The first reading of the proposed 2020 Columbus city budget was approved Tuesday night.

The total budget is $63,493,880 with an adopted tax rate of 1.4317 percent. Jamie Brinegar, the city’s director of finance, explained that the actual certified tax rate won’t be known until the state authors certified figures. The actual tax rate is expected to be lower than the adopted rate. City officials are expected to have that figure shortly after the start of the new year.

Brinegar says that “people costs” of salaries and benefits for city employees account for the most spending in the budget.

For employees at, or above, their mid-point, a two-percent cost of living adjustment is being budgeted. City officials say that actual raises will be merit-based and can be more or less than two-percent.

The city is also taking measures to shore-up the health insurance plan.

The total budget is $63,493,880 with an adopted tax rate of 1.4317 percent. Brinegar explained that the actual certified tax rate won’t be known until the state authors certified figures. The actual tax rate is expected to be lower than the adopted rate. City officials are expected to have that figure shortly after the start of the new year.

Council approved the measure unanimously. The second reading is scheduled for October 15.

A report of a suspicious vehicle led to the arrest of a wanted Johnson County man.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to Heritage Heights Mobile Home Park. After locating the vehicle, police spoke with 27-year-old Cody Morris, of Franklin. He was found to have an outstanding Shelby County warrant. During the arrest, Morris was found to be in possession of methamphetamine, a syringe, marijuana and another controlled substance.

Due to medical issues associated with recent drug use, authorities took Morris to Columbus Regional Hospital for clearance before he was transported to the Bartholomew County Jail. He is facing preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Methamphetamine Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Legend Drug Injection Device, in addition to the outstanding warrant.

Morris remains behind bars on $123,500 bond.

An opportunity coming this weekend to check out a pair of historic homes in Jennings County. Greg Sekula is the Southern Indiana Regional Director for Indiana Landmarks.

As for the second home on the tour…

Both homes are open to tourists on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets are free for Indiana Landmarks members. They are $10 for everyone else.

For more information, including a link for tickets, visit jenningscolandmarklook.eventbrite.com.

A plastic injection molding company in Edinburgh is planning a $3.4 million investment in new equipment.

Company spokeswoman Penny Grubbs with the George Utz company joined Jason Hester of the Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation at Monday evening’s Bartholomew County Council work session. She explained that the investment will retain 87 jobs and create 14 new ones.

The new positions in production are expected to pay $16.75 per hour.

The company is asking for a 10-year tax abatement on the investment.
County Council is set to consider the request at their regular meeting Tuesday.

A Columbus woman was arrested overnight after she was seen trespassing in a department store. Columbus Police say she later tore open a bag of drugs contaminating a patrol vehicle with fentanyl.

The incident began at approximately 2:50 a.m. Tuesday, when officers were dispatched to the Walmart on Whitfield Drive in regards to a woman acting suspiciously inside of the store.

The officers made contact with 20-year-old Alexis R. Daniels and confirmed that she had been trespassing on the property. Daniels was placed under arrest and patted down for weapons and contraband prior to being transported to the Bartholomew County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail, officers observed a white substance on Daniels’ hands and in the floorboard beneath where she was seated. The white substance later tested positive as mixture of heroin and fentanyl.

The CPD patrol car was quarantined and the interior was later cleaned by members of the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team and Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team.

Daniels is facing preliminary charges of Trespassing, Obstruction of Justice and Possession of a Narcotic Drug.

A Columbus Police officer received a Letter of Commendation for his life-saving efforts. In May of this year, Officer Andrew Plank, a five year veteran of the department, was dispatched to a home in regards to a suicide attempt. When Plank arrived, he noted that the juvenile had barricaded a bedroom door and was attempting to hang herself.

Plank made entry into the bedroom and witnessed the juvenile losing consciousness. He then provided life-saving care to the juvenile who survived the incident.

Chief Jon Rohde stated “We enter this profession to serve others and keep them safe, and Officer Plank did just that. While we are thankful that this life was saved, we also know that there is a healing process after such an event and want to continue to be available as a community resource to help with that recovery.”

Officer Plank received the commendation during Tuesday’s meeting of the Board of Public Works and Safety at City Hall.

A Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputy extinguished a fire burning on a home’s deck  while firefighters were still enroute to the scene Monday afternoon.

Capt. Mike Wilson with the Columbus Fire Department says that the call went out from dispatchers after a resident at a home in the 6000 block of Prairie Stream Way smelled smoke and noticed the fire on the deck at about 3:55 p.m. Monday afternoon.

Deputy Sgt. Andrew Dougan was in the area and was first on the scene. He first tried to put out the burning deck with a fire extinguisher but when that was ineffective, he switched to a garden hose. When firefighters arrived, Dougan had the fire knocked down and was dousing the still-smoldering deck, Wilson said.

The witness said that he had been smoking a cigarette on the deck and threw it down when he was finished, thinking it was out. But investigators say it ignited the deck, completely burning through part of the surface about two feet from the home.

Wilson said damages are estimated at about $500 and no one was injured.

Three people were arrested on  drug charges Monday afternoon after a months-long investigation into methamphetamine trafficking by the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement team.

According to police reports, members of the Columbus Police Department SWAT team served a search warrant at a home in the 2900 block of 14th Street at about 1 p.m. Monday afternoon.  Methamphetamine and a large amount of money were found during the search:

Three people were arrested on charges of dealing and possessing methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of drug paraphernalia including:

• 62-year-old Don A. Christenberry of Columbus.
• 64-year-old Jennifer S. Christenberry  of Columbus.
• 54-year-old Jack A. Roscigno of Columbus.

The SWAT team and JNET were assisted in this investigation by officers from the Columbus Police Department Intelligence Led Policing Unit, Uniform Division and the K-9 Division, as well as  Bartholomew County Sheriff’s department deputies.

The Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team is a combined unit of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus Police Department and the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Town of Hope will be having its last cruise-in and market of the season on The Hope Town Square on Friday.

The event runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and will include the band Oddz R performing on the bandstand starting at 6 p.m.

This month’s car and truck show will also feature a kids coloring contest and there will be food for sale in the shelterhouse. The events have been held on the first Fridays of the month through the summer and they are organized by the town and Main Street of Hope. It is free and you are invited to stop by.

Although it may not be feeling much like fall, the city of Columbus is getting ready to begin picking up your leaves.

Loose leaf collection routes in the city will be running Oct. 14th through Dec. 13th. City officials say that leaves will be picked up curbside on public streets on the same day as your trash collection. You need to have them out at the curb by 7 a.m. in the morning.

You asked to keep the leaves loose and out of the street. If you sweep them into the street they can clog storm drains.

You should not pack your leaves in bags and they will not be picked up if they are in bags. Instead, leaves in bags can be carried to the Department of Public Works compost site at 720 S. Mapleton where you can dump them out of the bags yourself.