Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN
“Our lib “O liberties ti we prize, i and d our rights i ht we will ill maintain.” i t i ” Posey County’s only locally-owned newspaper
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
‘Wording’ keeps north Posey roads unrepaired By Valerie Werkmeister Road conditions for two northern county roads continue to worsen as attorneys try to fine tune language in an agreement that will spell out how the roads will be fixed. In the meantime, residents on Matz and Continental Camp roads are stuck in the middle. Road conditions have deteriorated due to heavy truck traffic from oil companies drilling in the Griffin oil fields. Residents brought their complaints to a commissioners meeting in February. Since that time, seven companies and their attorneys have been working to finalize the details of the agreement. Attorney Jacob Weis, an associate of county attorney, William H. Bender, informed commissioners that the agreement they signed during their April 22 meeting was not finalized. He stated a few of the oil companies attorneys wanted some of the language changed in the document. He noted that none of them have argued against the amounts each has agreed to pay in order to fix the roads. The disagreement only concerns some of the wording. Commissioners and highway superintendent Steve Schenk expressed frustration that things are not progressing faster. “The problem is that until there is an agreement, the road is in terrible shape,” Schenk said. He added that despite what some oil company representatives say, road crews can begin working on them anytime. He did offer some praise for Citation Oil & Gas Corporation as they have been very willing to work with the county on road repairs. Schenk stated he inspected the roads last week and after seeing their poor condition, he contacted David Carter of Citation Oil & Gas. Schenk said Carter had road repair equipment out the next day adding gravel to try to alleviate the situation with the potholes. He also noted they were the first ones to sign the agreement. He acknowledged adding gravel to potholes was only a short-term solution. “All I can say is, the sooner we get some-
thing in writing, the better,” Schenk said. “This deal where they’re telling everybody they don’t have to do anything until June 30…that’s way out of line. I’m going to start chip and seal roads next week; they can do the same thing.” Commissioner Jim Alsop stated the agreement needs to be from their position of strength. “It’s our roads. We can shut them down anytime we want. All we have to do is put a weight limit on it and they’re done. They need to come back to us. They need to do things the way we want them to do it as opposed to the way they want to,” Alsop said. Schenk noted that arrangements would have to be made with the Posey County Sheriff’s Department in the event weight limit signs are posted. In the past, signs have disappeared as soon as they are placed unless a deputy sheriff is there to monitor the road. Commissioner Jerry Walden expressed concern about the length of time it could take to reach an agreement. He suggested a shorttime frame deadline in order to get all parties in agreement or the commissioners would post the weight limit signs. Alsop further outlined Walden’s statement by adding he wanted an agreement reached by their next meeting on May 20. The commissioners would sign the document during that meeting and give each oil company 10 days to sign it as well. If this doesn’t happen, the road will be closed to allow only local traffic. All three commissioners agreed and approved the motion. Schenk continued with his report and stated county road crews would begin their work on recycling roads. The process involves a large piece of road equipment that grinds the roads in order to re-shape them and then chip and seal again. The process is a little inconvenient for car traffic since the equipment is too large to allow cars to pass. Due to that reason, Schenk said he would have to close Upper
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(USPS S4 439-500) 39 5 0 0) Volume 134 Edition 19
Fallen Officers Ceremony 2014
City and County Officers gathered at the Mount Vernon Courthouse Saturday morning to honor officers who have fallen in the line of duty. Those remembered are: Cyrus Thomas, PCSO 1878; Robert Randolph. MVPD 1934; Ralph Fisher, NHPD 1955; ‘Mac’ Buchanan, PCSO 1969; John Hatfull, ISP 1987; Paul Capes, MVPD 1988; Larry York, PCSO 1991; George Nelson, MVPD 1993; Robert Wood, ISP 1994; and Terry Cooper, MVPD 2007. Photo by Zach Straw
Mount Vernon Schools seek to cut healthcare costs By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the Mount Vernon School Board discussed initial measures being taken by the Health Insurance Committee to cut costs for the district at its May 5 meeting. An item being considered for some time now is an employer-sponsored health clinic. ”We are in the early stages of this idea and we are starting down the road into it,” explained School Superintendent Tom Kopatich. Board members learned that committee members toured two facilities providing clinic services to employees. This included the North Posey School District Clinic on Indiana 66 in Wadesville and the Evansville Library Clinic at the downtown central library. Both offer doctor and nurse visits, injections and vaccinations and medication. The District Insurance Committee is recommending that the board request proposals from health clinic providers to assess the benefit this would have on the district program. They agreed to do so and will collect information to determine if a health clinic
would be feasible. In other board action: • the meeting started with kudos to the MVHS Concert Band. Members earned a Gold Rating recently at the ISSMA State Concert Band Festival at Columbus North High School. In another source of school pride, permission was given for Mr. Hamm to conduct a summer chess camp and use the district facilities free of charge. Chess is outstanding in the district schools. • In personnel matters, the board confirmed the employment of Traci Baldwin as secretary at Marrs Elementary School. Due to this hire, they had to accept Baldwin’s resignation as a teacher assistant. They also accepted the resignation of Christine Franklin as the newspaper/yearbook sponsor at the junior high. Both resignations are effective at the end of the school year. • Justin Nelson resigned as assistant football coach effective immediately. • they granted permission to advertise for 2014-15 school year cafeteria bids on May
• granted permission to Mount Vernon Junior High School students to participate in the SeaPerch National Competition in Hattiesbury, Mississippi on May 16-18. • The next board meeting is slated for Monday, May 19, 2014 at 5:45 p.m. in the
Posey man accused of sexual assault Indiana State Police and Mount Vernon assaulted the woman at approximately 3 Police arrested a 46-year-old Posey County a.m. the morning of May 6, 2014 at his 1003 man this morning after an investigation re- James Drive, Mount Vernon residence. vealed he sexually assaulted a Wimberly was arrested, Mount Vernon woman earlier charged with Deviant Sexual this morning. Conduct, a Class B Felony, Indiana State Police Detecand taken to the Posey Countive Alan Sherretz initiated a ty Jail where he is currently criminal investigation after being held on bond. receiving information that LaThe investigation is conmar Wimberly, 46, of Mount tinuing. Investigating Officer Vernon, had sexually assaulted Detective Alan Sherretz of a 47-year-old woman. During the Indiana State Police was the investigation it was deterassisted by the Mount Vernon mined that Wimberly allegedly Police Department. Lamar Wimberly
Tour guides feel Mary Emily’s presence
Briefly New Harmonie Healthcare to hold Memory Planting Service New Harmonie Healthcare’s First Annual Memory Planting Service will be held May 14, 2014 to honor residents and loved ones who are no longer with us. The ceremony will start at 2 p.m. in the front yard. Join us for light appetizers and punch in the main dining room following the planting ceremony. Certify-By date set for Spring planted crops Greg Knowles, Posey County Executive Director, would like to remind farmers to certify their Spring planted crops by July 15, 2014. Planting dates are required to complete this process. Sign up for the 2014 Farm Program hasn’t started yet. Indications are that sign-up will start in the Fall. When the sign-up date is announced, it will be publicized. Please contact the Posey County FSA Office at (812) 838-4191, ext. 2 if you have any questions. Poseyville dance studio hosting Red Cross Disaster Relief benefit The Next Step dance studio, Poseyville, will be hosting a disaster relief benefit on Sunday, May 18 from 5 - 7 p.m., for the Red Cross. Jennifer Collins, the owner of the Posey County based studio, is coordinating a dance clinic where the Senior Dance Company members will choreograph and instruct a dance clinic for ages Keighth grade. The fee to participate is $15/per person and will benefit American Red Cross Disaster Services. The Red Cross will have staff present for the dance clinic and everyone is welcome to join us the day of the event.
Retrospective ...... A 4 Legals ...................B 5 Classifieds .... A11-12 Community ......... A 5
14 and 21. • Set bonds for school personnel who handle money for July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015. The high ranges from Mary Buchanan, District Treasurer at $50,000 to elementary cafeteria managers at $1,000 each.
By Lois Mittino Gray Mary Emily Fauntleroy’s spirit seems to be stirring these days just in time for the Bicentennial Celebration. In anticipation of the town’s celebration, the Fauntleroy Home was refurbished and reopened for tours last fall after a six year hiatus. Historic New Harmony Interpreters wonder if she is making her presence felt again because the renovations tended to undo everything she did to make it her personal home. Rachael Peyton, a junior student at USI from Corydon, who has been interning for Historic New Harmony since October, had her Fauntleroy paranormal experience about two weeks ago. “I was leading a tour group through the house when I starting hearing noises upstairs like footsteps. I looked and found no one there and became a bit distraught. I hurried my group out and I know they heard it, too. I know I was very
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Deaths .............. ...A3 Church ................ A 6 Social .................. A 6 School ................. A 7
HNH employees Rachael Peyton, left, and Amanda Bryden, right, peek in the door of the Fauntleroy home that was left ajar. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Sports ............... B 1 - 4 Bus/Ag ................ A 7 Opinion ............... A 8 TV Guide........ A9-10