steep. Mount Vernon is not a small business, user-friendly place, as many have gone under here in the past year. They are the backbone of the community. We want to stay and grow here. Is there something you can do to help us out?” she queried. “What are you asking for from us?” responded Board Member Larry Williams.
By Lois Mittino Gray Getting qualified substitute teachers for an extended run is a problem all around the Hoosier State. Members of the Mount Vernon School Board approved a creative solution to the problem at the November 6, meeting. School Board Member Mark Isaac called the well-thought out plan a “model other school districts could use.” “As qualified substitute teachers become more difficult to recruit and retain, we continued to look at ways to make effective use of our existing employees, who have teacher certification, and are working for us as teacher assistants,” explained Director of Business Loren Evans. “Many of these TA’s could be placed in a classroom during an extended teacher absence. The students already know them, so it’s not so great a change in their school day.” The board authorized an additional payment of $90.00 per day to a teacher assistant, who holds a valid Indiana teacher’s license, and is assigned by the Superintendent to substitute for a teacher on an extended leave. It will
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Small business owners appeal to Public Works Board for help
Don Oeth proudly presents the flag at the Saturday morning Mount Vernon American Legion Veterans Program while John King stands with Bugle in hand. See more photos on Page A7. Photo by Michelle Gibson
Briefly Holiday auction: Tercera November 15, 6 p.m. Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church, 46 S Cale St, Poseyville Mid Summer Night’s Dream Performance: Mount Vernon High School Nov. 16, 17 and 18, 7 p.m. Performing Arts Center Southern Hollow Dulcimer: Crnegie Public Library November 17, 6:15 p.m. 55 S. Cale Street, Poseyville Sausage supper: Salem United Church November 18, 4 p.m. 11325 Old Lower MV Sugar and Spice Bake Sale: Trinity UCC Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fifth and Mulberry Street, Mount Vernon Annual Craft Show: PC Pound Puppies Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ribeyre Gymnasium, 603 Main Street, New Harmony
More information on these and other events inside today’s Posey County News
(USPS 439-500)
By Lois Mittino Gray A contingent of local business owners appeared before the November 9, meeting of the Mount Vernon Board of Public Works and Safety to speak their mind on high sewer tap-in fees. Their businesses are located near Highway 62 on the east side of Mount Vernon. The 153 acre area was annexed by the city in 2006. With the city taking bonds out to pay for the East Side Gravity Flow Sewer Project, now being installed after these many years, the businesses are required to pay costly one-time sewer tap-in fees for the delayed service and they are not happy about it. DeeAnn Jones, representing Carts, Parts
Golden hues New Harmony Garden Club is on a daffodil mission By Lois Mittino Gray Planting a bulb in the autumn is one sure way to keep alive the promise of springtime beauty. Over the course of seven years, the Garden Club of New Harmony has planted 6,400 daffodil bulbs to ensure a golden hue over the town, usually come April. Fundraisers financed the project to pay for the bulbs and a special $250 post hole digger from Rural King helps put them into the ground. This year’s purchase of 1,500 bulbs is already nestled under the earth thanks to the active work crew from the Garden Club. The crew, looking spiffy in their lime green club shirts, meets every Tuesday morning during the growing season to weed beds, prune, plant and put in the spring bulbs. The receiving ends of their attention are public sites around town, such as the Working Men’s Institute, entrances to New
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Barb McConnell, left, Paul Allison and Ann Scarafia show off the machine they used to plant 1,500 bulbs around town this autumn in their new bright green club tee shirts. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Cynthiana board appoints new Clerk-Treasurer By Heather Morlan At its November 8 meeting, members of the Cynthiana Town Council announced that interviews were conducted on October 30 and in “an open door special meeting” held November 2 Cindy Schmitz was appointed as the new Cynthiana Town Clerk-Treasurer. The board also reported that Schmitz was sworn in on November 3 in Mount Vernon. She will begin her duties as Clerk-Treasurer on Wednesday, November 22. Debbie Seaton will remain the Deputy Clerk and will work Wednesday through Friday until January 2018
when she will go to Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. Other agenda items: Town attorney, Jason Spindler reported that the nuisances that were discussed at September’s meeting would be addressed at the next meeting. Ken Gorbett reported that the utility department had planted four new trees in Cynthiana’s Town Park. The board introduced a guest in attendance, Ken “Doc” Beckerman who is running for District 64 State Representative has been attending meetings within the district.
In other business: The floor was opened for other questions or concerns and Deputy Debbie Seaton addressed the board with the question, “Where are we with the abandoned cars?” Town Attorney Jason Spindler responded that on October 14 letters were sent out. Board member Carolyn Price stated that the letters have been working and three cars have already disappeared from Whiting Street since the letters were sent. It was also reported that due to the September complaint from Lola Axton, three more letters were sent on property violations. The board
explained that Charles Carter, the Poseyville Town Marshal, has sent them information on updating Cynthiana’s town ordinances to adapt them to state codes. Once that is complete then they can move forward with the complaints. At the end of the meeting, new Clerk-Treasurer Cindy Schmitz arrived and was introduced to the attendees. She stated that she planned to have the Town Hall open five days a week and thanked the board for giving her a chance. The meeting was adjourned at 6:14. The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 13, at 6 p.m.