Columbus’ property-tax rate will largely remain flat for 2017. Jamie Brinegar, the city’s finance director, explained during Tuesday night’s city council meeting that figures provided by Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) late last year showed an 11-percent decrease in the city’s tax rate. Brinegar, as well as Mayor Jim Lienhoop, stressed then that these figures did not accurately reflect the city’s position, as they expected the rate to ultimately remain flat. Brinegar explains…

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Brinegar says that the city took the DLGF’s recommendation and published that organization’s figures. Brinegar adds that he, and Clerk-Treasurer Luann Welmer, were in constant contact with the DLGF since those initial figures were released in an effort to make sure that the city wouldn’t be surprised when the actual numbers were made available…

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Brinegar explains that the DLGF was using very conservative estimates all around…

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In addition, Brinegar says that the DLGF estimated the city’s tax levy amount to be $28.2 million dollars, some $1.1 million less than the most recent levy estimate.

The city council voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution asking the DLGF to release the full levy amount to the city. Mayor Lienhoop, along with several members of the city council, indicated that they would like to see that additional money (approximately $1.1 million) used to pay for needed road and infrastructure improvements.

Brinegar says that some property owners, who have not yet hit their property tax cap, could see a 0.1-percent increase in their tax rate. The mayor says that increase equates to about three-dollars for a $200,000 home.

City officials say they expect final figures from the DLGF to be made available in April.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is launching a program for high school art students in its Southeast District. Organizers say the program is designed to inspire creativity and promote safe driving during wintertime weather events. They say that “Paint The Plow” challenges student artists to “conceive and execute graphic treatments reflecting school spirit—or artwork calling attention to INDOT snow operations.”

INDOT says it will provide the thousand-pound snow plow blades. Student artists will paint on the 12’ X 4’ pre-primed metal. They say the plow blades will be on exhibit at community events this summer and fall, then put into use on snow routes near participating schools next winter.

Paint The Plow is open to all high schools within INDOT Southeast District boundaries. Counties include Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Dearborn, Decatur, Floyd, Franklin, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Owen, Ripley, Scott, Switzerland and Washington.

The Healthy Communities Council of Bartholomew County recently approved what is being called “a more aggressive and immediate approach to addressing the opiate addiction epidemic in Bartholomew County.” The organization explains that the effort aims to address and mitigate community problems that have resulted from the recent dramatic increase in opiate dependence.

Organizers for the new initiative say that a new leadership structure within the Healthy Communities Council will provide support and resources to focus and accelerate existing substance abuse efforts. Three committees will focus on different aspects of the problem:

• Education and Prevention
• Law Enforcement and Judiciary tactics
• Treatment and Recovery

Area leaders, including Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop, County Commissioner Carl Lienhoop and Columbus Regional Health CEO Jim Bickel, will lead the initiative.

“We are like most communities across the country that suffer from the devastation this opiate epidemic causes,” said Mayor Lienhoop, who also serves as a Healthy Communities Council member. “We are different, though, in that we have decided not to wait any longer to get serious about tackling this problem.”

Organizers say that the next steps will include further development and structuring of the committees to establish community goals, build community awareness and engagement, identify priorities and resources needed and ensure community accountability.

A launch event for and community forum is scheduled for April 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Commons. Organizers say that Sam Quinones, author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” will speak along with Dr. Kendall Stewart, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer of the Portsmouth, Ohio Southern Ohio Medical Center. This event is free and no registration is required. You are encouraged to take part.

Bartholomew County highway department workers will be receiving some new equipment, thanks to a grant from the county’s workman’s comp fund.

Sue Paris, a former county councilwoman, serves on the board of the Indiana Public Employers’ Plan and presented news of the $1,200 grant at yesterday’s Bartholomew County Commissioners meeting.

Paris said the grant will pay for protective gear such as vests, gloves, safety glasses and hearing protection.

In a press release, the company said it was “proud to partner with the highway department and Richard Hawes of Richard E. Hawes insurance to maximize opportunities to promote a safe work environment and assist with stretching their risk management resources. ”

According to the company, IPEP was created in 1989 as a risk-sharing pool for public entities, as a response to the need for public employers to find affordable workers’ compensation coverage.  IPEP has grown to provide workers’ compensation claims administration for more than 700 public entities including cities, towns, counties and schools.

A low-speed rolling roadblock on I-65 through southern Bartholomew and Jackson counties has been rescheduled for Friday.

Traffic will be slowed to 20 mph at around 5 a.m. between Uniontown and Walesboro so workers can replace a fiber optics cable at the Jackson County Road 700N overpass. The work is dependent on the weather, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

A body of a missing Dupont man was found yesterday afternoon in the woods at Crosley Fish and Wildlife area in Jennings County.

Indiana Conservation officers are reporting that 53-year-old Donald Bladen’s body was discovered after his abandoned vehicle was found at Birch Lake.

Conservation officers along with Indiana State Police, Jennings County deputies and paramedics arrived on the scene at Birch Lake at about noon. A conservation officer police dog swept the area and officers from all the agencies searched until his body was found at about 3:35 p.m. The Jennings County coroner pronounced him dead at the scene.

The death is under investigation and an autopsy has been scheduled for later this week. If you have any information in the death, you can call the Indiana Conservation Officers at 812-837-9536.

Columbus Regional Health is celebrating “100 Years of Caring.” Monday marked the hospital’s 100 birthday, opening Feb. 6, 1917 as Bartholomew County Hospital. Jim Bickel, President and CEO of Columbus Regional Health, talked about the legacy of CRH during a Monday afternoon reception for staff…

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He noted the hospital’s long presence in the community and it’s mission of treating those in need…

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Bickel talked about the history of the facility. He considered about how CRH might have been different if the historic flood of June, 2008 hadn’t taken place…

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Bickel credits CRH staff for the quick reopening of the hospital after the flood. He says that the CRH Board of Directors made the right call in using money earmarked for expansion efforts to instead keep staff on the payroll. Bickel says that decision paid off, as many staff members were able to help out with recovery efforts, turning an estimated 12 to 18 month closure to just under six months.

Bickel talked about the future of CRH…

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Bickel also noted how the mission of CRH was grown to be so much more than what it was when the facility first opened. While he wouldn’t forecast what the next 100 years will be like for the facility, Bickel says the next few decades will most certainly continue with helping the overall “wellness” of the communities CRH serves.

Cummins announced Monday that Peter Anderson has joined the company as Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing. Cummins officlas say that Anderson fills the vacancy created when Cummins executive Lisa Yoder passed away earlier this year after a long illness.

“Cummins Supply Chain excellence is critical to our future success as we continue to improve our customers’ experience, manufacture quality products, and deliver the right capabilities,” said Rich Freeland, Cummins President and Chief Operating Officer. “Peter’s broad experience in logistics, distribution, manufacturing operations and IT will be invaluable as he continues to drive the supply chain transformation in our business. We made great progress in recent years, and I am confident that Peter will lead our talented team in this important work.”

Company officials say that Anderson will join the Cummins Leadership Team and the Cummins Operating Team. He is set to lead the supply chain organization which includes Purchasing, Quality, Manufacturing, Analytics, Central Supply Chain Operations, Remanufacturing and Envision Cummins, a function that aligns business processes and capabilities.

Two North Vernon residents were arrested Saturday morning on drug charges.

The North Vernon Police Department says that officers were conducting follow-up investigations at Walmart just after 10 a.m. when they began investigating a report of suspicious activity . Police say that investigation led to the arrests of David L. Howard and Angela D. Brewster on charges of Illegal Possession of Syringes, Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana after a police K-9 was alerted to the odor of illegal substances in their vehicle. Police say that Brewster was also wanted on an outstanding warrant.

Columbus police arrested a local woman Sunday after officers say that she was found hiding inside a closet.

Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman, says that Officer Luke Nibarger was dispatched to the 3700 block of Arapahoe Trail at about 4:50 a.m. in regards to a 911 investigation. While inside the home, officers reported finding 38-year-old Shannon M. Sneed hiding in a bedroom closet. Police learned that she was wanted on a pair of outstanding Bartholomew County warrants. Sneed was arrested. Lt. Harris says that, while at the jail, officers found methamphetamine hidden in Sneed’s clothing.

In addition to the warrants, Sneed was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of Methamphetamine.