SEE POSEY HARVEST 2015 AND ELECTION EDITIONS INSI INSIDE! DE! Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1882
E, “OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZ L MAINTAIN.” AND OUR RIGHTS WE WIL Posey County’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
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Volume 135 Edition 43
Posey County Jail project one step closer to reality By Valerie Werkmeister There’s no question the need for a jail expansion in Posey County is necessary. The question that remains is how to fund it. Posey County Council members discussed and weighed various funding options during their October 13, meeting. The expansion calls for an additional 20,000-square-feet of space to the east of the existing jail. A central control area will allow
360-degree view of new pod-type cells and new day only type cells for trustees and those on work-release programs. Posey County Prosecutor Travis Clowers said they’d like to see the work release program expanded. The 40-year old jail is due for a few renovations, none of which has been done since it opened in 1978. Additional classrooms and updates to the kitchen, laundry and medical areas are planned.
The real need for the expansion is due to House Bill 1006 that went into effect July 1. The bill aims to reduce inmate populations in state prisons by a mandate that says Level 6 felons will remain in local county jails. Thus, the financial burden of housing these inmates will be foisted upon the county. The burden will be felt in counties throughout the state as they attempt to find solutions to house the additional inmates.
Commissioners asked the council to give their nod of approval to proceed with entering a contract with engineering firm RQAW to work on the schematic design for the project. Council members agreed to move forward and the $130,000 expenditure will be paid via the county’s Rainy Day Fund. Auditor Kyle Haney said the fund will be replen-
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Ivy Tech Co-op program to benefit MV students By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the Mount Vernon School Board entered into a memorandum of understanding at its October 19 meeting. The understaning is between Ivy Tech Community College for an innovative College Connection Coach program. It started October 1 and will continue to June 30, 2016, with automatic renewal unless written notice of termination is provided. The program is a cooperative effort between the two county high schools and the college. North Posey and Mount Vernon will each get the coach two days a week and then will alternate the third day every other week. The coach is an actual employee of Ivy Tech, but both area high schools will sit in on introductory interviews for this position before the college will make
the final choice. This program will permit Ivy Tech to offer an Early College Program. This allows high school students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously. Dual credit may be earned in both general and technical education classes. If the class is taught at the high school, there will be no tuition fees. If a student attends one on campus, the standard fees apply and they arrange their own transportation. The coach will help students develop a Career Development Plan on how to use these dual credits toward career goals. The coach develops a relationship with students to encourage and assist them in enrollment in college and persistence in degree completion, employment
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These clowns enjoy the Trunk or Treat activities Sunday afternoon at St. Francis Church in Poseyville. The clowns are Tonna Seibert, Karen Pritchett, Dianna Thorsen, Roger Pritchett, and Chris Thorsen. The fall weather was perfect for the event which followed the Poseyville Women’s Club costume contest at the Poseyville Community Center. Photo by Dave Pearce
Cost of health insurance concerns board, employees By Valerie Werkmeister MSD of North Posey administrators will receive a $1,000 salary increase thanks to a four to one vote by board members during their meeting on October 13. Administrators who received an evaluation rating of effective or highly effective will receive the increase. In addition, the corporation froze its contribution to administrators’ health insurance plans. The corporation will contribute $5,400 for a single plan and $16,327 for a family plan. Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp stated
payment of the administrators’ health insurance plans date back to 2004 when it was provided as an additional benefit in lieu of a salary increase. Since that time, health insurance costs have skyrocketed and Camp felt it was best for the corporation to freeze the amount it contributes to their health insurance plans. Future health insurance increases will be encumbered by the individual. Administrators currently pay $1 if they choose the single health insurance plan or $1,000 for the family plan. The board also recognized that adminis-
Briefly
trators who select one of the high deductible health plans will receive a $750 contribution into their health savings account for the single plan or $1,500 contribution for the family plan which is similar to the master contract the teachers approved. The contributions to the health savings accounts will be paid in February 2016 and 2017. Vince Oakley was the lone board member who questioned the timing of the board’s approval to grant the salary increase. He expressed concern about granting a flat $1,000 raise to the administrators.
“There’s no other certified employee that we’ve given a flat raise to up to this point, including the superintendent. I’m just, I’m a little concerned about being consistent across the board,” Oakley said. He felt the board should wait until they know the specific amount teachers will be granted for their salary increases. It is unclear the specific amount teachers will qualify to receive until after ISTEP scores from student testing this spring are released by the state.
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Wadesville’s VFW goes out giving
Keck Gonnerman to hold annual Harvest Dinner and Dance Keck Gonnerman will hold their annual Harvest Dinner and Dance on November 14, 2015 at the Posey County 4H Fair Community Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with a Fried Chicken Dinner provided by St. Matthews Men’s Club beginning at 6 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by The Works with Katie Beste York. Cost is $25 per person. Tickets can be purchased at Hawg’N’Sauce and Silverwood or by contacting Richard Kaufman 812-480-4733, Jody Kaufman 812-480-9167, Katie Hoehn 812457-4713, Candy Morlock 812-550-3316, Brian Pierce, and Kim Dyehouse 812-4551789 in downtown Evansville. Must be 21-years-old or older and ID will be required.
Mount Vernon Bicentennial Committee extends deadline The Mount Vernon Bicentennial has extended its Bicentennial Celebration book pre-order deadline. The new deadline for orders for the hardbound book is now November 16 and the deadline for paid ads is November 30. We welcome paid ads for family histories, churches, organizations and businesses. Also, the Bicentennial Committee has opened a store for T-shirts, Bob Pote water color prints and other items for sale. The store will be open on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month inside Beacon Insurance, 1284 Main Street (next to Green Duck Salon). The hours are 10 a.m. to noon on those days. For more information call Becky Higgins at 812-204-7388.
Posey County Council on Aging plans Nashville trip Posey County Council on Aging Nashville Tripwill be December 7-9, 2015. This is a three-day, two-night trip. The trip includes a visit to Opry Mills, then dinner at Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater, guided tour of Nashville, photo stop at the Parthenon, a ride the Delta Flatboats inside Opryland Hotel, and backstage tour of the Grand Old Opry House. Cost is $319 for a double occupancy. Please call 812-838-4656 to register.
By Lois Mittino Gray In what was to be their last hurrah, the few remaining members of the Wadesville VFW Post 6576 met at Old National Bank to give Posey County Community Foundation Director Monica Spencer a check for $38,400 to go toward county needs. It was the group’s last official meeting as they have disbanded and given all they have left in the treasury to the charitable cause. “This great donation will now be matched dollar for dollar and put in our unrestricted fund,” explained Spencer. “Our partnership will create a lasting stream of funding and will continue the good work of the VFW in the community today and for generations to come. We are so happy to help the VFW continue to invest in the community they’ve served so well.” Past Post Commander and State
Senator Jim Tomes said, “It makes our members of the Wadesville VFW Post 6576 proud to continue the legacy of this post by virtue of establishing this foundation. We’re grateful to have the ability to help people with this now and into the future.” Another Past Post Commander Charles Huck added, “This belongs to the people of Posey County and it should stay here in Posey County.” Members nodded their heads in agreement as he spoke. To generate the funds, a Wilson auction was held on August 8 to divest the post of all property. More than 150 people stopped in to witness the final act of selling all of the kitchen equipment, tables, chairs, hosts of American flags, memorabilia, and even 30-year old wedding favors. At noon, the post building that was formerly the Wadesville High School’s Red Devils gym-
nasium sold for $21,500 to a local builder/developer in a bittersweet moment. When the building originally went up for sale due to consolidation in 1960, the members voted to bid up to $6,500 for the building and six acres of ground. At the auction, it was clear the price was going to go way past the $6,500 so some members held a meeting right on the spot and agreed to sign a note for the money needed to buy it. The post now had its new home! A mortgage burning was held in 1976. The post was a real boon to the community and supported many charitable organizations. An itemized list covering from November 23, 2014 to June 16 of this year detailed a total donation of $16,800 to 34 organizations. These included honor flights for veterans,
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Courthouse to open for early voting The courthouse will be open for early voting on Saturday, October 31,2015 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
BMV hours change due to Election Day Kent Abernathy, Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), announced today that BMV license branches located in counties that have November 2015 municipal elections will extend hours of operation on Monday, November 2 and on Tuesday, November 3 to issue ID cards and driver’s licenses that may be used for identification at a polling place. Branches in counties that have November 2015 elections will be open on Monday, November 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Tuesday, November 3, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. These license branches will only process new, amended or replacement ID cards, and renewed, amended or replacement driver’s licenses and learner permits. New driver’s licenses and learner permits will be processed provided the customer has previously completed all required testing.
MV Elks hosts annual Make It Bake It Fake It auction The Elks will have its annual Make It Bake It Fake It auction on Saturday, November 7 at 7 p.m. We will have dinner at 6 p.m. Andy Winiger will be the auctioneer. The event is open to the public.
PC Preschool Screening Clinic set Preschool Screening Clinics to assess developmental skills, speech/language skills, vision and hearing are offered to children ages three, four, and five at no cost to the parent. Monday, November 2, 2015 - Located at Hedges Elementary, Mount Vernon, Ind. Please call the Posey County Special Services Office to schedule an appointment at: 812-838-5516 or 800-779-6927.
Bus/Ag .................A9 Classifieds ........ B 7 - 8 Community...........A4 Church...................A7
From left, Past Post Commander Harold Neumann, Mel Dogan, Past Post Commander Charles Huck, Current Post Commander Dave Schile, Foundation Director Monica Spencer. Back row: Gary Wilson, Gayla Schapker, Past Post Commander Jim Tomes, Quartermaster Don Mattingly, and Jerry Walden. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Deaths .................... A3 Legals ...................B4 Opinion ................A10 Retrospective........A5
School ....................A8 Social .....................A6 Sports ...... .........B1-3 TV Guide...........B5-6