The Press-Dispatch
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OC Council discusses dilapidated property By Grace Miller Building inspector Darrell "Butch" Corn asked Oakland City Council for guidance regarding the house on the corner of Frank- lin and Division, since it has been run down and empty for years. The house is located on a heavily traveled street. Councilman A.J. Cooper said they will look at it and discuss how to proceed. Attorney Roman Ricker said that he spoke with the creditor and the current administrator, who are going to see if they can provide an offer to purchase the properties. Ricker said, as far as he understands, it might come as a package deal that includes all of the property involved, but the city has to understand there is no mon- ey left in the estate and clean-up costs will be involved. Oakland City works on vehicle issues By Grace Miller Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines said that he got the vehicle title in for the totaled Ford Crown Victoria and is planning on getting rid of it. Gaines bought a new transmis- sion for one of the police cars, and the council approved the purchase. The police department is still tag- ging abandon vehicles to get them moved out of the area. COUNCIL APPROVES $22K FOR VEHICLE Oakland City Council approved buying a Dodge Ram for $22,336.25 from Yochum Chrysler after dis- cussing and looking at the bids to purchase a new truck for the water treatment plant in Oakland City. It is a half-ton, 4x4 work truck, with a regular cab and vinyl interior. This is to replace the current truck that has been used for 10 years and has around 214,000 miles on it, said Pike-Gibson Water Director Raymond Mills. Town approves street work, tree removal By Grace Miller Work at the Oakland City Pub- lic Library is wrapping up, and the workers will be moving to Main and Cherry, where the storm sewers are causing a soft spot in the pave- ment, Oakland City Council learned last week. Workers will have to get a state permit since it is on a state highway. The council approved removing three trees at the park. Slone Tree Services gave a total estimate of $2,400 to cut the trees down to the ground and grind up the trunks. The council also approved the purchase of replacement trees. The pumpkin and snowman deco- rations that are to be set up around town are cut out, painted and "going over big," said Councilman Charlie Cochren. In addition, the new sign for City Hall has been installed. A-6 Wednesday, September 30, 2020 The Press-Dispatch EAST GIBSON Submit East Gibson news items: Call: 812-354-8500 Email: egnews@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg S ER V I N G P I K E C O U N T Y 1 8 1 0 - 2 0 2 0 NetEdition subscribers: If you are adding or renewing your NetEdition subscription, please include the following: Email: _________________________ Password: ______________________ (Minimum 7 letters, can include letters and numbers) www.PressDispatch.net/Edition Payment Amount: P.O. Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567 Phone: 812-354-8500 Fax: 812-354-2014 Name: ______________________________ Mailing Address: ____________________________ City: _______________________________ State: ____________ Zip: ______________ Phone #: ____________________________ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Check (enclosed) Card #: _____________________________ Exp. Date: ______________ CVN ________ HURRY! OFFER EXPIRES OCTOBER 31, 2020 CALL 812-354-8500 OR MAIL IN FORM BELOW /yr Regular price $35 475 or 476 zip codes Local Subscribers' Sale Price /yr One-Year Subscriptions Local (475/476 Zip Code) ......$32 State of Indiana ......................$35 Elsewhere in USA ...................$52 Online Only ..............................$32 One-Year Senior Rate Must be 65 or older. Write "senior" on form below. 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Box 68, Petersburg, IN 47567 Phone: 812-354-8500 Fax: 812-354-2014 Name: ______________________________ Mailing Address: ____________________________ City: _______________________________ State: ____________ Zip: ______________ Phone #: ____________________________ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ Check (enclosed) Card #: _____________________________ Exp. Date: ______________ CVN ________ HURRY! OFFER EXPIRES OCTOBER 31, 2020 CALL 812-354-8500 OR MAIL IN FORM BELOW /yr Regular price $35 475 or 476 zip codes Local Subscribers' Sale Price /yr One-Year Subscriptions Local (475/476 Zip Code) ......$32 State of Indiana ......................$35 Elsewhere in USA ...................$52 Online Only ..............................$32 One-Year Senior Rate Must be 65 or older. Write "senior" on form below. Senior Local Rate ...................$29 Senior State Rate ...................$32 Senior USA Rate .....................$49 32 $ S ER V I N G P I K E C O U N T Y 1 8 1 0 - 2 0 2 0 NetEdition to your print subscription for $5/YEAR A OCTOBER PERIOD OCTOBER PERIOD Ba Begins Today! Local Subscribers' Sale Price Save $ 3 Off Your Subscription Hurry! SALE ENDS Oct. 31 Longer subscriptions available. Call for details. Francisco solar project leaders answer questions By Janice Barniak A 1600 -acre Francisco solar proj- ect set to invest $170 million in Gib- son County was presented to Gibson County Council and Gibson County Commissioners last week in a joint special meeting to hear from the company and the public on the pro- posed solar farm. If built, the Elliott solar project will provide 200 megawatts, enough to power 35,000 households, to Vec- tren's Francisco substation over the course of 35 years, as well as 210 full-time jobs during the construc- tion and four long-term jobs. The company would expect to have the project built by 2022, with a maximum height of 12 feet on the panels. Tanaska's Tiago Sabino Dias, ex- ecutive vice-president of Develop- ment, said the site was chosen be- cause this area has the best solar possibilities within the state, with low costs and the ability to connect to the Francisco substation. Tanaska, he said, represents gov- ernment employees as investors. The company plans to ask for a five-year tax abatement on the proj- ect, Dias said. He added they have a drainage plan, wetlands manage- ment plan and plan to maintain the county roads. There will be grass growing beneath the panels, he said. They plan to use silicon panels. Capital Dynamics Managing Di- rector Benoit Allehaut called solar a boring investment for long-term re- tirement plans, "We are not selling to Duke. This will have no effect on the coal plant," he said. Investors will also have a decom- missioning bond at the start of the project to guarantee the money to take down panels should something happen to end the project, he said. The company also has projects in Knox and Pike counties. "It basically lifts up the communi- ty," he said of solar. Baker Tilly consultant Kaitlyn Schmeck told commissioners and councilmen those in Center Town- ship would likely see a 17 cent de- crease on property taxes, leading to a $ 67 decrease if all things remain- ing equal, and Barton a 16 cent de- crease on property taxes, resulting in a $ 62 decrease per year to the av- erage home. Somerville Fire Territory would likely see a $140,000 increase in rev- enue. Without a five-year tax abate- ment, the company would pay $26 million over the life of the project, compared to between $22.6 to $24 million if they have one of the pro- posed abatements. Gibson County Economic Devel- opment Director Paul Waters spoke in favor of the project, calling them a good corporate neighbor. East Gibson resident Bob Zasad- ny asked if the project would likely go beyond 35 years, should it contin- ue to be profitable, and Allehaut said that was possible. Zasadny also expressed concern that area farmland has been convert- ing to energy production, and said he'd prefer they use already dam- aged land. Dias said that there's a liability concern when it comes to land, and if they build on strip mined land, for example, they assume all the liabili- ty of anything that may go wrong as a result of the strip mining; that li- ability prevents banks from giving them a loan for the project. "That project will be agriculture land again," Dias said. "If the pri- ority is ag land again, the land is back. It's not affecting the land in any way." Allehaut said the supplemental income from the solar can anchor farms that might otherwise go un- der. The project's attorney, Mary So- ladae, said the project accounts for one to two percent of Gibson Coun- ty's total agricultural product. Commissioner Steve Bottoms spoke in favor of the project, calling it an investment in the local schools. Local landowner David Pond said the project will be completely around where he lives, and he is hap- py to see energy that doesn't create air pollution. "I have two grandkids, and I think about the future for them, and cli- mate predictions," he said. Local homeowner Julie Elmore's property abuts the project. "I don't hate the plan. I don't love the plan," she said, adding she's con- cerned because her street is sur- rounded by the project, and worries it will ruin the view from her back- yard, discouraging potential buyers. Landowner and farmer Mary We- ber, of Center Township, said she and her husband support the proj- ect. Jake Woolsey, also in support, said he believes it will help the air quality. Barbara Krieg asked only that they not block her access, as she lives adjacent to the project. Local farmer Bob Schmitt said he supports the project, and that the farmland used is marginal, low-pro- ducing. "This has finally given us a chance to come even," he said. Oakland City approves Atkins contract By Grace Miller On Tuesday, the Oakland City Board of Works and City Council approved Damon Atkins' trapping contract. Atkins was present at the meet- ing, as the council continued to dis- cuss a $5,400 contract between At- kins and the city. In the past four years, the city has paid Atkins a to- tal of $5,270 to trap nuisance ani- mals. Councilman A.J. Cooper ex- pressed his concerns of spending more on a contract for one year than the city has for four. Atkins explained that, under the contract, he would not be respond- ing to specific trapping jobs, but would be setting and checking traps five days a week, all year long to re- duce and control the population. Under this contract, he will trap on city property, only going onto pri- vate property if he gains permission and sees it as necessary. The motion passed for the city to accept the con- tract for the year, to which Atkins re- sponded, "I guarantee results." Bargain Period Starts Today!