The Rushville Truth

So let it be written, so let it be done!

The so-called “King of the County” bill…is it a good thing or a not-so-good thing? Just like a lot of legislation, I would tend to believe there are some good points and some points better served falling onto the cutting room floor. Governor Daniels’ mantra on the bill is to reduce the size of government and to make it more efficient. The war cry from the opposition is that government is already slimmed down as can be and is efficient.

As stated in an earlier posting, the report contains 27 provisions that aim to reduce the number of government officials. We will not tackle all 27 in this one article, so you can expect another story or two on this topic to follow.

With that said, let’s look at the first of the provisions, and man is it a hot topic. The argument in the report is that government should be simpler and more understandable. I think we can all agree with the concept behind that. What seems to cause the most indigestion here is the recommendation: establish a single county executive. This executive would then be responsible for overseeing the administering of the duties of the county auditor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, surveyor, sheriff and coroner. It would also transfer duties for township assessment, poor relief, fire protection, emergency medical service cemeteries and all other remaining responsibilities to this county executive. (Wow! I thought my comma button was going to give out there for a minute.)  What are all other remaining responsibilities? Seems pretty open ended, doesn’t it. The duties of the clerk would be transferred to the courts, election boards and the county executive. The way I see it, this would be a good one stop shop solution to the layers and layers of government. On the other hand, it vests a considerable amount of influence in the hands of one person.

Also in the third provision, there would be established objective minimum professional qualifications and standards for certain county administrative functions. I would lean toward supporting this one, but I would be leery that county offices will become completely run by a bunch of empty suites with a degree from ABC University that think they know everything. Some of our best presidents didn’t go to college.
Provision 15 – allow city council to appoint the city clerk in a second class city. I would like your thoughts on this one. I guess if you are going to take the vote away from the people to elect an auditor, sheriff etc., one more elected office shouldn’t matter. With that said, putting it back on the council would make this position/person a majority party puppet, but I bet that person would be responsive to the council’s needs.

I will end part one on that note and will look at getting into another contentious point in the next article: the prevention of local government employees from serving as elected officials. I will also look at the provisions that apply to the schools.

1. Is a county executive to much power in on person’s hands?
2. Would you want any of the present commissioners fill that roll?
3. What you support the city council appointing the city clerk?
4. Don’t we have enough suites in positions of power?
5. Does this have the feel of aristocracy about it?
6. What would be the procedure for removal of this county executive if the circumstances called for it?
7. How much compensation would this executive command?
8. Couldn’t the prospects of this completely upset the balance of power in the county?
9. I bet Jerry Sitton hopes it’s a Republican?

To Plan or To Fly By The Seat of Your Pants

Looks like the latter is the soup of the day. Let me get this straight: The library met with the mayor, the clerk treasurer and "some" of the city council members to discuss library financing last week, and city officials stated that funding for the Waggener Pool project and Rush Memorial will be available in a few years. What money is that, and what is your definition of a “few” years? I have emailed out a few questions to those who might know, and the response that has come back is starting to shed some light on the dark spots. Most responses indicate this is the Wimpy (from Popeye) financing theory (you know-- “I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”). Another common note from those who responded indicated this was not a new trick in local financing. Some even stated that Rush County’s future has been sold like this before. 

Here is what blows my mind. How were we going to build a new library on a street that isn't funded (where is the city getting their portion of that project especially if they have to help fund the construction of the library?), let alone been built yet, and on land that hasn't been bought when the library still hasn't got its financing in worked out?...When we can’t afford to add onto the one we already own the ground for?

As a citizen of Rushville, let me echo the famous phrase from the movie Jerry Maguire, "SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!". I understand that the economy is not great, but does it seem to anyone else that this seems to be the death spiral? Let me state to the bashers that will be posting, I am not opposed to the renovation/new construction of the library downtown. I just am having problems determining what is “real and what is Memorex.”

This site got beat up when it questioned this project in the past, but I am still not sure I know any of the answers that were requested yet, and that is after changing locations, budgets and funding. I am sorry to ask difficult questions, but I don’t think it is right to burden the next generation with expenditures that might not be required just so somebody can get their name on a plaque.

Were we going to build the "new" library in phases as has been suggested for the renovation of the current library? I'm just glad they delayed the design committee until financing is in order -- maverick type move by the board there. It seems to me that someone may have jumped before they checked to see if they even had a parachute! Keep an eye on this one fellow truth-seekers. I see a slide-of-hand coming.

1. So where EXACTLY would these moneys come?

2. What area of the cities budget could that type money come from?

3. Is the library taking money from the hospital or is the hospital giving money to the library?

4. Is this “monkey see, monkey do” for the dynamic duo?

5. Are these moneys really there?

6. If there is already a tax set up to support the library then isn’t using the cities tax money just double dipping the city taxpayer?

7. If the state adopts the county wide library program, wouldn’t it make more sense to just wait until that happens? When it is a county wide tax?

8. Should the library board wait until the impacts of the circuit breaker are known before pressing on?

9. Would double dipping the library tax and city tax be placing the library above all growth related projects?

10. What was the $13,500 and $15,000 borrowed for?

11. If we are we looking at "phasing" the construction now why would you need all the money at one?

12. If we use BAN (Bond Anticipation Note) money that we don't have to pay for 5 or 10 years, is that good policy? It seems like a “build it and we will let the next generation figure it out how to pay for it” approach.

Princess Theater Endangered

Rushville's 2nd Most Endangered Landmark -- The Princess Theater

It's one of the most-talked about abandoned buildings in the city ... one that, next to the Durbin Hotel, elicits some of the happiest and most profound memories from those who knew it in its heyday.

Located on Main Street, it opened in 1918 in a building owned by the Masons, who still own the building today. Originally, the Princess was exclusively for live performances, including plays and later vaudeville, but in 1936 became a movie theater. The Princess remained in operation into the late 1980s, but has sat vacant since then.

A group founded in 2002 had the intention of restoring the theater to its 1930s appearance in the hopes of using the facility once again to show movies and for community gatherings. A quote then was that it was expected to cost $200,000 to restore the theater. The project was handed over from the local volunteer group to the ECDC led effort. Under the ECDC’s direction the size and scope of the project grew drastically. For some reason the project never grew legs. Here we are six years later, and the Princess is still empty, serving only as proof that good ideas don’t always work. The seasons of sitting empty have to be wearing on the old girl. The windows are covered in peeling black paper. The aqua color on the outside of the building is ... well, it just is and shouldn't be. But your mind can't help but wander back to the days when the aroma of fresh, hot buttered popcorn filled the air.

It's a heartbreaking current state. Why? Well, not only because of the history behind the building, but several other factors as well. Ask anyone and they'll give you a heartfelt memory of the place ... maybe you courted your sweetie there. Maybe it was within walking distance from your house, and that was your date destination. Maybe you remember paying a quarter (or even less) to see a few movies on a Saturday afternoon while your family did their shopping downtown. But what's more heartbreaking is how many people have tried to "save the Princess" and how many have been turned away.

So, what now? Well, there may be some of you out there who say that a movie theater in Rushville is stupid, it's not economically feasible, no one wants to deal with it, let go of the past. And to you, I would invite you to travel to ... say, the Artcraft Theater in Franklin, the Damn Theater or to the Brookville Theater, locally. The Strand Theater in Shelbyville now has now life breathed into it, serving as a concert facility and stage performance venue. The Artcraft shows second-run movies as well as stage performances, among other things, and is really the prototype for all theaters struggling to make a comeback.

But can it happen for the Princess?

Well, I know of a few local organizations that would probably give anything to have such a venue. I have heard rumors that they are going to give talking to the Masons one last old school try. I know that a group of people tried earlier in the summer and were shot down, and of course, we all know the story of the Princess Theater, Inc. The truth of the matter is that there has to be a way put our minds together and come up with a solution that benefits all involved. It has been told to me one of the major stumbling blocks has been an ownership component. Any group looking for the money required to do such a project could only hope to acquire such moneys via a grant. Those grants would require the recipient of the grant to have an ownership interest in the building before grants to restore would be considered. This ownership component has been a point of impasse with the Masons. The hope of all should be that the interested party and the Masons find a common group on the topic. I hope both sides realize how important it is that the theater be restored and returned to her place of glory.
I would hope that the Masons will realize what a fitting legacy they control. The Princess is a jewel of the community that has lost her luster due to years of abandon. The beauty and value are still there they are just hidden behind years of neglect. I fear if this project doesn’t gain a thrust no one will get it done, and the Princess will become yet another tooth pulled out of Rushville's downtown.

And now, some questions...

1. How long can people continue to sit silent on the future of the Princess?
2. What condition is she really in?
3. What would inspire the Masonic leadership to consider a new direction?
4. Would the community be in favor of uniting to restore the theater?
5. What can be done to repair the bridges (not Bob) that were burned in the earlier negotiations with the Masons?

One Is The Loneliest Number

I have looked at many aspects of the Circuit Breaker; for the last installment, I will look at the consequence, which could have the most impact on local government and schools.

The bi-partisan Kernan Shepard Commission was organized by Governor Daniels in early 2007 to review the structure of local governments and to identify areas of streamlining that will give the best service at the lowest cost. Their report was issued in December of 2007 and has been the source of controversy since. The report found that Indiana’s local government structure is mired in 19th Century bureaucracy.  Indiana has over 3,000 independent local governments with more than 10,000 elected officials to serve 92 counties. Many of these positions were developed in a day when the horse and buggy over muddy and bumpy roads was the quickest mode of transportation. A trip to the County Seat to do business in 1850 would have taken a day as compared to an hour or less for most communities today. 

Some of the most controversial recommendations of the report involve county government which includes the elimination of the current 3 county commissioners and replaces them with one, elected county executive. Further, it talks about transferring the responsibility for administering the duties of the county auditor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, surveyor, sheriff and coroner to the county executive, eliminating township government and transferring the responsibilities to the county executive.

Other recommendations include consolidating school districts to insure no district has less than 2,000 students, requiring libraries to expand to countywide service and prohibiting employees of local government units from serving as elected officials of that government unit.

The hope of the recommendations is to save taxpayer money while improving service and accountability. I have just touched on the report, and its findings. You can find the complete report at this link:
http://indianalocalgovreform.iu.edu/assets/docs/Report_12-10-07.pdf

I suggest you please take the time to read it. This is important to all of us and will directly affect the way you interact and pay for local government.

The Kernan Shepard Report is the basis for Governor Daniels’ 27-point agenda for local government reform which he will present to the Indiana General Assembly this year. “This is a set of changes that are long overdue in Indiana. We are an outlier among the states. We have more of almost everything—taxing units, subdivisions, and politicians—then elsewhere. More then we need, more than taxpayers can get good service for, and certainly more than we should be paying for,” said Daniels on a press release.

I will look more closely at each of these agenda items and how they will affect you, the taxpayer, in a later posting.

Until now, continue to search for the Truth!

NTSB Report Not Important Enough?

Calm down Francis, this is not an attack on the hospital – just a chance to bring closure to some loose ends!

I was watching Channel 13 last week, when they mentioned that the NTSB was releasing a preliminary report on the Rushville Air Evac Chopper crash (AEL76). That afternoon while perusing the Indy Star website they had a blurb with a link to the report. I went there and read the report. Here is the link if you are interested I reading it: http://www.ntsb.gov/Dockets/Aviation/CHI08FA269/default.htm  I will warn you that some of the pictures are graphic. While this is just a preliminary factual report, it does provide some interesting information on the crash and possible causes. The reason for the crash itself is that the main rotor broke causing the helicopter to crash. A final report by the NTSB will shed more clues on why the rotor snapped.

The odd thing is that the Indy media carried information on this report, but the local paper did not feel that it was important enough to provide this information on their second most important story of 2008. I even waited a few days knowing that they no longer publish a Monday paper.

Well stay tuned and we will provide you with any new information from the NTSB or other sources they become available.

When the report is released here are the questions we hope get answered:

1. Was this a maintenance issue?

2. What is a fatigue crack?

3. What was the age of the aircraft?

4. How many hours were on the blades?

5. What were the overall total hours on the aircraft?

6. What is a maintenance discrepancy?

7. What is a vibration in the transmission?

8. Was this accident preventable?

9. Is there going to be another letter to the editor from the guy who sweeps around the helipad giving his opinion of the study?

Who's on first, what's on second and I don't know's on third!

A story by stringer Melissa Conrad recently published by the local newspaper brought to light a move that would have made Abbott and Costello proud in all their "Who's on First?" glory...

It seems that the Rushville Common Council met in their first meeting of 2009 without two of its members ... and to add to the obvious, both members not present were the Republican members of the overly democratic council. Coincidence?

It's not that there's an axe to grind on this topic with the current administration (because there is), but there are two kickers to this situation:

A) No other news entities knew of the change in meeting, and

B) Being left out of "official city business" happens quite often to our outnumbered minority council representatives.

Let's recap the "mix-up":

Councilman Darrin McGowan and Councilwoman Cindy Humphrey missed the first meeting of the year, held on MONDAY, because they had planned to attend on TUESDAY. City meetings are regularly scheduled for the first and third Tuesday of every month. Councilman McGowan, never one to just keep his mouth shut, e-mailed Clerk-Treasurer Ann Copley after the meeting questioning the change. She responded that in the Cities and Towns Manual, the first meeting of the year is to be held on the first Monday of the year and that it was on the agenda.

McGowan reviewed past minutes and realized that the only time the first meeting of the year was held on a Monday was after an election (Jan. 5, 2004 and Jan. 7, 2008). He also looked up the code that Copley referred to as the reasoning for the change, which read "On the first Monday in January, after the municipal election, members of a city council are required to hold their first regular meeting." ALAS ... there was no Municipal election in 2008.

McGowan does state that it was, in fact, on the agenda, but nothing was done to draw attention to the change, nor was it mentioned out of courtesy at the last meeting. Meetings are always held the first and third Tuesdays of the month, so why would anyone think differently? I know in plenty of meetings past, long, long ago when Democrats and Republicans alike all sat on one Council and played very nicely together, if a councilman was late or not present at the start of the meeting, people all around the table (Mayor included) would be whipping out their cell phones to find out where their counterparts were. My impression of this instance? The Democrat counterparts merely made each other aware and left the Republicans to find the needle in the haystack.

I must give kudos to Melissa Conrad, whose seething account of not being properly notified of a meeting was a subtle reminder to the current administration that it better not happen again, and that if it does, she's going to let everyone know about it. I also like her wording on the story content regarding the minutes: "The following story for the Rushville Republican is dependent upon the minutes as provided by Copley, as this reporter was also not aware of the change until opening the agenda on the regularly scheduled Tuesday the meeting would have been held." If anyone has ever been to a city council meeting with the new administration and read the watered-down version of what "happened" then one would understand the reason for the disclaimer.

The comments that followed the story on the Republican's website were clearly flooded with supporters of the current administration, who were obviously waiting at the edges of their computer chairs for this story to hit so that they could comment on how "stoopid" Mr. McGowan is for not looking at his agenda, or for having the audacity to ask that changes in meetings be bolded and brought to the attention of ALL council members, and not just those of one party. But let's look at the bigger picture here, shall we? The current administration likes to make their own rules.  In years past, all boards and their scheduling has been extremely by the book. It's on this day, at this time all the time, only changing for elections and holidays. NOW, Unsafe Hearing Board meetings are a wildcard, Board of Works whenever the mood strikes, and now this change in council meeting. The council is supposed to set the dates of the meetings, not the mayor, so if the council doesn't okay the change of meeting day, it can't be changed, correct? If changing the meeting was never discussed, then this obviously wasn't a legal move. Also take note that most of these sudden changes in meeting times, or perhaps, say, secret meetings, are all associated with controversial topics. So, no press, no public and nobody ... what are you trying to hide?

One of my very favorite comments came from “Bob” who said: "I read the newspaper everyday. I expect the date to be correct on it. If the Rushville Republican intentionally publishes Tuesday's paper with the date, December 7, 1941, I find it difficult to call everyone who doesn't notice it an idiot. At the very best, this was a thoughtless mistake by the current administration. At the very worst, it was an intentional effort to make the Republicans look bad and keep them from participation."

1. I would urge you to know the Open Door Laws regarding instances such as these, and all public and executive meetings. According to the Open Government Guide:1. To give effect to the Open Door Law and its purposes, members of the public must have sufficient notice that a meeting is going to take place. With respect to regular meetings, the law provides notice "need be given only once each year, except that an additional notice shall be given where the date, time or place or a regular meeting or meetings is changed. IC 5-14-1.5-5 (c).

 
2. For non-emergency meetings, at least 48 hours notice (not including Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays) prior to the meeting is required (IC 5-14-1.5-5 (a).)
 
3. Notice must be given to the public and to all news media which annually request it (IC 5-14-1.5-5 (b)).
 
4. Notice must be given to the public and to all news media which annually request it. (The news media must expressly request to receive notice of all meetings for the calendar year by submitting a written request to the public agency by Jan. 1 of each year.) Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-5(b). A state agency must provide electronic access to the notice through the computer gateway administered by the intelenet commission under Ind. Code § 5-21-2. Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-5(b).
 
5. Any action taken at a meeting for which inadequate notice was given can be voided by filing an action in any court of competent jurisdiction. Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-7(a). Voiding agency action is not automatic, however; courts consider a laundry list of factors, listed in Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-5(d), when deciding whether invalidation is an appropriate remedy. The Indiana Court of Appeals has held that whether to void any final action taken by a public agency in violation of the Open Door Law is a matter left to the trial court's discretion. Town of Merrillville v. Blanco, 687 N.E.2d 191, 199 (Ind. App. 1997); see also Frye v. Vigo County, 769 N.E.2d 188, 197 (Ind. App. 2002) (remanding case to the trial court for further consideration of the statutory factors to decide whether voiding the agency's action would be a proper remedy); Turner v. Town of Speedway, 528 N.E.2d 858 (Ind. App. 1988) (interview sessions conducted by police commissioners at a local restaurant, without proper notice, violated the Open Door Act; however, the subsequent final action taken by the commission could not be voided, as the violations predated non-retroactive amendment providing such a remedy). Injunctive or declaratory reliefs also are possible remedies for violations of the Open Door Law. Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-7(a).
 
Why should you be mad about this? Republican or Democrat, the two elected officials that this administration is refusing to play nice on the playground with are still YOUR elected officials. It matters not if you voted for them, because if they're in YOUR district, they represent YOU, which means if they can't come to city meetings because they weren't properly notified, or, say can't tour storm damage in Moscow with the rest of the council because they weren't invited, YOUR voice doesn't get to be heard either. Even though they are the minority members of the council they might have valuable input. This, my friends, is compromising the democratic process, which seems to be becoming a pattern.

Ok here are my questions:

1. Do you think mayor thought that the Republicans might have voted absentee on the topics for the Monday night meeting?

2. Doesn’t PJ’s Computer’s sell a program that you can schedule and alert people about schedule changes?

3. If this was intentional would people take notice?

4. Since Ms. Conrad was so observant about this topic, can she inform Frank that taking a picture of the RMH electric temperature sign to illustrate how cold it has been (-18) would mean more if everyone didn’t know that the temperature on the sign reads 15 degrees colder the all the other temperature readings in the city? Thus when the sign reads -18 degrees that means it was only -3 which is misleading. The lowest it temperature got in Rushville was -11 or -12 and that would have been in the depths of the over night darkness. For a remedial check drive by and look at the thermometer in your car and compare.

5. What does NTSB stand for?

The First Cut is the Deepest

As I posted in my previous installments, Rush County, Rushville and the various local taxing entities, are facing some fairly serious budget deficits because of the Circuit Breaker Rule. So how will they make up these deficits? That remains to be seen. Budget cuts, increases in existing taxes, creation of new taxes and creation of new revenue streams all seem like likely places to start.

I would suggest the local governing organizations look at cost savings and budget cuts as the first action. And not just a snip, snip here and a snip snip there. All phases of County, City, School and Library budgets and functions will need to be looked at. The “sacred cows” will need to be considered and some will be slaughtered most likely.  I am sure the usual suspects will be rolled out such as take home vehicles, overtime, part-time versus full-time and the like. But the scale of the gap should force those in leadership positions to take a look at every aspect of government, every service it provides and see if it can be afforded. The following will need to be studied: is it necessary and if so can it be done better, cheaper and quicker. Some communities have looked at twice monthly trash pick up, 4 day work weeks for employees and privatization of city services such as the water and sewer utilities, trash collection, fire department staffing or maintenance of the parks. It appears that the current Mayors have already started to look at saving money by not hiring full time employees in some departments and using part time to fill the void. In some cases openings have been left unfilled. This might be the right trend Rushville and Rush County. If you have not already heard Governor Daniels as part of his second term agenda will push to implement the findings of the Kernan-Shephard Commission to consolidate local government as a way of saving money. I will talk more about that in a later posting.

Of course there is the “easier” side to consider for making up the deficit. That is increasing or creating new taxes. While not pretty, it may be an option considered by our local governments. In meeting minutes the Mayors have discussed enacting a Local Option Income Tax. Other taxes that the County and City may consider include a food and beverage tax, innkeeper’s tax and user fees for such things as recycling, trash collection, fire calls and snow removal. I would hope that since the Mayor ran on the “no more taxes platform” he would keep that pledge and use that option if he and his administration can come up with no other options. It is never easy to raise taxes, but once in place they rarely ever get truly reduced. To further complicate things we would be adding tax burden during a recession which would neutralize some of the federal government’s stimulus package (reducing personal taxes).

Another way to bridge the funding gap would be to look at non traditional revenue. While I am cautious about allowing advertising on public property, I think there are opportunities that could raise money and not be too objectionable. Some communities place advertising on police cars, but while I think that this might be going too far, I could see where advertising on the Ride Rush vans or even on City and County trucks. Advertising could also be considered around the parks and the swimming pools.

The key to all of this is for strong communication and dialogue between the local governments and the taxpayers. I am not sure I see evidence for that being the strong suit of this administration, anything is possible. In this time of improved communication the current administration will need to let the people know what the issues are and encourage feedback so that they can surmise the taxpayer desired solution. This will be an arduous process but decision is the taxpayers and they will be asked to pay for whatever decisions the local government leaders approve. A component that has in the past been neglected that during the tight times becomes more vital is the understanding the interrelationship and affects the local taxing entities have on one another. It must be fully understood that these new financial decisions directly affect others (this will be explored more in another post).

I am interested in input from any truth-seeker as to what they feel solutions to the anticipated budget shortfalls should be. Remember -- be creative, and nothing should be sacred. Send me a comment or text your suggestion(s) because there are no wrong answers. 

I Believe In Rushville

It's in view of me all the time, day or night, light or dark, at work or at home, eating out or cooking at home, it's always there, reminding me:

I Believe In Rushville.

Four simple words.

Four simple words that speak loudly to me and remind me that all is not hopeless.

I Believe In Rushville.

Four words on a bright yellow silicone bracelet that I only take off only when I step into the shower. Otherwise, it's always there, on my right wrist, reminding me constantly of something I truly feel in my heart and in my mind.

I Believe In Rushville.

It's an understatement that 2008 was a disastrous year for a lot of people in this great country of ours. The Wall Street bailout, the AIG bailout, the failure of many large banks and financial institutions, and the veritable meltdown of our nation's auto industry, which directly impacts so many facets of our national job market.

These same woes that have befallen our nation have had a direct impact on life here at home, at life here in Rushville and Rush County.

Businesses have given up and folded. Others have had major cutbacks; others have left Rushville and Rush County in an effort to make a new start in a new location. It's been a tough year for us all, directly and indirectly. If you haven't felt it touch your life in one way or the other this past year, you're either not paying attention or your case of apathy is so strong nothing seems to worry you.

It's the topic of conversation everywhere you are, everywhere you look and in about everything you do.

The Rush County Rumor Mill has had a field day. Truths have been uttered, then distorted and mutated beyond belief, yet the essence of what has been said from the get go is true. Our town and our county are hurting in a lot of ways.

Comments that have been posted on this website and on the local newspaper's website are reflective of our economy and our state of well being. So much negativity exists within our community, it flourishes with each posting someone makes and someone else decides to add to.

It's at times like this that I take a moment, look at that bright yellow bracelet and read those four words yet again for reassurance.

I Believe In Rushville.

I then look at some of the positives we have in our community.

We have a group of people, both paid and volunteers, that give back to our community daily. Countless hours of volunteer work are given to our county each and everyday, without thought of reward or recognition. Many groups of hard working and dedicated people donate time and effort in trying to make Rushville and Rush County and great place to work and to live.

The fruits of those labors may not always reap the benefits they should, because, frankly, a portion of our citizens tend to not participate in many of these activities, but for those who do, it can be assured to them that they realize Rushville is not a place where nothing happens or where nothing goes on.

A woman recently asked me what my yellow bracelet signified. I showed it to her, to which she smugly laughed and replied, "What does Rushville really have to offer me?"

I smiled back, as honest and as sincere a smile as I could muster and I asked her, "What do YOU have to offer Rushville?" When she began her rhetoric of complaints about our town and our people, I realized then that she didn't understand my question one iota.

With all the volunteer groups and boards we have here in Rush County, isn't it amazing that so many of the same names appear on board after group after board?

Communities as large as ours should be full of volunteers who are more than willing to aid, assist and help to make Rushville and Rush County a great place with much to offer.

But where are those people and why don't they come forward?

It won't be any surprise at all to see the negative comments being posted in regards to this entry.

Wouldn't it be nice, however, if one of every three who has something negative to say would instead step forward and find some positive way to offer their services and their time and give back to the community?

Is that really that much to ask?

In these tough times we are facing, is it too much to ask to have someone step forward and offer to help instead of continuing to teardown our community?

Indeed, I Believe In Rushville.

I believe we have a great group of people here who have yet to step forward and offer true and positive assistance to help our community thru these tough times.

I believe we have a talented group of people who will step forward and offer those same talents to improve what we already have here and create an even more positive influence on our town.

I believe we have a dedicated group of people who will indeed come forth and aid our community to prosper and improve in ways we've yet to discover.

Our elected officials promised to work together, regardless of political affiliation prior to being elected. Can we now see that promise fulfilled, instead of the constant bickering and one-sidedness we've been seeing for the past year? Instead of constantly "firing" and "replacing" people on varying boards in our city, isn't it time to accept political differences and try listening to ideas and trying to compromise in an effort to work these out?

This doesn't take much to accomplish, it just takes willingness and a desire to work together and achieve a common result.

Those of you who received your position because you were elected to it, isn't it about time you started listening to your constituents and started putting their voices behind your actions and your decisions?

Those of you who have thought about volunteering, isn't it about time to quit thinking about it and offer your assistance? All it takes is that first step and that first step, though sometimes is the hardest one to take, is it really beyond your means to take it?

So all those you, who have claimed not to have volunteered because you have not been asked, then let the record show I am asking each and everyone of you-get out and get involved.

Those of you, who want to gripe, complain and find fault with, isn't it about time you quit your complaining and step forward and offer those ideas of yours and put them to work for the sake of our community?

For all the negativity of 2008, isn't it about time we all work together and make the year 2009 a year of positive change in Rushville and Rush County.

I Believe In Rushville.

Isn't it about time you did, too?

2008 Top 10 Rushville Truth Stories

It's hard to believe we're bidding farewell to 2008 already. The year was action-packed and fun-filled with events ranging from the shocking to the tragic. Here's a recap of the top stories of 2008 from The Rushville Truth:

I don’t think you will find any of these too surprising, just in a little different order.

1. Moscow Hit by Tornado - The small rural Rush County community is hit with a devastating tornado. The tornado resulted in the loss of life along with an amazing amount property damage. The most noteworthy property losses were the Moscow Covered Bridge, the Moscow School and numerous homes.

2. Air Evac Tragedy -Three pilots lost their lives in a tragic accident for which there are still no answers. The shock of the event stunned the community and the state. The subsequent memorials that followed were moving tributes to three people who selflessly devoted their lives to helping others.

3. Merv Bostic Takes Office - He won the absentee vote by a let’s say surprising victory over incumbent Mayor Robert Bridges. Shocking, yes. But not more shocking then the developments the town experienced since the election.

4. Grocox Resigns - Pulling the old "bait and switch" longtime Rushville resident Mike Grocox suddenly resigns from his newly obtained council seat without warning, moving to Columbus and has not been heard from since. Casually moving into his seat? None other than Billy Ray Goins, who also immediately ascended to the throne as Council President.

5. Library Renovation -In one of the biggest controversies of the year, the proposed library renovations and initial move were the focus of community outrage. However, in the end, the library board did listen to the community, good call.

6. Air Evac Revelations from TB -After the Air Evac tragedy, conversations began brewing on public forums everywhere, but no revelations were as shocking as those from TB, who had quite a bit to say on the "safety" of Air Evac Lifeteam, which has been in Rush County for just over a year. As obviously someone with quite a bit of expertise on air safety, his comments were enough to make you go hmmm.....

7. Historic Board Turnover Rate - What do you do in politics when you don't agree with someone on an elected or appointed board? Get rid of them of course, and replace them with people who will say whatever you want them to! Oh, and then the board vanished from sight.

8. INTAT Strikes and Layoffs - One of Rush County's major employers is endures a union strike earlier in the year leaving questions of their future in doubt-I hope I am wrong on this one. Their machine shop is slated to close in the next few months, and a majority of their office workforce has already either been let go, or laid off. Sign of the bad economy, residual from a major fit, or both?

9. High Turnover Rate at the Police Department - One day you're in, the next day you're ... out. No, it's not fashion; it's what happens when you're a member of the RPD. Chief Ron Cameron did promise to clean up the department, but he keeps erasing employees. The policemen that were the poster children of the Bostic campaign have now all been eliminated. What gives?

10. Tie #1 - Newspaper Cuts at The Rushville Republican - As a result of the bad economy, the Rushville Republican, which has long been a 6 day a week newspaper for over a hundred years, was forced to slash their print copies to 5 days a week. Not only that, but also the number of pages within the paper as well. The newspaper industry as a whole is on the verge of collapse, with all the new media options on the table for readers. Will Rush County bid adieu to one of the oldest existing businesses left?

10. Tie #2 - Brad Hatfield - Like stealing candy from a baby or money from your stepchild? The former supporter of the Bostic campaign is now a name of the past. If the charges stick this would only further tarnish the reputation of the RPD.

The Future - ISSCH

Soldiers and Sailors Home
ISSCH
Knightstown “Children’s Home”
Morton Memorial

Pick a name -- any name, and it is still a sad story!

I think it is only fair that I start this story by offering a heartfelt compliment to The Rushville Republican. When this story broke, I was not very optimistic that the coverage of the story would be of the caliber I thought the topic deserved, but I must admit that I was wrong. I thought that the Thursday, January 8th, 2009 AP “Knightstown ‘Children’s Home’ to close” article gave a realistic view of discussions about this topic at a state level. I was very pleasantly surprised by the story written Friday January 9th, 2009 by Frank Denzler “Reactions to ISSCH closing-Knightstown facility’s closing not well received.” I thought this was a well-done article that was well researched. I thought the “History of ISSCH”, Republican Staff Report gave insight into the history of the facility. On Saturday, Frank Denzler followed his first story with another article, “A lifetime of memories at Morton Memorial.” This story was also well done. It put a face of those who will be affected. So in closing, I think that The Rushville Republican, through this story, was able to capture a little bit of the pre-advertising “Glory Days,” and for that -- thank you and congratulations.

I think that the paper was able to discuss the majority of the critical topics related to this story. It even covered the pool use topic, so I will endeavor to see if I cannot build on their set-up.

This is a topic that allows the community to work beyond party lines and/or city and county lines. It appears to have the ability to unite the wildcats of the community.

It is a new topic that allows for an unbiased, fresh start by those who should set direction in this county to see how they respond. I, like you, will watch to see how we are able to direct action and affect change on this topic.

It is my hope that our community is able to develop a plan to bring about change to those making the decisions at the state level. If that is not successful, I hope that they are able to position the project so that the next best interests of our community are heard.

Please be aware that the author of this post in no way promotes the change of the facility’s use, because it would bear a burden on the needy youth served by the facility who seem to be the least likely to be able to endure the burden.

With that said, I think the community needs to start discussing any and all options it might have in the event the facility’s use is changed. So now the big question: If the facility was to be closed with no reuse plan by the state, what would be a best reuse of the campus?

Some examples that readers have e-mailed are as follows:

Corporate campus

Condo development in the existing buildings

College campus development-IVY Tech though location would be a challenge

Low income housing

Elderly housing

Satellite health facility

For all readers who think you might have an idea that makes sense, please feel free to make your suggestion in the comments section below, or expand on the ideas already suggested.

You might think that this will a waste of time, but you would be surprised who reads this site. I have even heard rumors that some of the opponents of the site have changed or even added programs as a result of post and comments found on this site. So, please take some time and put yourself in the position to be a decision-maker and tell us what you would propose as the best reuse of the site. How would you save it or reuse it?

Keep in mind, not all news would be bad in these bad economic times. Any reuse by private enterprise would mean that the facility would to some degree become a contributing taxpayer through property tax and income tax.

You can also visit the ISSCH alumni website and obtain more information by visiting http://www.isschalumni.com/index.html.

Speak out Rushville! It is your right!

Naughty and Nice!

Christmas time is over, but I managed to get a copy of Santa's naughty and nice list in my clutches (He reads The Rushville Truth too, ya know). Here's the list in its entirety for the 2008 season. Enjoy!

NAUGHTY

1. The Rushville Truth: Because the truth hurts sometimes. The truth is bad ,the truth should not be trusted.

2. The Mayor: We don’t have time do we?

3. AEL:  Just do things right.

4. The Rush County Democratic Party: For messing with the Democratic process ... and it will happen again.

5. Hospital Administrator: For trying to rule your new “hometown” with regard for the rules.

6. INTAT'S union: For running off new business and for crippling a major employer in Rush County.

7. Editor of the Paper: Come on -- be a journalist again -- we all miss you!

8. Brad Hatfield: If he is found to be guilty, this miscue will further add to creating a corrupt picture of the RPD uniform.

9. Police Chief: Man... Where do I start?

10. APC/BZA Director and Chamber: Oh! If I could just go into the documented reasons.

NICE

1. TLC to Earth: For taking an unimaginable tragedy and turning it into a positive and worthwhile community campaign that will not just help Rush County, but the earth as well.

2. The family of Kyle Henderson: For seeing that their son's last wishes were fulfilled in order to help others.

3. Rushville Parks Department: For finding the money to pay Santa.

4. Rush County Community Assistance: For filling a need in the community.

5. Dave Payne: Real local businessman who donated the Castle Theater to RCCA.

6. Taylor Gilbert: For her selfless act of heroism that deemed her worthy of a state award from Mike Pence.

7. Jim Schellinger, Rush County Heritage, Gov. Daniels and others: For their dedication to saving the Moscow Covered Bridge.

8. Library Board: For making a great decision to preserve a historic gem.

9. Cale Worley: RT's "2008 Man of the Year"

10. Christmas on Main: For continuing a Rush County tradition.

Add your own "Naughty" and "Nice" items that I might have overlooked.  Have a great year and stay tuned to see which list you end up on at the end of this year!!

Blowing the Circuit Breaker

In part one, I discussed property tax caps and what that means to the taxpayer. In part two, I will look at what they mean to the local governmental taxing entities and to us, the taxpayer.

As I stated in the previous article, taxpayers are greatly benefiting from the tax caps. In Rush County, the average taxpayer saw a 42% drop in their property taxes with 94% of taxpayers seeing a cut in what they pay. But as with everything, someone has to pay the piper. With the caps, local government has to make do with less, and in some cases much less. They can no longer increase the property tax rate to make up shortfalls or to pay for new projects. In other words, like most taxpayers, they must learn to live within their means or, as I will discuss in another installment, find alternate means of raising money.

The Indiana Legislative Services Agency has done an analysis of the potential revenue losses created by the circuit breakers for local governments. These can be seen at the following website: http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/crd/Localgov/Topics/Materials/HEA1001_CircuitBreaker_20080313.pdf

The flowing numbers are based on the study mentioned above. Keep in mind that these numbers are not set in stone, and others may have more current numbers, but these will get us started. For Rush County, the study and results create some very interesting situations. For all the taxing entities in Rush County, the deficit will be approximately $825,000. That breaks down to the major players as follows: Rush County Government will have a deficit of $64,000 for 2009 and $135,000 for 2010. Rush County Schools will is looking at a deficit of $72,000 for 2009 and $157,000 or 2010. The Rushville Public Library will be looking at deficits of $13,000 and $29,000 respectively. This is great news with a school construction projects underway and a renovation under consideration. The individual townships shortfalls range from a low of $69 to a high of $2,700, which I would hope could be overcome. But the biggest potential hole is the City of Rushville. Their predicted deficit is almost $200,000 in 2009 and a whopping $443,000 in 2010. Now, those numbers may change for the good or bad between now and then, but that is a pretty scary point to start. There will also be a significant deficit for most of Rush County’s taxing districts. Now we are not the only community facing major deficits due to property tax caps in 2010. Shelbyville is looking at $657,000, Connersville is looking at $271,000 and New Castle at over $1 million. Not all surrounding communities are so bleak. Greensburg is facing only a $2,000 deficit while Batesville is facing a little over $1,000.

The numbers being tossed around here are serious changes in lifestyle for a rural community. How these shortfalls are addressed will set the bar for what the community can realistically aspire to.

So it appears what is good for the property owner, is not good for the local government. So how will the towns make up those large deficits? I will have more on those options and why local taxing districts need to work together in the next installment. Stay tuned!

So, what is the plan?

So, now we are approximately 365 day over due on one of the most puzzling promises in the history of Rushville politics:

“I have had meetings with two gentlemen on several occasions to discuss bringing industry to Rushville. They have assured me that their plan has worked in every city they have been in, so when I am elected I will be bringing them to Rushville to meet with the ECDC, chamber members, city council and county government to unveil their plan and to get input from everyone.”

- AND - 

“I have an economic development plan that I will announce when I take office.”

This may go down in history as on of the most talked-about and abused political throw-offs ever.

I have watched the local paper for the last 365 days to see if there was such a presentation, but I have yet to see anything close to matching this description take place in any of these organizations.

Since we are just past the holiday season, maybe we can say that these “two wise men” found the wrong star, or the star they were following wasn’t above Rushville.

This is a classic case of using a line that is what the community wanted to hear, but there was no REAL substance behind it. The community is forced to reflect and question whether any of the things that were said were promises to be dismissed as “political comments made during an election.”

With that earlier promise left to bloat, we have to wonder about a few comments that have been made to reassure the voters that the Mayor is doing something to turn the tide regarding local industries struggling to remain viable.

I found this in the minutes:

November 16, 2008 City Council Minutes:

Mayor Bostic reported the following:

“Bostic, Copley and Goins have visited INTAT, Fujitsu Ten and Copeland to offer them our support.”

The paper put a much more positive spin to the same meeting as they reported the following:

“Council wraps-up 2008 with final meeting”-November 18, 2008

“Mayor Mervyn Bostic reported on his, Council President William Goins’ and clerk-treasurer Ann Copley’s visit with leaders of the local manufacturing plants. Although local plants report current slow downs in business, some are seeing signs of things “picking up here and there,” Mayor Bostic said”

“There is some good news coming down the road, but I’m not ready to announce yet,” he added.

Is it just me, or does that sound hauntingly like the economic plan he was going to announce when he got into office. I think that in the national political scene, they call that “dangling the carrot.”  Notice there was no date as to when it was going to be or if he will still be warming the Mayor’s chair when such a mystery announcement is made.

Plants visited include INTAT Precision, Inc., Fujitsu Ten America, Inc., Copeland Corporation; a meeting with The Trane Company is coming up, said the mayor. The purpose of these meetings is “to assure local business that if there is anything we can do to help them we are here,” Bostic said.

Now is that reassuring to you?

As mentioned in an earlier story where I touched on this topic:

• So what is our support?

• Do you think the union and strike issue made for a warm welcome?
• Why is this treated like the family secret that is not to be mentioned?
• Shouldn’t we just address the issue and get beyond it as opposed to denying it even exists?

As this story comes to a close, INTAT is cutting back (machine shop and front office), Fujitsu Ten is pondering its future, and Copeland is reducing their hours through shift and day adjustments. So where does that leave us?

It seems to be a critical point in the future of this community to find out that the Mayor’s economic development plan was simply a campaign trick. It seems to be an interesting time for the ECDC to call an audible and throw the chamber director into a position of saving businesses.

God Speed Rushville and Rush County! 

So here are the questions

1. Were the two men really just local ECDC board members who helped Merv's campaign?
   
2. Is the “good news” the fact that he will be stepping down as has been rumored?
3. Are we going to hold him accountable for these broken promises? If so, would we do that?
4. So where was the chamber director during the tour since she has announced that she will be servicing the local businesses?
5. Is the ECDC is no longer in the chain of accountability when it comes to losing existing companies?
6. Don’t you wish you knew who was making these calls?
7. Maybe Rushville should look no further south than that of Milroy. That little community used to be mocked for its “On the Move” slogan, but it seems their volunteer board has been productive - Good Luck)
8. In the quote earlier by Mayor Bostic “picking up here and there” should the quote be continued as follows: “Picking up here and there and leaving”?
9. How do you think our relations are with Workforce? (“Alex, I will take – ‘can they even name our mayor’-for $500”)

Follow That Ambulance!

I ran an article in June of last year about ways the city may start to look at saving money. Tough fiscal decisions are going to become reality in the next few years as the new "circuit breaker" rules kick in. I posed the question of privatizing the fire department as a way the city could save money. I want to look at this department again. I have heard that the city is considering charging for fire department runs. This is not a novice idea. It is used in other counties right now, Marion County being one. Would this really be good a policy for the City of Rushville? I think we, as a city, need to look at the policy of this department as far as what it should respond to. My point here is to ask if we need the fire department to respond to medical calls. I am sure this article will be met with nay-sayers who are devout Fire Department backers. I would just ask that you keep an open mind to the tough decisions that are going to need to be made. The money needs to come from somewhere. We have seen neighboring community’s lay-off employees and that might be in the cards for our community too.

How many fire runs does this department log? Well, those are numbers that are not as accessible under the Bostic-Goins administration. Talking to some in that field, the majority of runs for medical FAR outweigh the number for fires. Let's compare the number of employees at RFD with the number of calls, and then let’s compare the number of police officers and the number of calls they take.

Regarding RFD responding to medical calls, shouldn't the tax payer-funded ambulance service be solely responsible for these? Everyone knows that the hospital and the ambulance service are funded in a manner that should more than adequately provide this service. If you drive by El Reparo on any given day, you will see that the dynamic duo of ambulances and their chase vehicle are just waiting for action.

If RFD would stop responding to medical calls, I would contend that the city could par down the fire department and the budget for that department. Remember, this budget includes not only manpower, but fuel and vehicle maintenance. I don't see this revised policy as adding any more undo risk to the populous of the city than already now exist.

If the city where to implement a policy of charging for fire department runs, wouldn’t there need to be more understanding of these runs, and wouldn’t there be a question of charging for the RMH ambulance run that would follow minutes later? So in essence, wouldn’t the taxpayer incur two bills -- one from RMH ambulance and another bill from the city via RFD? That would be on top of the taxes you already pay and without consideration that both departments that are sending you a bill are taxpayer supported.

Let’s say the city thinks about the billing but the RMH Ambulance resists.  Why would you want the RFD there early so they could bill you when the ambulance will be soon to follow? If given the choice, some might choose to just wait for the ambulance. Is it me, or is this getting confusing?

In another scenario let’s say the city could keep the status quo, they would have to raise some money or face possible cutbacks. To raise this money, they would have to find another way to tax the citizen to protect these jobs. I think we can all agree that more taxes in this economic climate would not be prudent. Although I am suspect, I know I should feel comfortable this will not happen as our mayor assured us in his campaign that he would not raise taxes. So he must have other alternatives in his economic plan to remedy these impending shortfalls. I want to thank the mayor for his pledge!

1. Do you think we need our fire department to respond to medical runs?
2. Would you be in favor of paying for RFD medical runs?
3. If this came before the city council, would there be enough people, without a conflict of interest, to get a majority?
4. Does Mayor Bostic-Goins have something up their sleeve(s) to remedy this?

How do you spell property tax relief? … C—A—P

As promised, this is the first in a series that hopefully will shed light on terms such as tax cap, circuit breaker and government streamlining and how they will affect taxpayers and government. This by no means is meant to be a comprehensive discussion, but one to give the readers of the history of what happened and what may happen. 

The Indiana Supreme Court declared Indiana’s property assessment unconstitutional in 1998. They stated that a more fair process must be established. The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) developed a market value system that would base the assessments on what properties in an area sell for, and not the more traditional true tax value. The problem comes from the fact that in that old system, commercial property was under assessed when compared to residential. Agricultural land was (and to a lesser degree still is) negotiated down to a percentage of its market value, but that is another topic for another time. This meant that using market value would have greatly increased the taxes homeowners pay. Using an “average” county, homeowner’s taxes would have increased 32% while commercial would have decreased an average of 18%. This “average” varied widely with one county seeing residential increases as high as 90% and others seeing as little as 4%. These numbers varied based on age of home, size and other factors.

After trying several “fixes,” the state reduced local governments’ tax levy by $3 billion and used a variety of devices to make up this loss of revenue including a 1% increase to the sales tax, and an increase in cigarette and gaming taxes. To assist homeowners, the State also increased the Homestead Credit. These repairs lowered the average homeowner’s property tax by 30% in 2008.

Then Governor Daniels also proposed and the legislature passed a property tax cap on all properties. This tax cap puts a limit on the amount of property tax a local government can impose. These caps are being phased in so that in 2010, the caps are 1% for owner occupied residences, 2% for rental properties and 3% for commercial and industrial properties. That means that after 2010, the most a homeowner would have to pay is 1% of their assessed value. And that is after subtracting out all allowable deductions. Currently, the Governor is lobbying the legislature to make these tax caps permanent by passing a constitutional amendment. (There will be more on this topic later.)

So property taxes have been lowered and capped, and everyone must be happy, right? Not quite. Local governments are now grappling with a new issue in the Circuit Breaker. Now that you see why the property tax relief was implemented and how it affects the individual property owner, now it is time to try to build on this lesson. So there appears, at first glance, to be a happy ending, but oh lets wait and see how this adjustment for the individual factors into what resulted at the local government level. Stay tuned as I will discuss this in the next installment.

Wendell L. Willkie

I think as we start a new year, we need to look no farther then our own community for guidance and direction of a man whose revelations were decades before this time.

This is a person who our community embraced and eventually adopted as one of our own.

Note the premise of his belief has only now, 60-70 years later, become the consensus belief.

I believe in America because in it we are free.  Free to choose our government to speak our minds to observe our different religions.

Because we are generous with our freedom we share our rights with those who disagree with us

Because we hate no people and covet no people’s lands

Because we are blessed with a natural and varies abundance

Because we have great dreams and because we have the opportunity to make     those dreams come true

There are no distant points in the world any longer- our thinking in the future must be world wide

We must establish beyond any doubt the equality of men

The world is awakening at last to the knowledge that the rule of the people by other peoples is not freedom

Freedom is an indivisible word and must be prepared to extend it to everyone whether they are rich or poor-whether they agree with us or not-no matter what their race or the color of their skin.

The only soil in which liberty can grow is that of a united people-we must have faith that the welfare of one is the welfare of all.  We must acknowledge that all are equal before God and before the law.

Only the productive are strong-only the strong are free

It is inescapably true that to raise the standard of living of any man anywhere in the world is to raise the standard of living by some slight degree of every man everywhere in the world

Whenever we take away the liberties of those whom we hate we are opening the way to loss of liberty for those we love

The moral losses of expediency always far outweigh the temporary gains

The test of a people is their aim and not their color

Wendell L. Willkie
February 18, 1892-October 8, 1944

Eleanor Roosevelt in her October 12, 1944 "My Day "column eulogized Willkie as a "man of courage... (whose) outspoken opinions on race relations were among his great contributions to the thinking of the world." She concluded, "Americans tend to forget the names of the men who lost their bid for the presidency. Willkie proved the exception to this rule."

Industry Woes

I think it would only be fair to start this post by saying that the nation's economy is struggling. I don’t know that Rush County is experiencing anything that isn’t being experienced throughout the country. The question is, "Are we really prepared for what it is community is going to have to endure?" With a national financial crisis followed closely by the automobile bailout, the county has to rethink even some of the most basic beliefs. If we look on the state and local levels we must come to the reality that things are changing here too.

As for the state, it has its new tax structure in place, and the local governments still seem to be caught by surprise. This portion of their world has changed. This is a little troubling because the local entities success or failure are based on how well they steer their communities economic well-being through such delicate times.

You might be wondering why this is a topic of conversation. I started to think about the community's approach when on November 8th, I read story on the online version of the local paper. The article was titled “INTAT to Close Machine Shop Operations” authored by “For the Republican.” The story was very sterile -- only focusing on the numbers involved in the closure. It must have been assumed by most who read it to be the company's actual press release just posted online.

Then the next item is what confused me. On Monday, November 11th, I picked up the printed version of the paper. The story was once again titled “INTAT to Close Machine Shop Operations” and noted as once again authored by “For the Republican.” After reading the first two paragraphs, it became clear this was not the same article. This was a totally new article, but it had the same author and title. So even though both stated authored by “For the Republican” it was obviously a different “For the Republican.” The second author (by the same name) was focused not on sterile numbers, but more on damage control.

With the same title for two different stories addressed, I want to focus on what I found to be the second piece of concerning information. The fact that two stories that focused on the loss of 39 employees was left to be told by two submitted authors. I would have hoped that people would demand that the paper do an investigative piece that asked questions about the future of the company and financial stability, but I guess it didn’t rank among their priorities.

To this point in the topic, the shell game seemed to lack journalistic integrity (what do I know about that topic? -- just ask the bloggers from the local paper -- they will tell you I know nothing). It just seemed that two stories, one online and one in print, were titled the same thing and authored the same way, but were obviously two different articles. If you doubt by honesty, please do your research -- this one is easy to track. This seemed to be deceptive but for what reasons? Someone else will have to answer that question. It did cause me to want to dig a little deeper.

After reading the article, a few more items that I found disturbing came to light. The fact that the move was written off “strictly a business one” by the ED Corporation seemed very casual. The next quote still perplexes me, “I understand the business side of many decisions, and although I have not directly spoken to anyone at INTAT since the announcement was made, it is my understanding that this was a business decision.” Then the commenter goes on to talk about discussions that have taken place before and after the announcement, apparently discussing getting jobs for the newly displaced workers. So my question is this -- did this come as new news or was it known to the ED Corporation prior to the November 8th announcement? If the ED Corporation did in-fact know of this announcement in advance, why did the board not get an email of the news until after the announcement was posted online by the paper? So was it known beforehand or not? Again, another question that I can't answer.

As puzzling as that one was, even more puzzling was the next portion. This is the part of the article were Mayor Bostic stated that he was disappointed to hear of the loss of the machine shop operation and the financial impact the closure will have on the nearly 40 employees, as well as to the community. Here is where the real puzzler of a quote came in: “It is my understanding that a number of the employees that will be affected are UNION members. I would hope that some of the positions lost would have seniority and positions could be found for them in the foundry at the facility.”

Mayor Bostic is the same guy that said during the election, “I worked for Schnadig Corporation here in Rushville for 30 years until they moved it to Mississippi for the sole purpose of hiring lower paid workers. So you might guess that losing industry is something I don’t take lightly.”

Aren’t 40 jobs, 40 jobs? Where does the union component even become a factor? I would guess that "not take lightly" and having a plan to stop it are obviously two different things. Are those responses to job loses comforting? Beyond the fact that they didn’t seem to be comforting to me, they seemed to confuse me.

And now, the dirty little secret that no one is allowed to talk about: INTAT is Japanese-owned company and they are historically not fans of the unions. The union strike that the company endured earlier this year would be considered an embarrassment for those involved from the corporation. Now how does our local leadership factor into INTAT’s union ties? I think that the quote might give you some insight, but the rest I think we can leave for the public to piece together, or better yet maybe the paper will do a story?

As I am sure the below is a response to the bad press I read in the November 16, in the 2008 City Council Minutes (which can be found online at the cities website), I read the following:

Mayor Bostic reported the following:

“Bostic, Copley and Goins have visited Intat, Fujitsu Ten and Copeland to offer them our support.”

This is a story in itself, and I will look at it in more depth in a later post.

Not to track too far from the topic, what is our "support?" Is it a kind word? Details on how to unionize? An abatement offer? I guess sometimes I just have trouble comprehending the desired message. And if I read multiple stories from multiple sources, sometimes the messages don’t add up or seem to track.

As this story comes to a close, INTAT was forced layoff front office personnel. This announcement was not even covered in the local paper. Not a whisper -- not a peep. Isn’t that interesting that there was so little effort on a second story after so much effort to massage the first?

I is common knowledge that Fujitsu Ten is operating with a much-reduced work force and is pondering even their own future. Copeland has been utilizing various techniques to reduce their workforce. The local industry climate is known by the power-that-be to not be in good shape. Are we prepared or positioned to weather this storm or better yet, do we have a plan beyond our band of elected leprechauns wondering from facility to facility spreading "support?"  

As though I have not asked enough questions, here are more I came up with:

1. If you refuse to look at local issues do they just go away?
2. Did the union strike at INTAT really play heavily in other firms not locating in our fine county? (Might want to ask Ripley County)
3. Are we in denial because they tell us to be?
4. Will there more such announcements or any such announcements in the future?
5. Is their a magic number of just that get press coverage, like 20 jobs lost gets a story?

Flip That Department

I get the sense that someone on 16th Street or 133 West 1^st has been watching too much HGTV lately. The Rushville Police Department and council chambers have received a make-over. It received a new coat of paint, new carpet and new council chairs. It has been 11 years, according to the minutes put out by the city, since items like this have been addressed. Not that I am anti-flipping, but is this the best time to be going on a spending spree? The chairs cost $2,700 for 6. That works out to $450 per chair. The street department did the painting. We saved some money on that front unless there were street issues that should have been addressed, but look at the minutes of the last council meeting, these can be found at- http://www.cityofrushville.in.gov/council/Council12-16-2008.pdf.

Under new business, Mayor Goins stated that next year was going to be a tough year financially and above that comment, we learned that we overspent to send Officer Worley to the academy per the chief’s plan. We are buying another police vehicle and getting rid of one with low, low miles. We bought a new truck for the street department (BTW -- what is your definition of new?). And let us not forget “Cameron Circle." I am just questioning the need to be spending this much in the economic climate we are in.

1. Does all this spending seem irresponsible given the economic climate?
2. Couldn’t we have waited a year when a better handle on the circuit breaker?
3. Where is the money going to come from to pay for a new roof on this building, and shouldn’t you have done that before new carpet in the event of a leak?
4. Why haven’t we heard about the demotion of Dean Fish in the media (but the scanner sure seems like this is the fact)?
5. Does Santa have elves that he could deliver to repair the roof?
6. Who in the administration said, “Move that bus!”?

More Input on AEL by "TB"

This is the latest post on the local newspaper from "TB." Very interesting...

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Dear Uncle Salty:

I finally found some of the hard numbers you're looking for: Check out this article posted to a blog on the internet eviscerating AEL.

Of special note to you, and all who keep asking...how much does an EMS helicopter ride cost... the attached blog posting from http://artsandpalaver.blogspot.com/ includes a copy of the AEL bill!

I'm speechless. Around $10,000 is the top end of reasonable. $17,000 is highway robbery. Come on...$100 per loaded mile for 70 flight miles to the hospital?

There are other things I'd like to call it, but public decorum prohibits me from doing so.

Here's the article:

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Thursday, November 27, 2008

A PROFILE GREED - Air Evac Lifeteam Charges College Student $17,000 For a Ride in a Helicopter

This isn't just David vs. Goliath, this is Erin vs. Air Evac Lifeteam, an American college student returning home from a mission of mercy vs. a mercenary helicopter service that charges insanely outrageous fees for the privilege of ferrying helpless accident victims to a hospital, and later, to a lifeteam of crushing debt.

Now, I support capitalism, but what Air Evac Lifeteam does to unfortunate people unable to compete in a fair marketplace for air ambulance services is unconscionable unless one is a confirmed corporate sociopath, the Enron likes of which intentionally cut the electricity in California to drive up prices.

Now comes the victim, Erin Neff (daughter to the editor of Web del Sol)--returning home from a long trip, organized by her school to help Katrina casualties. Her van spun out of control and Erin was thrown from the vehicle and onto the highway. Miraculously, she did not break anything, but authorities on the scene thought it best to evac her to the nearest hospital for tests. And guess who arrives? AIR EVAC LIFETEAM with a transport price tag that would make even millionaires pause--I mean, who in their right mind would pay $17,000+ for a 30 minute helicopter ride? No one, of course.

Erin didn't mind getting picked up and flown to the hospital. It was fun, in a way. Little did she know that this angel-of-mercy company was going to send her a bill that would potentially burden her with bills at high interest rates for years to come (on top of her student loans!).

A copy of that bill can be found here:

http://webdelsol.com/Blog_House/air-evac-invoice.jpg

Note they charged her a whopping ten grand just to step on the copter! The rest of it is a per mile fee that adds up to close to seven more thousand.

Erin Neff cannot pay this bill. She is working with her college to pay some of it. Insurance is covering zip. But even as around-the-block as I am, this kind of story floors me!

Okay, so what is really responsible for the dizzying rise of health care costs in America? One word ... GREED.

Just pure f**king GREED!

end copied blog post

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Wow. I'd avoid getting into an AEL helicopter at all costs. Have it tattooed on your forehead...it would be cheaper in the end than the helicopter ride.

$100.00 per loaded mile? For what? The helicopter ride you can't enjoy strapped to a cot on your back looking at the ceiling? The outstanding safety record of AEL that $17,000 bill contributes to? Or because you enjoy subsidizing AEL's corporate profits while they still continue to use only cheapo Bell 206 aircraft?

Please feel free to copy this bill and re-distribute it freely to anyone who hasn't yet decided that AEL is all about the money.

T.B., FP-C

It's All In The Timing

I want to extend my congratulations to the Rush County Schools on being named one of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s “Best Buy Schools.” But not only did they get the same designation as 132 other Indiana Public High Schools, RCHS was named as one of the “Head of the Class Schools” which is only given to the top 10. This is truly a great honor, and I am sure comes as a surprise to the frequent critics of the Rush County School system...something the entire community should embrace and rejoice about!

What is rather ironic is that less than a month before the announcement on November 24^th at the County commissioners meeting, our local Chamber of Commerce director announced that the local chamber is in no way affiliated with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Rush County dropped their affiliation with the state and does not support or endorse the Indiana Chamber of Commerce agenda. What agenda you ask? The Indiana Chamber of Commerce endorsement of the agenda of streamlining county government. Why would you not endorse that, because the audience at a Commissioners meeting would be against it? The program would eliminate many of their jobs.

As they say, it is all in the timing. In this case, it is unfortunate that our chamber would cut ties right before the State Chamber gave our school system such a huge honor.

While I am guessing the audience is the reason for opposing streamlining, to not do so is going to leave our local governments extremely short on money. Rumor has it that all government entities combined in Rush County will be over $1 million short in 2010 due to the “circuit breaker rule”. Not many taxpayers have heard of the “circuit breaker” yet, but within two years it will be well known by all. It is already causing issues with city government and the library. We will discuss the “circuit breaker” and the pros and cons of streamlining government in a later article.

So again, congrats to Principal Vance and everyone at RCHS.

Here are the heralded questions:

1. Would you have guessed that the local school system would have received such an honor?
2. Did you know that the chamber is in a process transitioning various responsibilities and projects (Ag program, Wind project) over to the ECDC?
3. Doe that mean no more eye candy for the Ag boys?
4. Did you know the chamber “feels one size does not fit all?"
5. Did you know that the chamber will instead focus on taking care of the existing committees? What does that mean?
6. Don’t you think it was great that the chamber and the hospital brought Santa to town on a helicopter?
7. Is it great that they actually landed at the right location on this run? (Hint: Listen to a scanner sometime.)