The first draft of a plan to address Bartholomew County parks was delivered Thursday to the county parks board. Ed Curtain, the consultant hired by the board, explains that there are 12 county parks facilities. As there is no paid parks staff, much of the upkeep and maintenance at these facilities are handled by volunteers.

County officials are debating hiring at least one full-time employee to help with park upkeep. In his presentation, Curtain suggested the county may want to hire one full-time employee and one part-timer. He also raised the possibility of closing some sites. While no official action was taken, discussion indicated that possible closures include the parks in Clifford and Elizabethtown.

The parks board didn’t delve into the specifics, as they had received the draft just minutes before the start of the meeting. Officials are looking into posting the draft on the county’s website, but as of Thursday evening, that hasn’t happened.

Board members agreed to look over the plan and discuss it further at their next meeting in January.

Residents of Hope are encouraged to take part in the #HopeTownJets Deck The Town Competition. Susan Thayer Fye, executive director of Main Street of Hope, says the not-for-profit group is sponsoring this year’s event.

Thayer Fye says that all homes in the Hope town limits are eligible to participate. All homes must be decorated by Dec. 15th. Residents don’t need to do anything else in order to enter. Photos of the homes will be posted on the Main Street of Hope’s Facebook page on Dec. 16th. In order to vote, simply “like” the photos of your favorite homes. Voting will be open through Dec. 21st at 3 p.m.

Organizers say the winning home display will be awarded the traveling “leg lamp,” similar to the prop used in the film, “A Christmas Story.”

A Greensburg man was killed in a one-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on I-74 in Decatur County. Indiana State Police say they were called to the eastbound lanes of the interstate near the 128 mile marker at about 3:30 a.m.

ISP say the initial investigation indicated that a Jeep Wrangler driven by 58-year-ol Rickie A. Meece was traveling eastbound on I-74 when it left the south side of the roadway and struck a guardrail. After striking the guardrail, the vehicle rolled multiple times before coming to stop off the roadway.

Meece was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Decatur County Coroner’s Office. Authorities say he was not properly restrained at the time of the crash.

Authorities say that toxicology tests are pending, although drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be factors at this time.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Exhibit Columbus has announced the first public event of the 2019 exhibition: the J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize Design Presentations on Saturday, Jan. 19th.

Organizers say the 2018-19 Miller Prize Winners experienced Columbus this fall and visited the sites where they will create temporary outdoor installations that respond to the context of Columbus’ built heritage and the curatorial theme of “Good Design in the Community.”

The 2018–19 J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller Prize Recipients and Installation Sites are as follows:

– Agency Landscape + Planning
(Cambridge, MA)
Site: AT&T Facility, 1978, Paul Kennon of Caudill Rowlett Scott

– Bryony Roberts Studio
(New York, NY)
Site: Columbus City Hall, 1981, Edward Charles Bassett, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill

– Frida Escobedo Studio
(Mexico City, Mexico)
Site: Cleo Rogers Memorial Library Plaza, 1971, I.M. Pei and Partners

– MASS Design Group
(Boston, MA; Kigali, Rwanda)
Site: Central Middle School, 2007, Ralph Johnson of Perkins + Will

– SO-IL
(New York, NY)
Site: Bartholomew County Courthouse Lawn, 1871-74, Isaac Hodgson

The Design Presentations also feature the 2018–19 University Design Research Fellows. Representing eight universities, organizers say these fellows will “translate their innovative research into installations and experiences that explore ways in which architecture and design can improve cities and advance new practices in design and fabrication.”

The 2018–19 University Design Research Fellows are:

– Viola Ago and Hans Tursack
– The Ohio State University and
– Massachusetts Institute of Technology
– Sean Ahlquist
– University of Michigan
– Christopher Battaglia
– Ball State University
– Sean Lally and Matthew Wizinsky
– University of Illinois at Chicago and
– University of Cincinnati
– Daniel Luis Martinez and Etien Santiago
– Indiana University
– Marshall Prado
– University of Tennessee

The schedule for the Jan. 19th event is as follows:

10:00 am – 12:30 pm / University Design Research Fellows
12:30 – 1:30 pm / Lunch (provided to ticket holders)
2:00 – 4:30 pm / Miller Prize Presentations

The city of Columbus’ purchase of the Fair Oaks Mall property is imminent.

The city of Columbus partnered with Columbus Regional Health and Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County to offer to purchase the more than 35 acre site for $5.9 million. The current breakdown of costs is $4,087,500 from the city, $1,362,500 from CRH and $450,000 from Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. Heritage Fund offered the assistance after a pair of appraisals put the value of the site at approximately $5.45 million. By law, cities and municipalities are not allowed to spend more on property for more than it appraises for.

The city council voted unanimously on Oct. 16th to create the non-profit group, Fair Oaks Community Development Corporation. Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, says there are eight directors, with the city getting six and CRH getting two. Mayor Jim Lienhoop says the goal is to create an indoor sports facility for the parks department, enhanced by an on-site a CRH facility. The specifics of how and what the site will be developed into has yet to be established. That work is expected to begin in earnest after the property ownership is transferred.

Ferdon says that due diligence was done on the city’s part. She explains that inspections of the building turned up nothing unexpected and that an environmental study of the site showed there is no reason the purchase move forward. City officials add that leases at the mall are being honored and that no retailer is being forced out immediately by the impending purchase.

Barring any delays, Ferdon says the sale will be closed on Dec. 14th.

Heritage Fund – The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County has received a grant of $1 million as part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s seventh phase of its Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative.

Heritage Fund officials say they can use this matching fund grant to build its financial assets and support charitable activities. They explain that at least two-thirds of the matching fund grant must be designated to support the growth of Heritage Fund’s unrestricted endowments, which over time will provide flexibility to help the foundation to meet community needs. The Endowment will provide $2 for every $1 contributed to Heritage Fund’s unrestricted endowments during the matching period, October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.

Heritage Fund may choose to designate up to one-third of the matching fund grant to support the foundation’s own operating needs or specific community or charitable projects. The Endowment will provide 50 cents for every $1 that Heritage Fund raises during the matching period for these purposes.

“Heritage Fund has been grateful for its partnership with the Lilly Endowment since the first GIFT program in 1990. Thanks to the generosity of Bartholomew County residents, Heritage Fund has successfully completed GIFT I, II, III, IV, V and VI, bringing in more than $16 million in donations and matches from the Lilly Endowment. We are confident that GIFT VII will be equally successful,” said Tracy Souza, Heritage Fund president and CEO.

GIFT VII will focus on Heritage Fund’s Community Fund, its unrestricted endowment, which supports its grant-making for important efforts such as:
• Council for Youth Development Bartholomew County
• IUPUC School of Nursing and Mental Health Counseling Program
• Elevate Ventures regional entrepreneurial development partnership
• Columbus Home-buyer Program in partnership with SIHCDC, Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center and BCSC’s C4 program
• Hauser Junior-Senior High School Agriculture Department greenhouse renovation project

The USDA is investing $1.2 billion to help rebuild and improve rural water infrastructure for 936,000 rural Americans living in 46 states. Five projects in Indiana are receiving funding, including one in Decatur County.

“Access to water is a key driver for economic opportunity and quality of life in rural communities,” Hazlett said. “Under the leadership of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA is committed to being a strong partner to rural communities in building prosperity through modern water infrastructure.”

The Town of Westport will use a $1,082,000 loan and a $2,552,000 grant to replace the water treatment plant. In addition, the funding will assist with distribution system upgrades, install a new water main, make improvements to the elevated storage tank, stabilize the water supply dam, and replace water meters. Officials say this project will provide safe drinking water and help protect the health of nearly 603 homes in rural Decatur County. In exchange for these funds, Westport will contribute $46,000 and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs will contribute a $700,000 grant.

For more information on USDA Rural Development, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

Ivy Tech Community College is holding two more special enrollment events in December. Express Enrollment Days will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6th, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8th, at Ivy Tech Columbus, 4475 Central Ave.

At Express Enrollment Day residents can:
• Complete the first steps to enroll as a student, known as FYIvy;
• Get financial aid questions answered;
• Learn about and meet assessment requirements;
• Meet with an advisor;
• Register for the semester;
• And find out about orientation.

If you would like to take part in Express Enrollment Day, you are encouraged to RSVP at ivytech.edu/18794.html.

You should bring high school or college transcripts and SAT/ACT/PSAT scores to assist with assessment and course placement. If you have already completed some college courses, bring an official college transcript to have credits evaluated.

If you are unable to attend Express Enrollment Day, you can complete the enrollment process at any time by calling Ivy Tech Columbus at (812) 372-9925.

The City of Columbus continues to prepare for the expected massive increase in train traffic through the city. On Monday, city officials announced the launch of a web-based train status page that will allow you to see if a train is approaching the intersection of Indiana 11 and State Road 46. Heather Pope, with the city’s Redevelopment Department, says the technology behind the page was designed by Isaiah Bowman, a senior at Purdue Polytechnic Columbus who is completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Technology.

A report prepared for the Surface Transportation Board, completed by CSX, indicated that train traffic may increase from an average of eight trains per day to an average of 22 trains per day. CSX invested $100 million in improvements into the Louisville and Indiana Rail Line. The resulting disruption at the intersection of Indiana 11 and State Road 46 is expected to cause delays in travel in and out of Columbus for an estimated 60,000 residents and visitors each day. EMS services will also be negatively impacted. The development of a status page will now allow users to find alternate routes or make other adjustments.

City officials say that Bowman began work on the notification system in August of 2017 as part of a special class tasked with creation of a train notification system for those in Columbus. With a team of three other students, the group assisted City of Columbus officials with selection of detection cameras and tools that would allow a notification system to work reliably. However, programming work on the status page was not completed by the end of the semester.

Bowman volunteered to stay on with the project through completion, working with both Columbus and Bartholomew County officials to develop a web-based status page that will work on desktop and mobile devices and will not require users to download an “app” to use it. City officials say that Bowman took on this responsibility in addition to his full-time course work and his work study responsibilities at Cummins. Bowman is slated to remain with the project through early 2019 to make additional adjustments to the status page as necessary.

A network of cameras has been installed by city and county officials to allow for live video feed of key intersections along the train route for use by EMS officials, specifically the intersections at 950 S, 200 S and Indiana 11/ State Road 46. When motion is detected at these intersections, an email alert is sent to the web notification system, triggering the signal to turn from green (“All Clear”) to red (“Train Detected”). officials explain that the status page is intended to allow users to choose alternate routes to reach their destinations when a train is detected.

“The City of Columbus and Bartholomew County residents have been eagerly awaiting a status page to better inform them of potential delays in their travels,” said Mayor Jim Lienhoop. “We are thoroughly impressed with Isaiah’s work on this project and are excited to share this tool with residents and visitors to allow travel in and out of Columbus to be much smoother and safer. We encourage all to use the status page responsibly while obeying State and local vehicle laws, allowing them to arrive at their destinations safely.”

The notification system may be accessed by visiting www.columbusrailroadproject.org.

The city of Columbus is looking for your thoughts on the city transit system, the ColumBUS. They are conducting what they are calling a major review of the operations. Cindy Setser, ColumBUS transit coordinator, explains that the expected increase in train traffic has necessitated this discussion…

City officials will be having a public meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10th to discuss the study. The formal presentation will start at 5:30 and the event will be held in the Cal Brand Meeting Hall on the 1st floor of Columbus City Hall. You are encouraged to attend and take part.