The Press-Dispatch
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Three sections 30 pages Eight inserts Wednesday, January 30, 2013 75¢ Volume 145 Number 5 Phone (812) 354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-340) Mayor field full of candidates By Andy Heuring Saturday morning when the three Petersburg Republican Precinct Committeemen meet to select a new mayor to replace Jon Craig, they will have numerous candidates with diverse backgrounds. As of Tuesday afternoon, six people had submitted their applications to Pike County Republican County Chairman Mike Goodpaster, and two others were considering it. Goodpaster said he was accepting applications until 9 a.m. Wednesday, January 30. All applications are required to be submitted 72 hours prior to the caucus. Craig left the office of mayor officially on Friday, January 25. Goodpaster has a 9 a.m. Saturday meeting in the courthouse auditorium scheduled to select a replacement. That duty falls to the Petersburg precinct committeemen. There are four precincts in Petersburg, but because no one applied or was appointed to one of the precincts, only three people will take part in the appointment. Those precinct committeemen are Jon Craig, Dave Miley and Larry Evans. The field of mayoral candidates is: Lisa DeJarnett-Punturi, Ron Gladish, Don Wyatt, R. C. Klipsch, Frank Coleman and Gary Leavitt. These six have turned in their applications to Goodpaster to make it official. Mike Voyles said he was still contemplating whether to make an application. Don Horrell said late Tuesday he had decided not to file. Below is a brief biography of each candidate who had filed as of Tuesday and some of their comments about the position. Don Wyatt was mayor of Petersburg from 1972 to 1975. He worked for the railroad for 33 years and recently with the community corrections program. Wyatt said he wasn't really thinking Continued on page 2 Jerry Alvey, 54, of Velpen was killed Tuesday morning in a chain reaction accident when the Mustang he was driving went under a semi-trailer on Highway 64 at the intersection with Highway 257. Joan Pritt, 77, also of Velpen, was seriously injured. Velpen man killed in Tuesday crash By Andy Heuring A Velpen man was killed in a three-vehicle accident at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Highways 64 and 257. Jerry Alvey, 54 of 8964 E. SR64, Velpen was killed when his 2003 Mustang was hit by a semi-truck in a chain reaction accident. Master Trooper Frank Coleman of the Indiana State Police said Leonard Gogel, 48, of Birdseye was driving east on Highway 64. Trooper Coleman said Joan Pritt, 77, of 3916 S. CR900E, Velpen was driving north on Highway 257 and drove into the side of Gogel's semi-truck, hitting it in the saddle tanks on the right side. Trooper Coleman said the impact spun Pritt's 2006 Toyota Matrix 180 degrees, and then the trailer wheels hit the back of the Toyota and knocked it off the south side of Highway 64. "Pritt's car was actually hit twice by the semi," said Coleman The impact caused Gogel's semi-trailer to slide at an angle into the westbound lane across the centerline. Alvey was driving west on Highway 64 and was hit by the trailer. Trooper Coleman said Alvey's Mustang wedged under the trailer and was dragged about 50 feet backwards. As the tractor of the semi left the road it caused the trailer to tip onto its side, dislodging the Mustang. Alvey was pronounced dead at the scene. Pritt was taken by ambulance to a meeting point with an air ambulance and then transported to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. Gogel was not injured. Highway 64 was closed until 2:30 p.m. Schools facing deep financial problems Corporation is $6 million in the red By Andy Heuring Pike County's school board has a special executive session set for 4:30 p.m. today. They will discuss their strategy for collective bargaining with the teachers and have a consultant work with the board on budgeting. The two are tied together, as school of- ficials try to divert a growing financial crisis for the school corporation. Last Wednesday, Pike Superintendent Suzanne Blake met with Pike County teachers to inform them the school is about $6 million in the red. Blake said that figure varies depending on who you ask. She said Pike County Schools began spending more money than they received in 2009 – about $200,000 more. That trend has continued and gotten bigger each year. Last year the Pike County Schools general fund budget was $14 million. This year the Indiana Department of Local Government and Finance only approved a budget of $12.5 million. Pike County Schools will get $11.7 million dedicated to the general fund. Blake said the school will have to borrow from other funds to cover the difference. She also said just because only $12.5 of their budget was approved, doesn't mean they didn't need all of the $14 million. Salaries and utilities add up to $14 million. School board vice-president Dave Waltz said "How we got here is, prior administration and Indy cut our funding over a couple of years in a big way. . . It hit us hard. We are trying to figure out a way to recover from it." Blake said it isn't something that just happened overnight. She said the corporation has been taking steps to deal with it. In July 2012 they took several steps to reduce expenses including: freezing administrative salaries, not replacing several staff vacancies, reducing non-certified positions and approving a master teacher contract that was "status quo for 2012-2013." Then last week she invited all staff to a district-wide meeting to review the school district's finances. She reviewed the various funds of school budgets, revenue sources and expenditures, especially the generContinued on page 5 Water plant stays Winslow water costs predicted to decrease; rates to increase Apryl McDowell and her husband Chris sit with their children. Apryl recently passed the GED test and is working towards a Certified Nursing Assistant license. Chris has started his GED classes and is interested in becoming an EMT. GED first step to better future for McDowell By Alden Heuring In a narrow room with one column of tables, a group of about 10 students sits quietly waiting for class to begin. Yellowed books are stacked under old computers along the side walls. There is no idle chatter. As class begins, all eyes are on the board in front, where David Weathers, the teacher, explains the proper use of commas in a series. No notes are passed. No one giggles. Everyone is here to learn— even the student who brought a full-size bag of Doritos, who only munches when he's finished copying the notes from the gray-stained whiteboard. This is not high school. This is GED class. Apryl McDowell, a Petersburg resident who recently passed her GED test, is now working towards a Certified Nursing Assistant license. Apryl lives in a trailer with her husband Chris and six children, ages 5 to 12. She is a stay-at-home mom who wants PIKE PUBLISHING to be a nursing assistant. She dropped out of high school at age 16 and came to the Pike County Adult Education program when she was 29. She's done her time at GED class, conquered the fear of failure that haunted her and told her she could never pass the GED. Even when faced with health problems and the daily struggles of raising six kids, she didn't quit. "I did it because I wanted it for me and for my kids, and for that satisfaction," she said, "but also to get a better job—to get a job—that's better paid for my family, to take care of the kids better." What McDowell did was an eight-week GED class that is in session Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every week at the Adult Education Center in Petersburg near the Old Petersburg Gym. Students learn the skills they need to pass the GED (General Educational Development) test, which cerContinued on page 2 WHAT'S INSIDE: Local ..........A1-8 Classifieds..B9-11 History ...........C9 Obituaries ......A3 Church .......C1-7 Sports ........B1-4 Opinion..........C2 NEWS TIPS: Phone:........................354-8500 Fax: ............................354-2014 E-Mail . editor@pressdispatch.net By Alden Heuring Winslow's water plant will likely stay in operation, but an increase in rates may arrive as early as the end of April. At the town board meeting Monday night, Neikirk Engineering presented its analysis of the costs involved in switching to another water provider. According to the Neikirk study, the yearly cost of producing water in Winslow is $51,998.63 including maintenance, and $45,748.63 without maintenance costs. The study analyzed five options for moving to a different provider and the costs involved. Those options are: • Buy Pike-Gibson water and install a main to the corner of Lafayette and Mill streets. The Neikirk report estimated construction costs at $130,000 for the line, and noted Winslow would be billed for all water, not just water that was delivered to residents. The report stated Winslow produces about 30% more water than is billed for, but Neikirk project engineer Jordan Kocher said most town water systems have similar "lost water" issues due to leaky pipes and other problems. However, if Winslow bought water, even the lost water would be billed to them by Pike-Gibson. • Buy Pike-Gibson water and install a dedicated line to the water tower. The Neikirk report estimated construction costs at $225,000, and noted "this option should cause no future water main issues." • Buy Pike-Gibson water and install a dedicated line to the corner of Lafayette and East streets. The Neikirk report estimated construction costs at $170,000, and noted that the lower construction cost (as compared to a dedicated line to the water tower) would be offset by a slight risk of future water main issues. • Buy Pike-Gibson water and install a dedicated line to the Winslow water plant. The Neikirk report estimated construction costs at $129,000, and noted that this option will require future maintenance of the water plant. • Buy Patoka water and install a dedicated line to the Winslow water plant. The Neikirk report estimated construction costs at $650,000, and noted that the construction costs of the line "would be put into the price per gallon, so no up-front construction cost" would be incurred. This option would also require future maintenance of the water plant. Due to the large construction costs incurred with each option, Kocher recommended keeping the production in Winslow as the most cost-effective option, and said based on the results of the study, he expects a dip in the costs of producing water in Winslow soon. "It appears to me we just have to continue in the way we're going," board member Dave Tisdale said. "I think the overhead will go down." Continued on page 2 CONNECT WITH US: NETedition ... pressdispatch.net/edition Facebook .... facebook.com/pressdispatch E-Mail .......... news@pressdispatch.net