Thursday, April 18, 2024
SIGNS OF SPRING
photo by JACK BOYCE
Forum Hosts Primary Candidates, Part V
The six Shelby County Commissioner candidates, four Republicans and two Democrats, answered questions at last week’s Northwest Shelby County Concerned Citizens’ Coalition forum regarding any ordinances that need changed, and the candidates’ thoughts on public utilities, including broadband. Comments for both topics are included for each candidate below.
Republicans David Lawson and Tom Rogers are facing off in the Center District, with the winner facing Soviar, a Democrat, in the fall. J.T. Doane and Nathan Runnebohm are running on the Republican ballot for the South District seat, and the winner will face Democrat Joe Land.
Center District:
Lawson believes many current ordinances could be revised. “I think some of them just need to be more strongly enforced,” he said. As a farmer, he frequently deals with legal drains, and wants to ensure that companies in the county provide access to resolve drainage issues.
He would like to see studies regarding costs and benefits of water and sewer utilities, and know the number of people wanting to connect before making decisions. Lawson also said the county is “on the right track” with planning for broadband.
Rogers would like to increase the required green spaces for subdivisions and also said Shelby County ordinances should be easily accessible online, as they are in some neighboring counties.
He generally supports sewer and utility infrastructure upgrades, including broadband. “Fairland needs sewage and water,” he said, adding that further consideration should be given for the town to partner with the city of Shelbyville on utilities.
Soviar has personal experience interacting with the county drainage board given issues in her neighborhood. “There doesn’t seem to be any specific consistent way that we are approaching the maintenance of drains,” she said. She advocates for clarifying the process.
Soviar also believes it is important to understand the overall finances of the county before making utility decisions, but offered general support for water and sewer service upgrades. With many aging neighborhoods in the county, upgrades are important to attract new residents, she said. Soviar also advocated extending broadband access. “How can we claim we’re progressive if we cannot give everyone good access?” she asked, noting it was “necessary for development.”
South District:
Doane cited a recent drainage board case where something was done incorrectly in 2008 and now must be corrected. “It’s important for us to make sure that our ordinances follow the expectations of what we want,” he said.
He also supports proper utility services and finding as much grant funding as possible, including for internet service. “Broadband is critical,” he said. “We all recognize it, we all want it done. Let’s get it done. It’s necessary.”
Runnebohm sees the need to revisit ordinances periodically with expert input. He sees positive direction with the new surveyor helping with issues.
Runnebohm said he “absolutely” supports broadband. “These days, broadband is a necessity just like water and sewage.” He also advocated looking closely at grant funding.
Land said utility decisions should be made on a “case by case basis,” and encouraged collaboration. “I do think it’s time for our county to get in-line with the state and get up with the times when it comes to drainage issues and procedures,” he said.
He also advocated for further study of the benefits and costs of broadband, but said the county needs to move efficiently. “Implementing broadband in our county is not going to get cheaper next year,” he said, also citing a need for more competition among service providers in the county.
NOTEBOOK:
The Shelbyville Central Schools board last night approved the retirement of Shelbyville Middle School teacher Paul Ashbrook and the resignations of SMS teacher Cameron Hankins and Loper teacher Lisa Lee, effective at the end of the school year, and SHS teacher Royce Carlton, effective March 24. The board approved the transfers of Hendricks teachers Jacob Hamblen and Angie Eldridge to SMS. The board also approved hiring Emily Hasecuster to teach at Hendricks next year, Christopher Crenshaw to teach at SHS next year and Natalie Weber to serve as the Loper Social Worker next year. The board also approved an ECA (extracurricular activity) for Michael Turner, the SHS girls varsity volleyball coach, who will volunteer his services.
Shelbyville High School senior Jacob Harker was one of 13 seniors statewide to receive the IHSAA/C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship of $2,500. He will be recognized at the inaugural IHSAA Foundation Impact Awards next month. Harker is a three-sport athlete, competing in football, wrestling and track and field. He ranks fourth in his senior class of 228 with a 4.58 weighted GPA. Harker plans to attend Purdue University in the fall.
NATIONAL NEWS: Three sailors who attempted to embark on a fishing trip on a 20-foot skiff on March 31 in Polowat Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia did not return, prompting an extensive search. The men were found on April 9 on Pikelot Atoll, an uninhabited island 0.28 miles long and 0.17 miles wide located 115 miles away from Polowat. They were found by the U.S. Coast Guard, which searched 78,000 square nautical miles, after subsisting on coconuts and water from a well on the island, and were found because they did the thing you always see in movies where they literally spelled out “HELP” on the beach in palm tree branches, which was spotted by plane. (Jalopnik/Numlock)
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This Day in Shelby County History
2014: World War II veterans Dwain Laird, Paul Holzhausen, Betty Raymer and Bill Shaw gave thumbs-up reviews of their Honor Flight to Washington D.C. Former Sen. Bob Dole had met with the group at the WWII Memorial. It was the fourth Honor Flight trip.
2004: Business professionals located in the same city block as Shelbyville Fire Department No. 1 expressed concerns after a city committee discussed tearing down the existing fire station and three neighboring buildings to the east to build a larger, more modern station. Dr. Donald Robbins had bought his building, 30 W. Broadway, in 1984. Jim Cossairt said he was concerned about moving from 38 W. Broadway after 85 years of the company in the same location. Dr. David Clark was a tenant at 34 W. Broadway. Other sites discussed for the station included the Coca-Cola plant, the former Knights of Columbus Hall, the city parking lot on West Washington Street across from Major Hospital and the Kennedy Hotel.
1994: County schools affected by Shelbyville Central Schools’ decision to postpone the building of a new vocational center expressed concern about keeping vocational options available for their students. The vocational center would remain on St. Joseph Street for at least one more year, but portions of the building had been condemned. The SCS board had previously proposed a $7 million, 96,000-square-foot facility off Rampart Street, but state officials would not grant the necessary approvals.
1984: American Fletcher National Bank bought Shelby National Bank, ending Shelby’s 129-year run. Stockholders in Shelby lost their stock in the AFNB takeover. Shelby National’s closing was the 17th bank failure in the nation in 1984. “Pandemonium continues to pervade Shelby County today as talk about Thursday’s closing of Shelby National Bank enters nearly every conversation on street corners, in coffee shops and at government offices,” The Shelbyville News reported.
1974: The Shelbyville Central Schools board approved the following resignations: Randall Poyser, math and life science instructor; Janice Marshall, business education; William Ryle, industrial arts; Miriam Copeland, Spanish; Leroy Smith, history and varsity swimming coach, and Joseph Horton, band and music director. Copeland’s resignation was due to her reaching the mandatory 66 retirement age.
1964: Tippecanoe Press celebrated Francis “Hank” Siefert’s 40 years in the printing business. Company president Don Wickizer Sr. presented Siefert a cake and a certificate. Siefert was the firm’s letterpress foreman. He had started at the old Shelbyville Republican newspaper. Later, he joined the mechanical staff of the Shelbyville Democrat and remained there until 1945, when he joined Tippecanoe Press.
1954: Edward R. Adams, 14, a page in the U.S. House of Representatives, was home for a few days on vacation. A newspaper photo showed Adams looking at The News’ teletype machine, over which was received the first local report of a shooting in the House chamber a few weeks before in which five congressmen were wounded.
1944: A Boy Scout Cub Pack, to be known as No. 252, was formed at Colescott school. The pack would be open to those ages 9 to 12. Officers of the pack were G.K. Wolter, L.C. Lummis, A. Poe, Willard Schiesz, Nelston Castle, C.W. Wilson, A.H. Scheffer, Mr. and Mrs. Wray Orem, E.G. Kitchen.
1934: The Church of God announced plans for a new building, to be located on Colescott Street. A building on the northeast corner of Colescott and Miller streets was leased as a temporary place of worship for the congregation.
1924: James Emmert told The Republican that “Shelbyville needs to get the I & C right-of-way put in first-class condition. Riding on the traction is uncomfortable because of the jars caused by the poorly laid tracks. The line is dangerous to passengers! A car ran off the track at Colescott St. several weeks ago and the rail was split for two or three feet.” He also said the excessive noise was disturbing the peace for residents along the tracks.
1914: The Shelbyville High School baseball team won their first game of the season, a 10-9 victory over Fairland.
OBITUARIES
None today