SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Volume 136 Edition 20
Elementary gymnasiums are reality at North Posey
North Posey School officials prepare to cut the ribbon during the ceremony held to officially commemorate the opening of the new school gymnasiums this week at North Elementary and South Terrace. Pictured from left are Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp, board members Geoff Gentil, Amy Will, Gregg Schmitt, Brett Stock, Vince Oakley, Asst. Supt. Angie Wannemuehler and South Terrace Elementary School Principal Kelly Carlton. Photo by Valerie Werkmeister
By Valerie Werkmeister Nearly $9 million later, the new gymnasiums at South Terrace Elementary School (STES) and North Elementary School (NES) are finally complete. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for both gyms last Monday, May 9, prior to the MSD of North Posey School Board meeting. Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp stated it the project was the largest in the school corporation’s history. Students and parents have had the opportunity to view and use the gyms. According to both principals, Kelly Carlton and Shannon MacMunn, students have been very excited to be in the new spaces. Bleachers will be installed in both facilities later this summer. During the school board meeting following the ribbon-cuttings, STES kindergarten teacher Shalane Niemeier gave a presentation to the board members on how she utilizes her iPad in the classroom. She demonstrated a program called ‘Plickers’ that she said her students love to play. The game reviews necessary skills in a game-like format that is also very user-friendly for Niemeier. The program grades the students’ responses immediately and she is able to assess which students may need additional review time
for a certain skill. Last month, Carlton requested to purchase eight iPads for classroom use with ECA funds. She amended that request to include one additional purchase. The board approved her request. NES will see new playground equipment following the board’s approval for the PTO to purchase equipment with nearly $20,000 raised from their fundraiser earlier in the school year. In addition, former student Kyle Payne will construct a 12x24 shelter as part of his Eagle Scout project on the kindergarten through second grade playground. The shelter will be open with a concrete floor that will provide some sun relief for students during hot, sunny days. Once the final pricing for the shelter has been determined, the PTO plans to purchase additional playground equipment for the other two playground areas if the budget allows. The board stated they will pay for the cost of the concrete floor if PTO budget falls short. Camp informed board members that the district had received a considerable savings on their energy usage following improve-
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Community Watch program is a hit in Cynthiana
Long-awaited MV Nuisance Ordinance clears first hurdle
By Valerie Werkmeister A few Cynthiana residents aim to make their community a safe place to live. They have revived a community watch program and plan to meet prior to town board meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. About dozen residents were present for the first meeting last Tuesday and community watch organizer, Crystal Porath, was pleased with the turnout. They have created a Facebook page titled ‘Cynthiana Watch’ and are a separate entity from the town board. They have distributed flyers throughout town to help make everyone aware and to encourage involvement. Some of the concerns they have addressed included dogs and cats running loose, speeding on Evansville and Main Streets and nuisance ordinance violations. Cynthiana Town Marshall Andy Porath said he wanted residents to be aware he is patrolling and watching for people speeding. He has notice that most of the offenders are local residents and not people from out of town. Porath has also called for a voluntary dog registration program. He hopes the voluntary program will allow dogs running loose to be returned to their rightful owner. Residents are encouraged to contact him to obtain a special number that will be assigned to their pet. If the dog is captured by animal control, it will also be easier to return. Town board member approved declaring the former police car as surplus. The striping will be removed prior to it being offered for sale via sealed bid. A notice regarding bids will be advertised in the Posey County News two weeks prior to the June 14, town board meeting. Bids will be opened during the public board meeting that evening. The new police car sustained hail damage during a recent spring storm. Porath stated the insurance adjuster has already examined the car and he believes the hood and the trunk hood will need to be replaced. The town is waiting to hear additional information from the insurance company before it can proceed with the repairs. Town board members discussed a few projects they hope to complete with grant money from the Community Foundation. They intend to apply for the grant from the Oursler Grant that is specifically set aside for use only in Smith
A few county bridges are also in need of repair. Recently, the bridge over Little Creek on John Mills Road has been closed. It is a historical bridge since it is one of the few remaining bridges with iron trusses. It cannot simply be torn down. Another bridge on Springfield Road is on the verge of being condemned, Schmitz stated. They hope to use some of the funds for these repairs. Finally, some of the funds, maybe as much as $500,000, will be used to pave roads. Schmitz said they will begin preparations to apply for matching grant fund money. A tax abatement was approved for Consolidated Grain and Barge Company. (CGB) Last month, CGB President Steve O’Nan gave council members a presentation on $31 million of improvements planned at the Mount Vernon plant. They will add five new full-time employees as well as several construction jobs during the improvement process. Based on a scoring matrix, council members approved a nine-year tax phase-in for new equipment and a 10year tax phase-in on real property.
By Pam Robinson After lengthy discussion on Thursday evening, Mount Vernon City Council members unanimously passed on first reading the socalled nuisance ordinance, or ‘An Ordinance Addressing Chronic Problem Real Properties Within the City of Mount Vernon, Ind.’ The proposed ordinance covers private residences, not businesses. What looks good on paper often proves difficult in reality. Indeed, council members and audience members alike brought up concerns about the proposed ordinance. Council members must pass a second and third reading before the draft becomes final. Before the meeting, Mount Vernon ClerkTreasurer Cristi Sitzman provided a copy of the proposed ordinance to local media. The proposed ordinance states in the beginning its purpose: ‘The Common Council (Council) finds that excessive calls for service to problem areas, trouble spots, or high-activity areas, place an undue burden on public safety resources, which may result in decreased public safety services being provided to other geographic areas of the of City of Mount Vernon, Indiana.’ Councilman Andy Hoehn stated during the meeting, “The city is tying up manpower and assets to the tune of $125/hour making these nuisance runs.” The proposed ordinance goes details what constitutes a chronic problem property. The property must have ‘had not less than five valid complaints in ninety (90) calendar days’ and must receive ‘not less than five letters’ issued in a 90-day period ‘by the Code Enforcement Officer and/or the Building Commissioner and/ or the Street Department’ to seek the property owner’s compliance with the law. When the property ‘consists of more than 50 dwelling units,’ such as ‘residential rental properties, hotels, motels or similar properties offering overnight lodging,’ then the proposed ordinance states ‘more than twelve (12) verified complaints, ordinance citations, letters seeking compliance involving nuisance activity. . .in any ninety (90) day period’ must be issued.
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Jim Overfield showed off his 2014 Mustang 5.0 at the Pony Express ‘Second Saturday Cruise In’ at River Bend Park on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Zach Straw
Posey roads to benefit from COIT By Valerie Werkmeister Thanks to a one-time state distribution of $1.7 million in Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) funds, more Posey County roads will see improvements this year. Posey County Commissioners President Carl Schmitz addressed members of the Posey County Council during their meeting last Tuesday May 10, regarding how the funds will be spent, with the permission of the Council. Schmitz stated 75 percent of the funds are directed by state guidelines to be used on enginerring, construction, surveying, and maintenance of roads. The other 25 percent may be placed in the count’s Rainy Day Fund but must be spent on the same purpose within two years. Schmitz stated he would like all the funds to be placed in a special fund designated to only be spent on roads. Council members agreed. He added one of the biggest items the commissioners would like to use the money to is to pay for the engineering work for the new bypass around Mount Vernon. He said survey work has already begun and many residents who live in the area are anxious to know the exact path the bypass will take.
Posey County Historical Society to meet May 21 The Posey County Historical Society will meet on Saturday, May 21, 2016 in the Collections Room (Door Four) at Hedges Central in Mount Vernon. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. and will feature Jane Saltzman, Vice President and Collections Chair, sharing some of the items new to the Society’s collection. All members and friends are invited to attend. PCHD to hold immunization clinics The Posey County Health Department will hold immunization clinics at the Coliseum, Room 20, in Mount Vernon, Ind., from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. on the following days: Thursday, May 19, 2016 and Thursday, May 26, 2016. Appointments are not needed for these clinics. For questions, contact the Health Department at 812-838-1328. KG Relay For Life Tractor Pull scheduled for May 29 On May 29, 2016 Keck Gonnerman will hold the Relay For Life Tractor Pull at the Posey County 4H Fairgrounds, at the Keck Gonnerman Track. Pull starts at 2 p.m., gates open at noon. Garden tractors and Antique tractors will pull with all proceeds going to the local Posey County cancer group. Call Dave Morlock 812-550-3315 or Bill Esche 812-429-0035 with questions. Poseyville Memorial Day ceremony planned for May 30 A Memorial Day Service will be held Monday, May 30 at 9:45 a.m. at the Poseyville Community Center.
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NH Garden Club hosts DNR’s Allison By Lois Mittino Gray When New Harmony resident Don Williams learned how the rare crawfish frog likes to inhabit crayfish mounds, often two at a time, he exclaimed, “Oh my, I bet I killed thousands of those endangered frogs in my lifetime kicking in those mounds.” He was listening to noted naturalist Harold Allison tell about a survey he conducted for the state DNR looking for the rare medium-sized frog that likes to hang out in crayfish burrows, sometimes with the crayfish engineer still in it. “They live in grassy type prairie areas that were once part of the landscape in southwestern Indiana,” he told members and guests of the New Harmony Garden Club
Harold Allison and Don Williams discuss knocking down crayfish tunnels as children. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray at its Saturday, May 14 meeting at netically superior for disease rethe Workingmen’s Institute. DNA sistance. He explained that those is collected from the frogs that are eggs will be collected to try to refound during the survey and sent establish populations elsewhere. to Purdue University for analysis Continued on Page A3 to determine which colony is ge-