Special Letters to Santa Section Inside!
“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
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Volume 133 Edition 51
Study suggests utility rate increases for Poseyville By Valerie Werkmeister Members of the Poseyville Town Council learned the results of a utility rate study they commissioned from Pat Callahan, CPA during their Wednesday, December 11, council meeting. Callahan prepared a detailed report of the town’s gas, water and sewer utilities and noted the town is doing an excellent job at keeping costs low in comparison to other towns of similar size. Rate studies are suggested to be performed every two to three years by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. Town officials often hear citizens complain that the town’s utility rates are higher than those communities in the surrounding area. The key difference is that some of those communities that do offer utilities at a cheaper rate are able to do so because the customer base is much larger or that their utility plants are not currently in compliance with state regulations. After detailed analysis, Callahan recommended rate in-
creases for all three utilities in order to decrease the shortfall of funds incurred each year. The last water rate study was completed in 2008. Callahan proposed an overall 13.8 percent increase on water rates. Sewer rates were last reviewed in 2005 and a 19.2 percent increase was recommended. The base cost for gas rates, which does not include the price of gas itself, was suggested to increase from $6.75 to $9.75. Home gas meters charges were suggested to increase from $2 to $5.25 per month. All of the suggested increases were only recommendations and the town council took the information under advisement. Council members may take the increases in incremental amounts to make the bills more affordable for its customers. The council’s final meeting of the year will be held on December 26, and they will determine the specific amounts and when to advertise the proposed rate increases. A public hearing will be scheduled on January 8, and the public is encouraged to attend.
Cynthiana votes to continue bold clean-up efforts By Valerie Werkmeister Cynthiana Town Board members are making a bold move in their continued commitment to clean up the town. During their Tuesday, December 10 meeting, they decided to proceed with plans to clean up a property that has seemingly been abandoned by its owner. The town has been trying to get Jackie Sinay, the property owner at 10965 Highway 65 North, to comply with the town’s nuisance ordinances for several months. Notice letters and phone calls go unanswered. Board members have reason to believe the Sinay’s have moved outside the state and do not intend to properly care for their property which includes burned remnants of the home and garage Mount Vernon’s Christmas on Main Street culminated with an excitstructures. ing extravaganza at Hedges Central’s old school building on Saturday The town will pay to have the reevening. Children were lined completely around the gymnasium for maining structures torn down and most of the day as Santa had his work cut out for him. Here, Xavier the debris removed. A lien will be Long sits on Santa’s lap, telling him what he would like to have for Continued on Page A6 Christmas this year. Overall, Christmas on Main Street was declared a success. Photo by Dave Pearce
Briefly Live Drive-Thru Nativity is planned Black’s Chapel UMC will be staging a Live Drive-Thru Nativity on Sunday, December 22, from 5 - 8 p.m. at their location 1800 West Fourth Street, Mount Vernon. Expect three live camels, sheep and a donkey, if weather permits. Please drive-thru the nativity and help us celebrate the birth of Jesus. There is no charge for this event. KG Christmas Party rescheduled The Keck-Gonnerman Christmas party has been rescheduled for Friday, December 27 at 6 p.m. Get your auction items ready and bake a fresh batch of cookies and we will try again. The next meeting is January 2 at 7 p.m. in the old dining hall on the P C Fairgrounds, where officers will be elected for 2014. Yard Waste Sites to close for holidays The Poseyville Yard Waste Site will close for the winter beginning December 22. The Mount Vernon Yard Site will close December 23. Both yard sites will re-open in early March. For more information, contact the Posey County Solid Waste District at 838-1613. Troopers render Medical aid to unresponsive driver December 16, at approximately 12:30 a.m., Trooper Korey Mauck was patrolling SR 66 near the Posey County line when he noticed a 2012 GMC truck stopped in the median and partially in the westbound passing lane. Trooper Mauck approached the vehicle and attempted to communicate with the 35-year-old driver from Henderson, but the driver was just staring at Mauck and not speaking. The driver still had the vehicle in gear and his foot on the brake. Trooper Mauck was able to reach in and shift the vehicle into park. Trooper Wes Kuykendall and a Vanderburgh County deputy soon arrived to assist. Fearing the driver may be diabetic, they administered a tube of glucose and within a few minutes the driver started to respond to the trooper’s questions. Perry Township Fire Department and A.M.R. Ambulance soon arrived and continued to treat the driver. He was taken to Deaconess Hospital where he was examined and released. The driver was delivering Krispy Kreme Donuts to area gas stations before he became unresponsive and drove his vehicle off the roadway.
The town currently tracks gas prices and changes to the most current rate every three months. Julie Mayo informed the council that the new gas rate for consumption months of November, December and January will decrease 2.3 percent. The change will be reflected on customer bills in December, January and February. Jeff Droege informed the council that the fire department raised approximately $17,000 from its recent donation letter campaign. The council approved his requests to purchase new tires for Engines One and Three at a cost of $5,000. The current tires will be sold to a local community that can put the tires to use on their fire truck. The council also approved the $839 purchase of a new concrete saw for the department. Council members commended the town employees for doing a tremendous job clearing the streets during the recent snowfall. As a result, leaves will no longer be picked up.
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Posey County auditor Nick Wildeman tenders resignation for Jan. 12 By Dave Pearce I had a tough choice to make. I Posey County Auditor Nick could either take the position that Wildeman served notice on Friday is open now or I could roll the dice that he will be resigning his elect- and hope there would be a position ed position, effective January 12. as good as this available when my Wildeman has accepted a position term was completed. It came down in Evansville and his first to doing what I felt was day is January 13. best for my family.” During a Sunday eveThe young audining interview, Wildeman tor made waves three said he is very appreciayears ago when he was tive of the opportunity elected to the office of given to him by the people Posey County Auditor of Posey County and haton a low-budget camed to leave the post. Howpaign at the ripe age of ever, an opportunity came 25. In a rare GOP landWildeman along that made it virtuslide election held in ally impossible to finish the term. Posey County, Wildeman defeated He said he had already made up seasoned Democratic politician his mind that he didn’t plan to run Greg Martin by a 10 percent maragain in next year’s election. gin as the Republicans claimed six “This position came along and of eight Posey County contested I had to do the right thing for my races. family,” Wildeman said of his new But Wildeman said he loves livposition. “I have a son who turns ing in Posey County and his reason three on Monday (yesterday) and Continued on Page A6 my wife is not working right now.
Board of Works studies city’s ‘wish list’ By Lois Mittino Gray Like Santa at this time of year, members of the Mount Vernon Board of Public Works met on December 12 and claimed that they ‘worked through a long list at a time full of opportunities.’ This lists included items to fulfill their wishes for a new downtown area, a new police-fire station and necessary trucks and equipment. The board slated a special meeting on December 27 to open bids on the demolition of some buildings on Main Street. They gave permission to Attorney Beth McFadin Higgins and TRI attorney Jonathan Weinzapfel to negotiate, pursue demolition, or some other option, on
the Board’s behalf to start getting things done for downtown revitalization. Attorney Higgins updated the board on the new Public Safety combined fire and police station building and said “we are past legal and financial issues and its now time to start on construction.” She said they did close on the bonds and Old National Bank Trust is holding the proceeds. Design dollars have already been paid through the Trustee’s Office. The board approved hiring of Pyramid Engineering, subject to review of Attorney Higgins, for engineering work. The Council has appropriated $150,000 in 2013 for the public safety build-
ing although it does not appear the money will be spent in 2013. The money won’t be lost as it comes from EDIT funds, but will have to be re-appropriated next year. She also stated the board needs to be thinking about someone to serve as the Clerk of the Works. It should be an employee of the city with construction experience who will go to the site to inspect the work on the city’s behalf. It needs to be done soon and when someone is chosen, the board will need to authorize that person to make changes up to a certain dollar amount. Attorney Higgins also announced the bids for the steel package will be advertised next week
and the following week, and will be opened at a special meeting on January 8, 2014 at 2 p.m., to be awarded at the regular meeting on January 9, 2014. Phase Two (which encompasses all of the other work) will be opened on February 6, 2014 and awarded February 20, 2014 . In other board action: • Fire Chief Wes Dixon announced he will be presenting Firefighter Robby Wilson with a letter of commendation for actions above and beyond the call of duty and for showing extreme compassion this week on a run in which a young mother lost her life.
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Posey Commissioners honored by IACC
The Indiana Association of County Commissioners (IACC) is pleased to announce that Posey County Commissioners Jim Alsop, Jerry Walden, and Carl Schmitz were selected IACC’s Achievement Award winners for ‘2013 Outstanding Team Effort for a Board of Commissioners.’ The award is in recognition of their outstanding team effort for their effort to land one of the largest economic development projects in the state in 2013 -- the construction of a new manufacturing plant by Midwest Fertilizer Corporation. The project involves the investment of over $2.1 billion and 250 employees. In order to make the project happen, the Commissioners were faced with the tall order of needing to issue over $1.2 billion in bonds to assist the company, and were given only a little over a month to do so. The Commissioners rose to this challenge, working together to complete perhaps the largest bond issue ever by a county in Indiana and strengthening the economic future of the county and southwest Indiana. Jim Alsop, Jerry Walden, and Carl Schmitz, Posey County Commissioners are the outstanding team
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of commissioners for 2013. The achievement award was given during the IACC’s 2013 Annual Conference, the largest gathering of County Commissioners in the state. The four day conference included several different workshops, and breakout sessions that were designed specifically for county commissioners and support staff. Coun-
ty Commissioners also had informal opportunities to discuss issues with their colleagues from other areas of the state. Officials met at the Sheraton Hotel, Keystone at the Crossing in Marion County to discuss and offer solutions for issues facing local governments. Commissioner Richwine and others attended several train-
ing workshops concerning such county related topics on Non Verbal Communication, Networking from County to County, Managing Risk and Cost in County Jail Medical Programs, Update on Health Care Reform, 911, What is your Emergency, Improving our County Roads, and On Line Permitting to name a few.
Indiana Association of County Commissioners President and Wayne County Commissioner Ken Paust presents the award to the Posey County Board of Commissioners.Left to right are Carl Schmitz, Paust, Jerry Walden, and Jim Alsop. Photo submitted
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Sports .........B1, 3-5 Bus/Ag ............ A12 Opinion ........... A14 www.poseycountynews.com