RECORDER T H E
R I S I N G
www.theohiocountynews.com
S U N
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Issue No. 19
75¢
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
An old barn and well are among the safety concerns at the Denver Siekman Environmental Park which prompted the Rising Sun Ohio County Park Board to halt all activities at the park until the issues have been addressed.
Park closed for safety issues Tim Hillman Recorder-News Editor risingsun@registerpublications.com
The Denver Siekman Environmental Park has been officially closed to the public after a special meeting of the Rising Sun Ohio County Park Board on Tuesday, May 1. Board member Dale Shultz shared photos taken at the park
which raised safety and liability concerns after the park board voted to take over the environmental park at the request of the county commissioners who own the land. A concrete well had already been filled in by county workers prior to the meeting. In addition to that well, three additional wells are located on the property located off Ind. 56 south of Rising Sun.
There are other buildings of concern including an old barn and house, all of which are safety issues. Board member PG Gentrup acknowledged the concern but noted that once the issues are solved it will make a better park. Commissioners Connie Brown, Todd Walton and Shane Koons were in attendance at the meeting along with attorney John Stroup and county councilmen Doug Baker, Tammy
Elbright and April Hautman. Once all is cleaned up then address the liability issue. Koons noted that the county highway workers have a three week period to work on resolving the safety problems. Safety overrides everything, noted board member Laurie Stegemiller. Larry Bailey, member of the Denver Siekman Environmental Park
Board, said their continues to be a lack of communication between the two boards. Bailey asked that boards the barn be salvaged that have historical value. After the decision to suspend activities, Janie Eldridge, DSEP director, was busy cancelling upcoming events including an Alternative Energy Workshop originally scheduled for this weekend.
Phelps named to school board TIM HILLMAN RECORDER-NEWS EDITOR
The Rising Sun Ohio County School Board reviewed four letters of interest before selecting Tim Phelps as replacement for Mike Hussong during a special board meeting Tuesday, May 1. Phelps, a former candidate for school board, was selected after his letter of interest was reviewed in executive session along with those by James Jenkins, Tom McKay and Kim Hussong. There was no public discussion and no interviews were conducted of the interested candidates. However, in Phelps’ letter, he noted that “my having my own children enrolled in the school system will motivate me to perform any and all duties required of the position.” McKay’s letter of interest included his employment with the Dearborn-Ohio
SEE PHELPS, PAGE 12
WEATHER TODAY
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Friday
Mostly clear
TIM HILLMAN
John Maxwell Sr. above left, watches as John Maxwell Jr., above right, explains how things went during the big push which is shown completed at right.
Big ‘push’ for boat ramp completed Tim Hillman Recorder-News Editor risingsun@registerpublications.com
The Rising Sun riverfront was packed with spectators on Friday, May 4 as a near world record concrete “push” was made by Maxwell Construction. The Dearborn County based contractor pushed one of the largest boat ramp slabs ever to be completed and
10 feet shy of a world record. The new 9 lane boat ramp is 145’ X 45’, 8” thick and nearly 300 tons of concrete pushed by 1600 horsepower of eight Caterpillars. John Maxwell Sr. deferred comment to son John Jr. who said the new boat ramp should be operational for the July 4 holiday. He credited great weather in April for the successful completion of the project thus far. Maxwell poured the boat ramps at
HIGH .......68 LOW......43 HIGH .......70 LOW.....44
Saturday
Clear
Sunday:
Partly cloudy
Monday:
Partly cloudy
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INSIDE COMMUNITY DEATHS SPORTS
5 4 7-9
Copyright Register Publications, 2012
129th Year, No. 19 TIM HILLMAN
Eight Caterpillars made the big push of the boat ramp with local contractors, including Randy Robinson Excavating, shown at right, taking part.
Lawrenceburg but this is the biggest and most unique project. “ I saw it being done on U-Tube and deciding this was the definite way, to go,” said John Maxwell Jr., who has since posted the company’s own U-Tube video on the internet done by Randy Maxwell. Helping out with the big push was Woody Bucher. Maxwell said,” I think he was as nervous as I was.” Afterward, Bucher praised the joint effort in making the push a
success. “seeing local contractors working together is kinda neat,” he noted, as Robinson Excavating and McGraw Excavating supplied help. “Maxwell is great,”he added. “We’ve done a lot of firsts together including the flood gate on US 50.” Many members of the Ohio Valley River Cats Catfish Anglers Club were in attendance as they host an annual catfish tournament in September. Also in attendance were SEE ‘PUSH’, PAGE 12