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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 137 Edition 16 $1.00
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Multi-School Building board tables ‘mortgage agreement’ By Lois Mittino Gray Signing a trust indenture for eighteen million dollars is nothing to be taken lightly and members of the Mount Vernon of Posey County Multi-School Building Corporation Board of Directors voted to table what was referred to as a “traditional mortgage agreement” until they had more information. Members voted to delay signing off on the document at their April 10 annual meeting until a future date when they could meet with Jane Herndon, a lawyer with the Ice-Miller firm of Indianapolis, who prepared the document to borrow the eighteen million. Corporation Treasurer Mike Ashworth expressed reticence signing a document of such value with so many blanks in it as to interest rates and fee schedules. “We’re responsible for eighteen million taxpayer dollars here. Do
we approve it today and cross our fingers and hope it’s okay? I would be more comfortable if Jane were here to discuss these blanks to be filled in later,” he said. Other board members listened with keen interest to Ashworth as he is a retired loan officer for Fifth Third Bank and knowledgeable on these matters. Corporation Attorney Adam Farrar told the board that he wanted them to be confident of their action, but he assured them Herndon would tell them there are no unusual caveats here. It is a very standard agreement and everything is contingent on approval by the school board. The holding corporation board still were hesitant to sign and a meeting will be arranged for them with Herndon.
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Seniors cleared for competition By Valerie Werkmeister Two North Posey High School seniors are headed to Orlando, Fla., in May to take part in a national Business Professionals of America (BPA) competition. Devin Kiesel and Abby Abernathy appeared before the MSD of North Posey board members on Monday, April 10, to Ava Wright of Mount Vernon takes a second to sit with request permission for their overnight trip the Easter Bunny before heading out for the annual egg hunt to the National Leadership Conference sponsored by the SABIC Employee Activities Association at from May 10-14. Brittlebank Park Saturday morning. Photo by Stephanie West Abernathy stated 17 members competed at the state level and she and Kiesel both qualified for the national competition. She will compete in C++ computer programming and Kiesel will compete in java programming and PC troubleshooting and servicing. This is Abernathy’s second year to qualify to attend nationals. Jennifer Neidig, their instructor and BPA club Special to The News sponsor, commended her students’ abiliOn April 10, 2017, at 4:14 p.m. Devin Kiesel and Abby Abernathy will be attending the NaDeputies with the Gibson County tional Leadership Conference May 10-14 in Orlando, Florida. Continued on Page A13 Sheriff’s Office were assisted by the Photo by Valerie Werkmeister Owensville Police Department in serving a Felony arrest warrant on Nathaniel Casper age 22 of rural Owensville. Upon arriving on scene Sergeant Roger Ballard placed Casper The issue arose when employee into custody and transported him to Jeremy Farrar informed council the Gibson County Jail where he facmembers Ron Fallowfield, Bruce es three counts of Sexual Misconduct By Valerie Werkmeister meeting last Wednesday, April 12. Baker and Steve Ahrens that recent A review of the Town of Clerk-Treasurer Julie Mayo sug- water audit results showed the town with a Minor. In March of 2017 Sergeant Roger Poseyville’s ordinances on water and gested council members consider a is suffering from a 30 percent water sewer policies and potential changes policy in which adjustments to bills loss. The loss stems from multiple Ballard launched an investigation may give some users of the town’s are only given on the sewer portion issues. Bill adjustments are just com- into Nathaniel Casper following a report that was made to the Indiana utility sticker shock. of the bill. Water has already been ponent of the problem. Department of Child Services. In that Town council members discussed treated with chemicals that cost the The other problem is that old twoNathaniel Casper report Mr. Casper is alleged to have problems with “habitual offenders” town money. Writing off the entire of water leaks requesting write-offs portion of the bill causes the town to Continued on Page A13 Continued on Page A6 of their bills during their monthly lose money.
Owensville man arrested for sexual misconduct
Bill adjustments a growing issue Poseyville council discusses options
Briefly First Baptist Church: Spaghetti Dinner April 29, 4-6 p.m. East Tavern Street, NH North Posey Junior High: Peter Pan April 28, 7 p.m. North Posey High School Azalea Trail Committee: Azalea sale April 22, 10 a.m. - noon Riverbend Park
Water rate hike may appear on June bills Town attorney fields questions at Cynthiana board meeting By Valerie Werkmeister Proposed water rate increases for Cynthiana residents drew questions and concerns from some during the town board’s meeting last Wednesday, April 12. Town Board Attorney Jason Spindler fielded questions about how much the increase will be and when residents should expect to see them
on their bills. Spindler explained there will be an $11.55 increase on the minimum use of 2,000 gallons of water. For each additional 1,000 gallons, an additional fee of .89 cents will be placed. Spindler estimated the fees could be in place in June billing statements and residents would pay in July. Spindler also suggested to board
Cowell honored for services at State Park
Ladies Auxiliary: Pork Chop Dinner April 24, 4-7 p.m. NH American Legion Johnson United Methodist: Geranium and Fern Sale April 22, 10 a.m.-noon At the church
More information on these and other events inside today’s Posey County News
(USPS 439-500)
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Time well spent
Posey County Democrat Women: Bingo night April 20, open at 5:15 p.m. MV American Legion
Mt. Zion General Baptist: 4K Walk April 22, 10 a.m. At the church
president Todd Kennedy and Carolyn Price to table any action on the proposed increases until the May meeting. Board member Gary Smith was absent. Kennedy and Price agreed and called for another meeting with rate consultant Pat Callahan to ensure their understanding of the changes. A possible fee increase from German
Township Water Department may also cause the fee scale to change for Cynthiana. Action on purchasing security cameras for the park was also tabled. Price stated she is still seeking potential grants to offset the $5,000 cost for the camera system. Some questioned whether the expense was worth the trouble and whether the
Rod Cowell was named “Indiana State Parks Volunteer of the Year” for his services at New Harmonie State Park building and maintaining the mountain bike trails. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
By Lois Mittino Gray Rod Cowell was surprised to learn he was named “Indiana State Parks Volunteer of the Year” at the agency’s annual banquet held at Brown County State Park in March. The hardworking volunteer was presented the award at a later date by Jess Beck, Harmonie State Park Assistant Manager, who nominated him. She cited his over 200 hours of service toward building and maintaining the mountain bike trails in the park. As owner of ESC Vinyl Graphics in Evansville, he has also made all the map signs and graphics for the trails. “The award is not really about me. It’s about the team who has done all this work,” he modestly said. The team calls itself Harmonie State Park Mountain Bike (MtB) Trail Builders. The group has a formal meeting once a month in one of the park cabins with a core group of builders to discuss trail maintenance work needed to
be done, construction plans on new trails, and supplies to obtain with park personnel. Beck set up a private Facebook page only for the group to discuss progress and work schedules. Cowell named the main crew as John Baumgart ,Greg Lannert, Ron Dillback, Carla Harris,Tim Barnes and himself. “Others come and go according to their time constraints, but these have been the main core this year”, he noted. Right now, there are over sixteen miles of trails in the south end of the park, ranging in difficulty from easy to hard. By the time the whole project is finished, Cowell anticipates eighteen to twenty miles total in what has been called, “one of the premiere mountain biking trail sites in Indiana.” The trailhead and maps are located at the Sycamore Ridge Parking Area. A picnic
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