South Gibson Star-Times

South Gibson Star-Times Opinion Tuesday, Februar y 18, 2020 B- 11 Letters to the Editor Time to zone is now We are sending this let- ter to you to express our opinion regarding the zon- ing of Gibson County. We believe the time has come to have guidelines for the benefit of all citizens of Gib- son County. We are fortunate enough to have brought in large in- dustry that has been com- patible and helpful for our families. We must also con- sider that not all future in- dustry, both agricultural and industrial, will be bene- ficial. They may cause prob- lems for our neighbors and the county as a whole. We know there is loud verbal opposition to zoning, but for the sake of our future, as well as that of our chil- dren and grandchildren, we must be pro-active in protecting our resources. Without zoning, we leave ourselves open to outsid- ers making decisions for us concerning our lifestyle, health and the ability to en- joy our way of life. We believe we need you commissioners to take the lead for the good of our county despite the protests. We believe you are strong enough to stand for what is right for the future of Gib- son County. Respectfully, Phil Hofman and Cindy Hofman Why do we choose Gibson County? My name is Sarah Hase- nour. I live in the town of Haubstadt. I am not on- ly writing on behalf of the many residents who seek to have their lives forev- er impacted by the pro- posed wind turbine devel- opment's plan to place tow- ering industrial wind tur- bines dangerously close to established residences, but I am also here as someone who loves my community and the people in it. Why do we choose Gib- son County? Don't we live here because we care about our towns and communi- ties? Our friends and neigh- bors? Don't we choose Gibson County because we trea- sure our wide-open spac- es, the beauty of living ru- ral? To be able to see the stars at night without the distraction of hundreds of red flashing lights? To be able to hear the sounds of crickets chirping? The ci- cadas in the summer trees? Don't we choose Gibson County because of our un- shakable values? The val- ues that choose people over profit? Don't we choose Gibson County because we want to be as far as possible from the every-man-for-himself view of the world that is pervading our modern cul- ture? Society likes to sneer at our way of life. They like to think that rural equals ig- norant, uneducated, gull- ible, expendable. We are none of those things. But we are vulnerable, because of our lack of pro- tections from profiteers who seek to use us — and leave us. Our vulnerabili- ty is very attractive to com- panies like RWE, formerly E.ON. It's like the person you know is no good for you. They say all the right things, woo us with empty promises of a better life, of fine things, of money. They quietly creep into our communities. They di- vide us. They pit us against one another. They take what they want from us. And then they leave town as quietly as they came in. Leaving us to deal with the fallout of our decision alone, forever. The forever blighted landscapes, the irrevers- ible impacts on our health, our safety, our wildlife, our quality of life, our commu- nities are forever changed. We've cut off our futures at the knees, because our chil- dren and grandchildren no longer have safe places to settle. And so they move away. And here we are, alone. Whilst companies like RWE return to the safety of their homes and their families with the money they earned from our vul - nerability. They turn us against one another, father against son, neighbor against neighbor. They thrive on our division. And so, I want to say that, no matter what side of this you are on — if you don't share my view, that is your right — you are my neigh- bor, and I still care about you. I care about you enough to beg you to consider all we have to lose. Let's protect one another. Let's protect the most vul- nerable among us. At the very least, let's protect our Doppler radar, our health and safety, our land, our val- ues, our way of life. That is our legacy. And while we don't all have to agree, let's remem- ber why we're all here in Gibson County. Because we love our homes. We love our neighbors. We love our way of life. Let's please remember that money won't ever love us back. If you feel the way I do about protecting the peo- ple in our towns and com- munities, I ask you to con- sider lending your sup- port and appealing to the APC and the Gibson Coun- ty Commissioners to help protect our citizens by re- quiring RWE to employ safe setback practices from non-participating prop- erties and, at an absolute minimum, to protect the effectiveness of our Dop- pler early warning system, by ensuring no turbines be located in the line of sight of the Owensville Doppler radar, which protects over 400,000 people in our sur- rounding communities. With gratitude and great love for my community, Sarah Hasenour Haubstadt RECEIPTS Governmental Activities PARK AND RECREATION General Property Taxes ........................... $ 973.37 Financial Institution Tax distribution .........$1.97 Vehicle/Aircraft Excise Tax Distribution .........................................$113.07 Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax Distribution (CVE T) .......................... $24.32 Total Park And Recreation ........ $1,112.73 TOWNSHIP General Property Taxes .......................$15,817.26 Financial Institution Tax distribution .......$ 31.98 Vehicle/Aircraft Excise Tax Distribution ......................................$1,837.34 Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax Distribution (CVE T) .........................$ 395.11 Other Receipts Earnings on Investments and Deposits ........................................... $2,128.21 Total Township .......................$20,209.90 TOWNSHIP ASSISTANCE General Property Taxes ........................ $4,866.86 County Option Income Tax (COIT) .... $ 8,322.00 Financial Institution Tax distribution .........$ 9.83 Vehicle/Aircraft Excise Tax Distribution ........................................ $ 565.34 Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax Distribution (CVE T) .........................$121.57 Total Township Assistance ......$13,885.60 PAYROLL WITHHOLDING Other Receipts Payroll Fund and Clearing Account Receipts .....................................$1,037.80 Total Payroll withholding .......... $1,037.80 DISBURSEMENTS PARK AND RECREATION Services and Charges Dynamic Discs ....................................... $ 5,000.00 Total Park And Recreation ........$5,000.00 TOWNSHIP Personal Services Shawn Spear .............................................. $ 850.00 Andrew Goedde ......................................... $ 850.00 Mike Priar .................................................. $ 850.00 Patrick Bengert ...................................... $ 5,200.00 United States Treasury .............................$ 397.80 Supplies Wal-Mart ...................................................... $107.87 Wal-Mart stamps ......................................... $22.00 A.E. Boyce Company Inc .......................... $161.11 Office Depot ................................................$267.49 Services and Charges Dewig Meats Food Bank .......................... $ 560.00 South Gibson Star Times ............................$ 94.57 Princeton Publishing ................................ $259.20 Patrick Bengert rent ................................. $ 840.00 Wilzbacher Mowing Service ................ $1,800.00 B.B. Byers CPA ...........................................$133.00 Indiana Township Association ................ $250.00 M and M Hardware ....................................$218.11 Naas and Son LLC .................................. $2,000.00 Cincinnati Insurance .................................. $ 90.00 Other Disbursements Trust Indiana .......................................$ 50,000.00 Total Township ....................... $64,951.15 TOWNSHIP ASSISTANCE Township Assistance Vectren ........................................................ $767.04 Haubstadt Water ........................................ $ 500.00 Tower Construction ...................................$150.00 Rick and Vicky Knapp .............................. $400.00 Total Township Assistance .........$1,817.04 PAYROLL WITHHOLDING Personal Services United States Treasury ..........................$1,037.80 Total Payroll withholding .......... $1,037.80 JOHNSON TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES REPORT TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THE COUNTY AUDITOR, THE STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTS JOHNSON TOWNSHIP, GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019 Beginning Cash Ending Cash & Inv. Balance at 2019 2019 & Inv. Balance at Funds January 1, 2019 Receipts Disbursements December 31, 2019 Park And Recreation $16,273.40 $1,112.73 $5,000.00 $12,386.13 Township $171,639.59 $20,209.90 $14,951.15 $176,898.34 Township Assistance $55,253.20 $13,885.60 $1,817.04 $67,321.76 Payroll withholding $959.81 $1,037.80 $1,037.80 $959.81 Total All Funds $244,126.00 $36,246.03 $22,805.99 $257,566.04 CERTIFICATION State of Indiana SS: Gibson County I, Patrick Bengert, Trustee of JOHNSON TOWNSHIP, Gibson County, Indiana, do solemnly affirm un- der the penalty of perjury that the preceding report is complete, true and correct; that the sum with which I am charged in this report are all of the sums received by me; and that the various items of expenditures credited have been fully paid in the sums stated; that such payments were made without express or implied agreement that any portion thereof shall be retained by or repaid to me or to any other person. I further affirm that a complete and detailed annual report, together with all accompanying vouchers showing the names of persons having been paid money by the township, have been filed as required by law in the office of the County Auditor, and that copies of such annual report are in custody of the Township Board and the State Board of Accounts. Said report is subject to inspection by any taxpayer of the township. Patrick Bengert, JOHNSON TOWNSHIP Trustee Telephone: 812-664-6691 Date this report was published: February 18, 2020 Subscribed and sworn (or affirmed) to before me, the Chairman of the Township Board of JOHNSON TOWNSHIP at its annual meeting, this 12th day of January, 2020. Andrew A Goedde, Johnson Township Board Chairman is report was received, accepted, and approved by the Township Board at its annual meeting, this 31st day of January. Johnson Township Board Michael Priar Shawn Spear Andrew A. Goedde (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp LEGALS LEGALS NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS OF ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of Town of Owensville, Gibson County, Indiana, that the proper legal officers will consider the following additional appropriation in excess of the budget for the current year at their regular meeting place at 103 S. Main Street, at 6:30 p.m., on the 3rd day of March, 2020. Fund Name: General Fund Amount Major Budget Classification: Personal Services: $59,000 Other Services and Charges: $23,400 TOTAL for the General Fund: $82,400 Taxpayers appearing at the meeting shall have a right to be heard. e additional appropriations as finally made will be referred to the Department of Local Government (Department). e Department will make a written determination as to the sufficiency of funds to support the appropriations within fieen (15) days of receipt of a Certified Copy of the action taken. Dated: February 18, 2020 Vanessa Riggs, Clerk Treasurer (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF GIBSON COUNTY APC PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Gibson County Advisory Plan Commission's public hearing originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. at the Toyota Events Center is being postponed until March. is meeting has been delayed because the APC is considering comments from prior public hearings for inclusion into a newly proposed ordinance. Further public commentary will be sought on this proposed ordinance, as so revised, once provided to the public. A new date in March for the rescheduled public hearing will be announced next week. (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS OF ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of Gibson County, Gibson, Indiana, that the proper fiscal body will consider the following additional appropriation in excess of the budget for the current year at the location of the North Annex at 225 N. Hart Street, Princeton, Indiana, at 9:00 a.m., on the 10th of March, 2020. Fund Name: 1000 County General Major Budget Classification: Personal Services: $52,083.00 TOTAL for County General Fund: $52,083.00 Taxpayers appearing at the meeting shall have a right to be heard. e additional appropriation(s) as finally made will be referred to the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF). e Department will make a written determination as to the sufficiency of funds to support the appropriation(s) within fieen (15) days of receipt of a Certified Copy of the action taken. Dated: February 11, 2020 Sherri Smith, Fiscal Officer (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp LEGALS LEGALS LEGALS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ere will be a special council meeting on February 19, 2020, at 3 p.m. at North Annex, 225 N. Hart Street, Princeton. e topic will be Broadband. ere will be a presentation as well as discussion about potential grant money. Sherri Smith, Gibson County Auditor (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp COURT CLAIMS TO BE ALLOWED 2/18/2020 Ads - Evansville LLC ........156.29 Amy Ellis.................. 574.40 BI Inc. ...................2,440.35 Business Communications Solutions, LLC ..... 3,954.50 Lamar Companies ...........1,450.00 Matthew Bender and Co., Inc. ............296.31 McKesson Medical-Surgical ....... 31.13 National Test Systems ........... 288.10 Office360 ................... 11.72 Patty Dyehouse.........45.50 Popai, Inc. ...............125.00 Reconnect, Inc. .... 1,001.00 Staples ......................35.50 Vickie Andrecht ....... 104.12 Grand Total ........ 10,513.92 Duly submitted this 12th day of February, 2020 Sherri Smith, Auditor (February 18, 2020) hspaxlp SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 812-753-3553 We're not afraid to shed some light on the truth. South Gibson STUDENT CORNER Indiana Farm Bureau now accepting 2020 student scholarship applications Indiana Farm Bureau is now accepting applications for its student scholarship program for the 2020 -2021 school year. Each year, INFB awards 13 scholarships to incoming or current college students who are pursuing a career in agriculture. The scholarships offered are the Mar- ion Stackhouse Memorial Scholarship, two Collegiate Farm Bureau Scholarships and 10 Carolyn Hegel Memorial Scholar- ships. The scholarship money can be ap- plied to tuition, housing, books and oth- er educational expenses. The Marion Stackhouse Memori- al Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship named after the former INFB president, who served from 1976 to 1987. The schol- arship is awarded to one student annual- ly, based on their educational successes and career aspirations. Additionally, IN- FB awards 10 district scholarships. The Carolyn Hegel Memorial Scholarship is a $500 scholarship named after the long- time INFB second vice president, who served the organization for 26 years. Applicants for the Marion Stackhouse Memorial Scholarship and the Carolyn Hegel Memorial Scholarship must be in- coming or current college students pur- suing a degree in agriculture and mem- bers of INFB. For existing Collegiate Farm Bureau members, INFB awards two $1,000 schol- arships annually. Winners of these schol- arships must be members of an INFB col- legiate chapter at Purdue University, Vin- cennes University, Huntington Universi- ty or Ancilla College. "Indiana Farm Bureau is pleased to help support young men and women pur- suing a future in agriculture through our annual scholarship program," said Isabel- la Chism, INFB's second vice president and chair of the women's leadership com- mittee. "It's a great honor to grant these scholarships each year. If you know a stu- dent who meets the criteria, please en- courage them to apply." To apply for a scholarship, visit INFB's scholarships and grants page. The deadline to apply is March 1. The application asks students to detail their educational success- es and answer several questions about their future educational and career goals. Many county Farm Bureaus also offer annual scholarships for students in their area. To learn more, visit www.infb.org and visit the Grants and Scholarships page under the Resources tab. Gibson County Sheriff's Office accepting scholarship applications Gibson County Sheriff Timothy Bot- toms, announced that the Indiana Sher- iffs' Association will again be awarding college scholarships to qualified high school seniors or college students who are pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies. There will be approximately 40 – $750 scholarships awarded to qualifying students throughout the state. The Indiana Sheriffs' Association Scholarship Fund was established for the purpose of receiving, investing and dispensing of funds to provide college scholarships to qualified students who are committed to pursuing an education and career in the law enforcement field. To qualify for one of these scholarships, the applicant must be an Indiana resident, be a current member of the association or a dependent child or grandchild of a cur- rent member of the association, attend an Indiana college or university, major in a law enforcement field and enroll as a full- time student (12 hours). Applications needed to apply for the scholarships are available from your high school counselor or the sheriffs of- fice. The scholarship application can also be downloaded from the Indiana Sheriffs' Association website: www.indianasher- iffs.org. The applications must be com- pleted and received by the Indiana Sher- iffs' Association on or before April 1. FAFSA Now Open For 2020-2021 School Year Hoosier students and families are en- couraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is now open for the 2020 -2021 school year. With over $ 350 million in state finan- cial aid available, as well as billions of dol- lars in federal aid, the Indiana Commis- sion for Higher Education reminds Hoo- siers it is more important than ever to file the FAFSA by April 15, 2020. All students should file the FAFSA, re- gardless of family income. In addition to determining eligibility for state and fed- eral financial aid, many colleges require a completed FAFSA to award merit and need-based scholarships. Filing the FAF- SA is critical for Indiana's 21st Century Scholars, who must file on time in order to earn the state scholarship that pays for up to four years of college tuition. Students can file the FAFSA online at FAFSA.gov or by using the myStuden- tAid app. The U.S. Department of Edu- cation provides email and live chat assis- tance for FAFSA filers as well as a help- line at 800 -4FED-AID. Hoosier families can also find FAFSA help through INvest- Ed Indiana at www.investedindiana.org. For questions about state financial aid, students can contact the Indiana Com- mission for Higher Education by phone at 888 -528 -4719 or via email at awards@ che.in.gov.

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