FALL AGRICULTURE SECTION INSIDE TODAY!!!
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P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 139 Edition 44
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
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SABIC celebrates $30 million Posey investment By Dave Pearce The Mount Vernon location of SABIC took on an even more prominent role for the company recently. On Wednesday, local Economic Development leaders, company officials, and city and county government members were on hand at the Posey County facility to celebrate the official inauguration of the $30 million State-of-the-Art Technology center for ABS engineering. ABS is Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. Company officials expressed great pride in the Mount Vernon facility and its attributes including the friendly environment that has been provided by the people of Posey County and county government officials. “It is a special day for us,” said Ahmed Youssef, Senior Manager of the ABS Processing Program. “I want to give a special thanks for all those who came in from SABIC leadership, the SABIC executive team and, of course, I want to offer thanks to our community leaders.” “Today, we are not only celebrating the addition to the US and Mount Vernon SABIC facili-
ty, but we are also celebrating technology,” said Rolf Scherrenberg, SABIC global technology director of Engineering Thermoplastics. “But we are also celebrating technology integration with Manufacturing.” He went on to say the investment shows SABIC’s commitment to growth and investment in the Americas and more specifically to the Mount Vernon Plant in Posey County. “We are here to demonstrate yet another step in our journey,” he said. “This is very strategic for us. Mount Vernon is where manufacturing and technology blend together.” He also expressed pleasure in saying the project was completed in time and under budget. Jenna Richardt, Executive Director of the Posey County Economic Development Partnership, responded on behalf of the economic development community in general. “I want to begin by thanking SABIC for allowing our community to be a part of such an awesome opportunity,” Richardt said. “They
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Cutting the ribbon celebrating the official inauguration of SABIC’s new $30 million state-of-the-art facility in Mount Vernon are, left to right, from left: Greg Adams, Jim Ellis, Wendy MacNamara, Ahmed Al-Shaikh, Jenna Richardt, Rolf Scherrenberg, Andulrachman Al-Fageeh, Sergi Monros, and Ahmed Youssef. Photo by Dave Pearce
MV teachers approve 2-year contract By Lois Mittino Gray Members of the Mount Vernon School Board signed on the dotted line, after approving a new contract between the district and the NEA Mount Vernon Teacher’s Union at their October 21, meeting. NEA President Staci Reese penned her name on the agreement, which covers the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, as audience members watched. The collective bargaining agreement is posted for viewing at www.mvschool.org, under the School Board tab. The evening meeting opened with a public hearing on the proposed document to give any person wishing to speak the opportunity to comment on the tentative teacher pact. No comments were made at that time. Board Member Beth Higgins asked School Superintendent Matt Thompson if he received any written comments or calls at his office during the week. “Nothing at all, no calls, no visits, not even any stops in the grocery store,” he quipped. The contract was approved unanimously, and Thompson told President Reese he appreciated her group’s work ethic and cooperation at the bargaining table. The biggest changes are in the teacher salary scale. The scale for 2019-2020 sets a base starting teacher salary with zero years’ experience at $35,507. It goes up incrementally to year 15 at $44,507. The scale for 2020-2021 sets a base starting teacher salary with zero years’ experience at $37,000. It goes up incrementally to year 15 at $46,000. Level of placement for experienced Wadesville’s Ben, Laura, and Brooklyn Phelps, enjoy teachers, who are new to the district, shall be determined by the the Trunk or Treat held at Saint Francis Xavier Church Superintendent after review. A new teacher with a Master’s Degree in his or her content area on Sunday afternoon. Photo by Teresa Bratcher will receive an additional $3,000 added to the starting base sal-
School Board President Mark Isaac and Board Member Beth Higgins watch as NEA Mount Vernon President Staci Reese signs her name to the new teacher contract agreement. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray ary. A new teacher who does not possess a Master’s degree in content area at their hire date will be placed no higher than ten years. Any new teacher coming into the district already receiving a state teacher retirement pension at their hire date will be placed no higher than five years on the scale. Continuing MVSD teachers rated Effective or Highly Effective will be given Base Salary Increase shares as calculated. The contract also addresses staff training development, compensation of extra duties, perfect attendance
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MV budget, salaries approved
A packed house attended the ‘big check’ presentation by Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch at Mount Vernon City Hall Friday afternoon. The $700,000 community development block grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs will fund 4,400 linear feet of new water line to replace the 130-yearold lines down Eighth Street. From left, Mayor Bill Curtis, and council members Larry Williams, Beth Higgins, Mark Clements, Mark Pharr and Crouch. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
By Lois Mittino Gray Planning for the New Year, the Mount Vernon Common Council passed four ordinances on third reading at its October 24, meeting that cover wages and salaries, and appropriations and tax rates for 2020 Ordinance 19-15 delineates appropriations and tax rates for the city for the year. The adopted budget was set at $6,995,634, with $4,442,257 of that as the proposed amount adopted to raise through a tax levy rate of 2.7635. A complete list of city funds and rates can be found online at the Indiana Gateway website or available at City Hall from Clerk-Treasurer Christi Sitzman at any time. Ordinance 19-16 establishes salaries and wages for the appointed officers and city employees for next year. Some examples are: the Police and Fire Chief will both earn $51,313 annually, while the Street Commissioner is paid $48,241 a year. The Utilities Superintendent is paid $38,650 from the Water Utility Fund, plus $38,650 from the Sewage Utility Fund
each year. The Sewage Plant Operations Superintendent earns $49,960, the Building Commissioner gets $23,961 and the Animal Control Officer rounds up $37,955. From a separate Parks Board budget, the Parks and Recreation Director earns $52,693 a year and the Youth Center/Pool Director gets $46,183. A complete list of all salary and hourly positions is at City Hall. Ordinance 19-17 sets the salaries of the elected officers for 2020. Mayor Bill Curtis and Sitzman are paid from three sources. The Mayor is paid $33,434 from the General Fund, $6250 from the Water Utility Fund, and $6450 from the Sewage Utility Fund, for a total annual salary of $46,134. The Clerk-Treasurer is paid $26,450 from the General Fund, $11,260 from the Water Utility Fund, and $10,760 from the Sewage Utility Fund, for a total annual salary of $48,470..
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Lions Club will continue to light up July 4th sky Adelphia Motorcycle Club steps up to the plate to help financially
Mount Vernon Lions Club President Ken Rudibaugh accepts a check for $5,000 from Adelphia Motocycle Club to help pay for July Fourth fireworks. Photo submitted
(USPS 439-500)
By Pam Robinson The Mount Vernon Lions Club will help its community celebrate the Fourth of July with a bang in 2020, thanks primarily to the local Adelphia Motorcycle Club. Adelphia club members paid a surprise visit at the Lions Club meeting held Tuesday, October 22, and presented a donation of $5,000 to guarantee next year’s fireworks show at Riverbend Park. “We had no idea this [donation] would happen. It came out of the blue,” states Past President and Lions Club Coordinator Ken Rudibaugh. “I’m just glad the community stepped up and saw the need—that the Lions Club can’t do it [the fireworks] by ourselves. That [donation] blew my mind. It was very exciting and made us feel good that the people are wanting to help support it [the fireworks].” Rudibaugh confirms only $3,200 had been donated previously toward the 2020 Fourth of July fireworks. He explains the fireworks show costs between $8,000 and $10,000, depending on the number of minutes in the show and the size of the fireworks shells. The $5,000 dona-
tion was essential to combine with the $3,200 in previous donations to see any Fourth of July fireworks in Mount Vernon next year. The Adelphia Motorcycle Club formed just this past January with 11 members. As Adelphia Treasurer Lisa Theodosis explains, the word Adelphia means brotherhood or sisterhood—a family—and all members are Posey County natives. Eight members grew up together in the Mount Vernon schools, she adds. “Most of us are from Mount Vernon, and we couldn’t imagine not having a fireworks,” Theodosis states. “We all have taken our kids and grandkids, and we all thought, ‘There’s just no way we can go without fireworks.’” The Mount Vernon Lions Club isn’t the only recipient of donations this year from Adelphia Motorcycle Club. “We like to help different organizations,” Theodosis states. The riders have blessed several community organizations by parking cars at nonprofit events and by collecting donations. In Mount Vernon, the club’s list
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