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POSEYVILLE AUTUMNFEST INFORMATION.
Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN
“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
$1.00
(USPS PS 4 439-500) 39 500)
Volume 133 Edition 39
North Posey employees rewarded
By Valerie Werkmeister Many MSD of North Posey employees will see a salary increase beginning next year. School board members met for a special meeting on Monday, September 16, and approved increases for administrators, teachers, cafeteria staff and bus drivers. Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp presented the twoyear teacher’s contract that covers 2013-2015. The contract includes a $750 increase for teachers who receive a highly effective or effective rating on their evaluations. The district will also provide funds in health savings accounts for those who take part in the high deductible health plan. The district will pay $1,500 for those on a family plan and $750 for those with a single plan. All former New Harmony teachers will be moved to the North Posey contract. A new salary scale for new hire teachers was also created with the new contract. In addition, qualified teachers will be paid a stipend in March 2014. Funds for the stipend come from the Excellence in Performance Grant. Board members also approved an increase for school counselors. The specific amount will be based on their evaluations. Administrators will receive a $900 increase which cost the district $4,500 combined for all. In March, they will also receive another increase with a $1,000 stipend. Bus drivers will receive a $2 per day increases and Little Kayla Meyer takes an active role in one of the demonstrations a $300 stipend each, that will be paid in March 2014. at the Kunstfest on Sunday. Early numbers show that this was probably Altogether, the salary increase cost the district $11,538 the most successful Kunstfest ever. The weather was perfect. Photo by and the stipend totals $8,100. Drivers for extra-curricular activity trips will receive a $1 per hour increase Dave Pearce
while substitute drivers will receive $3 per day. There has been a shortage of bus drivers in recent months. Salary increases for cafeteria employees cost the district total of $5,730. Camp stated each employee will also receive a $300 stipend in March. Substitute cafeteria staff will receive a $1.42 per hour increase and the student cafeteria worker was given a $.25 per hour increase. Summer student workers received a $.67 per hour increase and custodians also received an increase of $1.27 per hour. The final increase was given to corporation level and building level non-certified staff. A total cost of $31,350 in salary increases was approved. A total $31,000 stipend will be paid in March. Camp concluded that he felt good about the districts’ finances. He was pleased to be able to come up with a package that allowed every employee to receive a stipend and salary increase while not laying off anyone. Board president Steve Bender shared his sentiments adding he was pleased that the board is cost conscious and that many employees are very good at being frugal with their expenses. In other business, the board approved: •Jeanette Sturgell’s resignation from the cafeteria. Tonna Seibert was chosen as her replacement. •Brandon Barrett’s resignation as the high school girls’ tennis coach, effective immediately. The next board meeting will be on Tuesday, October 15, at 6:30 p.m. This meeting will include the district’s proposed plan for new voting districts. The public is invited to attend the meeting.
Posey County tax records will soon be visible online By Valerie Werkmeister Viewing Posey County tax records online will soon become an added convenience for the treasurer’s office. Treasurer Justin White informed the commissioners of his plan to use an online tax search, view and pay service during their Tuesday, September 3, meeting. He stated he was excited to bring the plan to the commissioners as it will significantly reduce the number of calls his office staff fields on a daily basis. Currently, anyone seeking information about tax records must call the office or visit the office in person. White stated Posey County is one of only six other counties within the state that does not currently utilize an online service. He would like to use F.E. Check Protectors, who charge an initial service fee
Community Calendar Posey Women sell Kuchens The Posey County Women’s Club will be selling Kuchens at the Poseyville Autumnfest, September 28 and 29. We will have cherry, cinnamon, and apple again this year for $5.50 each. Our proceeds go to our Carol Renee Lamar Scholarship Fund. Please come and help support the Women’s Club of Posey County and enjoy the wonderful Autumnfest. St. Philip Burgoo The St. Philip Burgoo will be held on Sunday Sept. 29, 2013. Drive-thru and Carry-out begin at 7:30 a.m. Bring your own containers for carry-out or containers are provided for a nominal fee. Cafeteria serving is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This menu includes burgoo, hamburgers, pies and drinks. Along with the burgoo there will be a Raffle with a grand prize of $20,000 and 20 other prizes. Only 3,000 tickets will be sold and you need not be present to win. A $20 donation is required for each ticket. The Burgoo and Raffle are sponsored by the St. Philip Men’s Club. St. Philip Catholic Church is located 6 miles west of Evansville out Upper Mount Vernon Road, or West on Lloyd Expressway to the St. Philip Road sign. GE/Sabic Retirees’ luncheon The General Electric/Sabic Retirees’ luncheon will be held October 9 at the Red Wagon Restaurant in Poseyville at 11:30 a.m. Reservations should be made by October 4 by calling Charles Huck at 682-4219, Charles Crabtree at 437-1353, Susan Huelsmann at 682-3290, or Rose Benton at 643-0016.
of $6,500 as well as an additional $6,300 annual charge. White also stated that the service will open the door for out-of-state buyers to search for, purchase and pay for properties online when they are offered through the commissioner’s tax sales. The service will allow payment using all major credit and debit cards. Since taking office earlier this year, White has been able to reduce his office’s budget by about $2,300. He has taken a proactive approach to increase office efficiency for his staff while reducing costs with office supplies, part-time clerical help and a reduction in the property tax billing budget. Commissioners were receptive to the idea and were ready to vote on the measure but decided to table it until their attorney, William H.
Bender, had a chance to review the contract. During the September 17 commissioner’s meeting, Bender stated he had reviewed the contract and did not have any conflicts with the document. Commissioners approved the plan and White will proceed with Phase 1 of the program. After much discussion, commissioners decided to proceed with the demolition of the former jail and boys’ home with their approval of Russell’s Excavating low bid of $42,000. Bids for the project were received earlier this summer, but the commissioners delayed a vote to explore grant prospects. Commissioner Jerry Walden read an e-mail from grant writer, Debbie Bennett-Stearsman, which outlined some of the challenges in seeking approval for the EPA Coalition Brownfield grant. In
New Harmony to receive $500,000 from Rural Affairs
By Lois Mittino Gray Elated with the exciting news that the town received a half-million dollar grant, members of the New Harmony Town Board looked to the future and planning for it at the September 19 meeting. They discussed the stormwater project, perpetual cemetery care and development, the fate of the old school building, burying a bicentennial time capsule and the possibility of an Innkeepers Tax. The Board passed ordinance 2013-9 establishing the Stormwater Grant Fund to deposit the $500,000 grant received from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs on August 31. Board Member Don Gibbs explained that this will keep the Johnstown area of New Harmony and the Playtopia area
of Murphy Park and environs from flooding. Board members are planning to travel to Indianapolis as a group on November 5 to a dinner accepting the award. Resolution 2013-3 was passed to develop a community action plan for the revitalization, preservation, and expansion of Maple Hill Cemetery. “This is something that I’ve been working on as it needs action,” Board Member Andrew Wilson noted. The town accepted the perpetual care of the cemetery in 1986. “It is our town’s to care for forever, a special spot, it’s even on the National Register of Historic Places. We need to develop a long term working plan to take care of it,”
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order to be eligible for the grant, the commissioners would need to seek approval from five different government agencies, including the Historic Preservation Office. This was cause for concern since the historical society may prefer grant funds to be used to restore the building, rather than be used for demolition. The grant process would
also take an additional 60-90 days before a decision would be made. The timeline for the Russell’s Excavating bid expired on September 3, making it necessary to either act on or reject the bids. Commissioners Jim Alsop and Carl Schmitz both expressed con-
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Mount Vernon residents to face trash pick-up increase By Lois Mitino Gray The Mount Vernon Common Council got the ball rolling on revitalizing the downtown district up Main Street by approving it as a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) area at its September 19 meeting. Former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel attended to answer questions and to present the resolution of the City of Mount Vernon Redevelopment Commission designating the boundaries of the district and the plan. “This is the opportunity for the City Council to weigh in on the redevelopment plan,” Weinzapfel explained. “On August 16, the Redevelopment Commission identified properties for acquisition to redevelop and worked on a master plan. The Area Planning Commission approved the resolution on September 16 stating that it conforms with the overall master plan for the county. Now it’s before your group to approve.” The next step is a public hearing tentatively set for October 11 with the Redevelopment Commission for public input so everyone can comment on the plan. Weinzapfel outlined the geographic boundaries of the area to run north from the Ohio River to the railroad tracks north of Tenth
Street, bounded in parts by Mill and Locust. Twenty one parcels for potential redevelopment have been identified in the plan, with 19 of those on Main Street, one on Water and one on Fourth Street. The TIF district allows for low interest loans to rehab and repair subpar and dilapidated structures. Weinzapfel added that the tax district will have a baseline assessment done in 2013. When it is assessed in 2014, any value above that line will be collected through the TIF and be realized revenue in the first tax allotment of June 2015. .Councilman Bill Curtis proposed an amendment to the plan. He felt extending the area on the north end to Grant Street one block past the tracks would be a clearer delineation, including the small triangle of land at Mill and Grant. Resolution 13-21 was approved by the council as amended with the extra parcel. Councilwoman Becky Higgins inquired how this TIF designation will affect taxes for residents in the area and was assured by Weinzapfel that there will be no effect. Several other ordinances and resolutions were passed. The Weed
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During the swearing-in ceremony held Tuesday, September 17, 2013 Judge Jim Redwine swore in Mary Hoehn, left, as Posey County Recorder, Cynthia L. Schneider, middle, as Chief Deputy Recorder for Posey County, and Mathew Brian Jeffries, right, as Mount Vernon City Councilman, District One. Photos submitted
Retrospective ...........A 4 Legals .......................... B 7 Classifieds ............B9-10 Community ..............A 5
Deaths ........................A 3 Church ........................A 7 Social ..........................A 6 School .........................A 8
Sports .......................B1-6 Bus/Ag ........................A 9 Opinion ....................A12 www.poseycountynews.com