Wednesday, June 18, 2025
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County Council Approves YMCA Payment, Discusses Broadband
The Shelby County Council last night approved, on a 6-1 vote, a $200,000 payment to the Shelby County YMCA to fulfill an obligation laid out in a 2019 interlocal agreement. That agreement stipulated the county would contribute $1.575 million over 12 years to help fund the construction and operation of an indoor warm-water pool. The agreement was tabled at last month’s meeting. The county funding - matched by the City of Shelbyville and supported by major contributions from the Blue River Community Foundation and Major Health Partners - ensured year-round access to aquatic facilities for recreation, physical therapy and community programs.
Council member Kyle Barlow, who was not on the council when the agreement was approved, said he had checked around to better understand the rationale for the original agreement and had concluded, “It is what it is.” He suggested county residents should have received a discount or some benefit for the investment. “So, we are just giving this money, in my opinion, out of goodness of our hearts, or did give it,” he said.
Usage numbers for the YMCA show the facility continues an upward trend, with 27,956 total swim visits last year, which includes aquatic fitness classes, swim lessons and pool rentals. That includes 8,972 aquatic fitness class participants, 309 youth and 13 adults in swim lessons (132 individuals, ages 4 to 70, received scholarships) and 1,872 pool rental users.
In response to a question from council member Charity Mohr, county attorney Jody Dolder said the 2019 agreement does not allow the county to reverse course mid-stream.
“It's based on the language of the agreement, and this agreement doesn't have any language allowing future (county) councils to terminate the agreement,” she said.
Despite Dolder advising this was a contractual obligation, council member Jeremy Ruble cast the lone no vote. Ruble at the last meeting said he didn’t agree with the 2019 decision. “Due to changes with the tax structure that the state has implemented, we have to be much tighter with how we spend our money,” Ruble told The Addison Times following last night’s meeting.
In other business, George Plisinski, Vice President of Engineering at NineStar Connect, shared details on a proposed broadband expansion project in Shelby County and expressed concerns about federal changes to related programs. After responding to a 2024 RFI (Request for Information) and later a successful RFP (Request for Proposals), NineStar has developed a plan to address widespread broadband deficiencies, particularly in the northwest part of the county. While federal maps define broadband as 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, Plisinski emphasized that post-COVID demands, especially for video conferencing, highlight the need for symmetrical speeds.
The proposed project would create a 105–110 mile fiber ring around Shelby County, expanding on NineStar’s existing network (currently covering the northeast quadrant). As a cooperative, NineStar operates with a community-focused model and is provider-neutral: willing to sell access to any provider, Plisinski said.
The buildout includes $3 million in investment from Shelby County, with $600,000 in immediate funds from NineStar. The company will cover the full cost of fiber installation from the road to homes - regardless of distance - to ensure equitable access for all 1,764 addresses in the proposed project area.
Plisinski said the county group had applied for federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding and had been preliminarily awarded funds, but the program was abruptly paused in January. As of last week, the federal government revoked all preliminary BEAD awards nationwide. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) now has 90 days to develop a new application process, following a broader executive order that restructured elements of the Jobs Act.
“We thought maybe BEAD wasn’t the target, maybe it was just collateral damage,” Plisinski said, saying he was disappointed with the delay. NineStar had hoped to leverage both the county’s support and BEAD funds to first build a “ring” of fiber around Shelby County and then expand outward into underserved areas. Now, the county investment could serve as a critical first step to ensure momentum doesn’t stall while the federal program is restructured.
The council tabled the matter until August, and County Council President Brett Haacker said a contract needs to be presented in order for the council to move forward.
Also, representatives from the Shelby County Public Library shared updates with the council. The library and its board are exploring a $2 million general obligation bond to fund capital projects, including upgrades to the fire alarm system, elevators, and mechanical/electrical systems. The proposed bond would align with the library’s existing 2025 debt service levy, replacing the expiring 2021 bond without increasing the county’s tax burden, the presenters said. The library is working with Baker Tilly municipal advisors to finalize repayment scenarios and interest cost projections.
The council also heard an update from Advantage Shelby County officials. The current Ivy Tech Community College ASC cohort includes 111 students. Participants show higher retention rates than traditional Ivy Tech students and have contributed over 24,000 community service hours locally. The program receives approximately $400,000 in annual funding, split between the City of Shelbyville and Shelby County. Council members discussed residency and eligibility requirements, noting occasional exceptions for out-of-county students who graduate from a Shelby County high school, making them eligible for the program.
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NOTEBOOK:
Caldwell’s Inc. is now offering sanitation services. The Morristown company recently purchased Craney’s Honey Pots Rentals and Day by Day Sanitation, allowing Caldwell’s to offer full-service portable restroom and sanitation solutions for events, construction sites, emergency response efforts and other needs, a company media release said.
First United Methodist Church is celebrating its bicentennial, Sunday, June 22. A worship service is 9:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon and fellowship. The church is inviting the public - especially those who have been members - to join the event.
HOOSIER NEWS: It's going to heat up over the next week in Indy. According to a forecast from the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, we may see heat indices in the triple digits on June 22 and 23. (IndyStar)
NATIONAL NEWS: Right now, $45 billion is earmarked for an expansion to immigration detention space in the United States, and there are 41 companies that are vying to get a bite of the business. Currently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is funded to hold an average of 41,500 people in detention at a time. However, over 50,000 people are in detention today, and the administration has indicated a need for another 100,000 beds. (Bloomberg/Numlock)
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ANNIVERSARY ANNOUNCEMENT
John and Martha (Hester) Wetnight, Shelbyville, celebrate 65 years of marriage today. They were married June 18, 1960, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Shelbyville. They have two children, Jill Wetnight and Julie (Phil) Codding, and one grandchild. Mrs. Wetnight worked at Capital Finance and Shelbyville Paint and Wallpaper and is a former member of the Shelby County Public Library Board and Psi Iota Xi sorority. Mr. Wetnight was an owner and partner at Shelbyville Paint and Wallpaper for 45 years and is a former member of the Rush Shelby Energy board of directors and an AARP tax volunteer for 20 years. The Wetnights are members of Crossroad Community Church.
SHS Courier Archive Highlights
April 24, 1931
Mary Angel, Mary Conger, Evelyn Conner, Julia Harms, Ruby Porter, Eliza Walker and Evelyn Ziegler were chosen to be May court queen candidates. Robert Kunkle was the Lord Mayor. Other boys on the court were George Coffin, Morris DePrez, Richard Howard, Carl Metzler, William Spiegel and Joe Stine. The event had previously been called May Festival, but that term was discarded “because the program is to present the musical development and the growth of the school, rather than a pageant in school dresses of fanciful marches.” The event was to be called Music Festival.
Students discussed favorite foods. “‘Candy, cake, ice cream, chicken, what do you like?’ Ah! There’s Kenneth Junken, a big boy. One can almost tell by his looks that he likes heavy food. ‘What’s your favorite food?’ we ask. ‘Oh, ice cream,’ he says.” Charlotte Murphy ate an apple each day. Gertrude Smith said eating pickles kept her “slim.” Sylvia Strupe said bananas were her favorite. Mary Hamblen went with pancakes.
Members of the Aero Club continued work on obtaining an airplane, or at least parts of one. They planned to approach the school board to ask for funds.
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This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated by The Addison Times from Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department materials.
2005: Fairland United Methodist Church held a ground-breaking ceremony for a fellowship hall and classroom addition to the existing church building. Participants were Bob Esarey, Susan Davis, Brenda Bansheimer, Geneane Kinnett, Jim Harrell, Barney Boyd, Eric Reinertsen, Bob Taylor, Doug Harrell, Mary Lou Johnson and Samme Gladson. Other members of the building committee included Brad Bledsoe, Roland Schwartzkopf and Larry Earl.
1995: The Indiana Fire Marshal was investigating whether arson was the cause of a fire that gutted a school bus in Gwynneville. Witnesses said they had seen two men in the area shortly before the bus caught fire.
1985: Cloverdale High School hired Shelbyville High School’s Blake Ress as their principal. During his 17-year tenure at SHS, Ress had served in many capacities, including teacher, swimming coach, assistant football coach, athletic director and assistant principal.
1975: The Waldron Kiddies Day event on the Fourth of July would be paused for at least two years while the Waldron Community Club focused on the upcoming Bicentennial, John Billheimer announced. Kiddies Day had occurred annually for more than 20 years.
1965: General Services Administration officials discussed bids received to update the Shelbyville post office, which would include converting the heating system to a two-pipe hot water system with new gas-fired boilers, new lighting and A/C and a new addition to the building.
1955: A Shelbyville News photographer took a photo of Janet Coers, 12, and Janet Gahimer, 11, riding down Waldron’s main street on a horse. The horse was a surprise gift for Janet “who wanted a horse of her very one more than anything else in the world,” the paper said.
In an effort to help silver dollars circulate, all 160 Shelbyville National Guardsmen were paid in silver dollars. Shelby National Bank provided the coins.
1945: Morristown officials announced plans to sell the old National Guard Amory building, which had once been a school and later home of the Willard Hensley American Legion Post No. 102.
1935: A car in front of Wolf’s store backed out and struck the Ralph Edwards Funeral Home hearse, damaging both vehicles.
Over 5,000 people lined both sides of East Broadway, between Harrison and Pike streets, as local children competed for cash prizes in a series of five bicycle races. After the races, the SHS band led a bicycle parade and presented a 45-minute concert on Public Square. The band members were seated on the balcony in front of Hotel Shelby.
1925: Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church purchased the property of Samuel Walker, 720 Fair Ave., and adjoining property to build a new church. The old building and parsonage was sold to Charles Brummer. The new church would be located between Morris and Fair avenues in Walkerville and would have a double entrance, one door on Morris and one on Fair. Rev. Josephine Campbell was the pastor. There were three M.E. churches in the city.
1915: The combined value of horses in Shelby County was $815,780, the Shelby County Assessor said. The value of automobiles was $133,837.92. “The figures do not bear out the statement that is heard many times a week that gasoline is superseding the horse,” The Republican said. “In Shelby County, there are 12,839 horses, while the automobiles number but 648. In Shelbyville, the horses and mules number 324, and the automobile totals 169.”
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OBITUARIES
None today.