A robbery occurred Friday morning inside the Shelbyville Walmart at Woodforest Bank.

Just after 10:30 am, a white male approached the teller at the Woodforest Bank.  The man advised the teller that it was robbery. The teller complied with the man’s request and he left the bank.

The teller did not believe a weapon was used during the robbery.

The male exited Walmart and got into what appears to be a blue Ford or Mercury four-door passenger car. The male backed down the aisle and then turned around eventually heading east out of the parking lot.

Anyone with any information on this robbery is asked to call the Shelbyville Police Department Investigations Division.

The Shelbyville Common Council is the next stop for a proposed YMCA that Major Health Partners wants to build at the corner of North State Road 9 and Intelliplex Drive.

Rezoning the proposed YMCA location was necessary for the project, and in a special meeting Tuesday evening in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St., the city's Board of Zoning Appeals voted to recommend the rezoning request to the Shelbyville Plan Commission.

Meeting right after the zoning board, the Plan Commission also voted in favor of the proposal (premeeting discussion pictured).

Plan Commission member Barb Lewis recused herself because she's involved with Shelby Senior Services, and part of the project includes relocating Senior Services to the YMCA complex.

Government leaders of Shelbyville and Shelby County have pledged about $1.5 million each in public money to support the $18 million project. The rest is to be funded by the hospital.

But the rezoning approval came only after the Plan Commission heard from residents next to the site which was owned by a church before the hospital bought it.

Stacy Smith lives in Trotters Chase just north of the Intelliplex business park; his condo overlooks the YMCA development site to the south.

He asked that steps be taken to ease the impact on the neighbors.

“I moved out there, and I knew it was a church's land, and I thought, well, you know, when I bought that condo, staring right at where you guys are gonna be building. So I thought it was going to be a church, and there'd be noise on Sunday morning and that's about it. Now, you're talking about a YMCA, restaurant and everything staring right at us. And what I'm, you know, I knew something was gonna be built there sooner or later. You know, I'd like to fight it but I think that's gonna be a losing battle there. But, I was wondering what kind of fence they're gonna put up, something, so no house is staring at all that,” Smith said.

Mike Evans, president of the Shelbyville Plan Commission, replied that issues such as berms and other things to make the development more pleasing would come up later in the planning process.

With the OK from the Plan Commission, the City Council must give final approval to rezone the land for the YMCA development.

The council's next scheduled meeting is at 8 a.m. on June 17 in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St.

In other matters, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Plan Commission approved variances to zoning regulations so Hoosier Energy can build an electrical substation to support an ethanol refinery to be built by POET Biorefining Shelbyville LLC.

The variances involved changes in setbacks and standards for vegetation plantings and driveways.

Hoosier Energy is building the substation for Rush-Shelby Energy which will provide the electricity to customers. Duke Energy owns power transmission lines that run near the 4-acre project site at the corner of County Road 300 North and Tom Hession Drive.

Building the substation close to the power lines is a necessity for the project.

The substation will power POET's ethanol refinery locating nearby on 300 North. It also will have the capacity to power other commercial developments as well as homes in that area northwest of Shelbyville which the city recently annexed.

Hoosier Energy is expected to begin moving dirt at the site as soon as weather permits.

Also on Tuesday evening, the Plan Commission approved a petition to allow the construction of 90 new homes at the Twin Lakes subdivision, located at McKay and Amos Roads.

Developer Westport Homes said it will work with the Twin Lakes homeowners group to address concerns about the type of houses to be built.

Shelbyville schools will have another resource officer when classes resume later this summer.

On Tuesday, Police Chief Mark Weidner presented the city's Board of Works with a retirement letter for Mike Polston.

“After 20 years of service, he's going to make his effective retirement date July 2, 2019. And I have a request from me as well, that at that time, that we allow him to maintain his equipment and training as a reserve officer for the purpose of school security,” Weidner said.

The board accepted the retirement letter and the chief's request.

Mayor Tom DeBaun, who chairs the Board of Works, noted that, with the addition of Polston, the city schools will have three resource officers (file photo).

In other matters, the board heard an animal bite case involving a dog owned by Keith Wade, 407 Eberhart Drive.

The Animal Shelter had been holding the dog in quarantine; the owner did not attend Tuesday's hearing.

Because of previous incidents, the board voted to have the shelter euthanize the dog.

Also, DeBaun directed the city attorney to look into other complaints about that address.

Tuesday morning Moral Township Fire Department will Shelby Medics responded to 900 North and 500 West for a two-vehicle accident that involved a Shelby County Highway dump truck.

The driver of a white SUV was transported to Methodist Hospital. The driver of the dump truck was uninjured.

The investigation is still ongoing with the Shelby County Sherriff’s Department.      

Assisting agencies were Shelby County Emergency Management, Ross Wreaker and the Shelby County Highway Department.    

Ironically, the continual rains across Shelby County are delaying needed work on the county ditches that drain off the rainwater.

The Shelby County Commissioners, who also act as the County Drainage Board, said at their meeting on Tuesday morning in the Court House Annex, 25 W. Polk St., that they're aware of the situation (file photo).

However, Commissioner Don Parker (R-South District), who's president of the Drainage Board and a farmer, said there's little they can do for now.

“And like we just touched on, you know, been getting calls, ditches run to farmers, property owners, wanting to see some work done, but you know, it's just all weather related. You know, I tell 'em, it's been wet since last September. Try holding off a little bit, hope our contractors get busy or may have to look for different ones, I don't know. Be a little more time,” Parker said.

Commissioner Kevin Nigh (R-Center District), who also farms, said the rains have delayed drainage work in some county housing developments such as Country Club Heights and Meadowview.

And the on-going rains have delayed spring planting for farmers in Shelby County and across Indiana; just a fraction of their corn and soybean crops are in the ground.

In other matters, the commissioners approved a change order for Bridge 219, the replacement for Bridge 13 in northwestern Shelby County.

The commissioners said there was no cost related to the change order which was caused by rain delays.

Northwestern Consolidated Schools of Shelby County has announced an emergency training at the schools on Tuesday, May 28.

Superintendent Chris Hoke stated in a press release that the countywide safety drill is in partnership with local emergency management agencies.  The training scenario will consist of a simulated hazardous material spill response for local and state agencies and a campus building evacuation / reunification for NWCSD personnel.

During the drill the NWCSD campus will be closed to visitors.

Anyone with questions may contact the superintendent’s office.

Wednesday morning, Shelbyville Fire Department with The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and Shelbyville Police Department responded to River’s Edge Golf Course for a golf cart that had rolled onto a woman. Jill Manley, 68 of Columbus was transported to Methodist Hospital and her condition is unknown as of this report.

The investigation is this ongoing by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.  

Funding is now in place for the initial phase of Mayor Tom DeBaun's downtown redevelopment plan.

The Shelbyville Common Council has voted 6-1 to let the mayor spend up to $500,000, “for the design and due diligence,” of the three projects in the proposal.

Councilman Brad Ridgeway (R-4^th Ward) cast the “no” vote. Ridgeway has questioned the cost of the project, saying it will take funding away from other areas of the city that need help.

During the council's premeeting in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St., on Monday, the mayor explained his request to the council.

“Right now we have a construction estimate. This gets us down to an actual budget. If you'll recall, we budgeted $200,000 in EDIT, $500,000 in racino; there's some question on whether or not that money is already available for spending. Today, I've asked you to prepare a resolution to come and give formal, specific permission,” DeBaun said.

EDIT is the Economic Development Income Tax that everyone employed in the city pays. Racino money comes from taxes on gaming at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

The construction estimate that the mayor mentioned is what the developers of the three downtown projects have asked the city to contribute - $22.4 million.

About $5.9 million of that public funding would be used to pay for infrastructure to support upscale housing developments at the old Major Hospital site on West Washington Street and in the Methodist Building on the Public Square, including a parking garage behind the building (pictured rendering).

Three-quarters of that money, some $16.5 million, would go toward a total makeover of the Public Square itself and nearby streets, according to the development proposal.

The $500,000 approved by the council is to allow the developer, Genesis Property Group, to seek actual bids for the work and get a firm cost for the overall project.

During the City Council's regular meeting on Monday, Councilman David Phares (R-At Large) asked Tom Davis of Genesis Property about the company.

“I know very little about Genesis, and I've got a little concern that if you guys are taking care of all the, Genesis is taking care of all the vendor service, my only concern is the checks and balances...to make sure brother-in-law doesn't own the design company,” he said.

Davis replied that he'd be the project manager, and he has 30 years experience and has worked with Runnebohm Construction on projects for 25 years.

“We have the skill set as far as the management part of it, to manage the road, to manage the garage and manage all of the underground project. We've got extensive experience with that. And we're hiring good experts,” he said.

Council members will have a lot of input in the design phase of the project and be able to see the bids Genesis puts out and receives, Davis said.

If the council decides not to go ahead with the project, the city will own the design information gathered, such as topographs of the streets, for future use, he added.

Genesis' proposed schedule for the downtown redevelopment goes from preliminary design this summer to completion in July 2021.

In other matters, the City Council approved 12 compliance statements for tax abatements received by seven companies:

• Addison Real Estate (1)

• Brazeway LLC (5)

• Freudenburg-NOK (1)

• Hendricks Pointe Apartments LP (1)

• Kimura Foundry America Inc. (2)

• North Harrison Senior Apartments LP (1)

• Plymate Inc. (1)

The council tabled approval of a compliance statement from Nippon Steel & Sumikin Cold Heading Wire Indiana Inc. after questions on how it was filled out.

Also the City Council approved a request by Major Health Partners to rezone a 5-acre parcel on North State Road 9 at Intelliplex Park. to use the land as the site for a YMCA and related services.

And the council amended the city's salary ordinance so the Water Resource Recovery Facility could hire an intern.

Council committee OKs funds for Timber Creek

Following the Common Council meeting, the council's Finance Committee approved recommending to the full council a request by the developer of Timber Creek Village for $14,950 to extend a water line to the development site. Timber Creek is an assisted living facility to be located at 990 Progress Pkwy.

A public hearing on June 17 is the next stop for a 100 percent property tax abatement requested by POET Biorefining Shelbyville LLC.

On Monday morning, the Shelbyville Common Council voted 5-2 in favor of POET's abatement application.

Councilmen Brad Ridgeway (R-4th Ward) and Jeff Wright (D-5th Ward) voted against the request.

POET, based in South Dakota, wants to build an ethanol refinery northwest of Shelbyville on County Road 300 North just west of Tom Hession Drive, an area recently annexed by the city.

In a first for Shelbyville, 100 percent of POET's personal property taxes on more than $105 million worth of equipment is to be abated for 10 years if the application is finalized.

POET would pay no property taxes on the equipment over the 10-year abatement period under the proposal before the City Council.

Additionally, 100 percent of the property taxes on the company's $75 million real estate investment would be abated for 2 years, with 80 percent of the taxes abated for the remaining 8 years.

The City Council's written resolution for the project contains a “clawback” provision requiring POET to repay the abated taxes if the company, “ceases operations or transfers abated personal property to another operation without replacement.”

Brian Asher, Executive Director Shelby County Development Corporation and council member commented in a Facebook response to public comment and this story on the GIANT fm Facebook page..... 

"The projected 10-year total Real Property tax as is without POET would be estimated at $47,163 during a 10 year period with the current assessed value schedule. Even with the abatement, POET will pay approximately $3,925,585 in those same 10 years (83 times what the city currently would receive). If you want to talk beyond the first 10 years, the total Real and Personal Property tax due by POET will be approximately $2,529,821 annually – which is over $25 million from Years 11 through 20 - (530 times what the city currently would receive). And a water line is being extended to run down Tom Hession Drive which gets water closer to Fairland and other Economic Development opportunities (estimated $2.5 million-dollar value) which also adds water redundancy for the hospital and casino.

Farmers will get a .10 cent increase per bushel of corn plus reduced transportation costs due to the POET plant.  40-45 jobs $2,000,000 annual payroll which is $50,000+ per year.  This is few of the many reasons why we want/need this company in Shelby County. Nothing happens overnight, we must plan for the future."

During the council's premeeting Monday, just before its regular meeting in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St., Councilman Rob Nolley (R-3rd Ward) spoke in support of the abatements.

He noted that the council's Tax Abatement Committee, which he chairs, voted unanimously last week in favor of POET's request, and he went over the benefits of the project.

“What this project brings is not just the plant but also the water line that's going up Tom Hession Boulevard that opens up all that land for development. That is by far the biggest benefit of this project. And, not to mention the high-paying jobs,” Nolley said.

POET has projected its ethanol refinery will create 40 to 45 full-time jobs paying salaries and benefits totaling $2 million a year.

However Councilman Wright said waiving nearly all of the company's property taxes for a decade was just too much.

“I hear what Rob's saying, however, I think going to 100 percent abatement for 10 years is excessive, and I'm going to vote no,” Wright said.

Councilman Ridgeway flew back from a vacation in Florida just to attend Monday's council meeting and afterward said he voted against POET's abatement request because it was a bad deal for the city.

“$160 million and we're not going to get very much tax revenue. Everybody wants to say, 'After the tax abatement.' That's 10 years later. We've gotta have better revenue from that source. How are we ever gonna grow a city if we don't get the tax revenue from some of these companies?” he said.

Ridgeway is running for mayor of Shelbyville against incumbent Mayor Tom DeBaun in the city elections Nov. 5.

During the council's premeeting, DeBaun explained his reasons for supporting the POET abatements.

“On the surface, by itself, don't like it. Based upon the other aspects it brings not only to the farmers but just the community as a whole, I think it's necessary. And, quite frankly, if it weren't for the water line or the abatement, they wouldn't be here,” he said.

DeBaun noted a recent water main break in the area near the POET site left both the casino and the hospital without water which was a big concern.

POET has stated it will offer local farmers a 10-cent per bushel premium on the price of the corn they sell to the ethanol refinery.

The City Council's abatement resolution calls for making the POET site an “Economic Development Revitalization Area” under Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1 to allow for the tax abatements.

Doing so requires a public hearing. The council is due to hold that hearing on June 17 in City Hall with a premeeting starting at 8 a.m. followed by the regular meeting at 8:30 a.m.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an off-road vehicle (ORV) accident in which one juvenile female sustained injuries.

The accident occurred at approximately 1 p.m., near Morristown, 300 E just north of 1000 N in Shelby County.

Two juvenile females were operating ORVs on a roadway in a rural area. For reasons not yet known, the ORVs both left the roadway and collided. One of the juvenile females was thrown from her ORV and sustained a head injury.

She was transported to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis by ambulance.  

The cause of the accident is still being investigated. Neither juvenile was wearing a helmet or proper safety equipment. 

It is unlawful to operate an ORV on a public roadway unless approved by county commissioners. Shelby County does not allow ORV operation on roadways.

Indiana Conservation Officers stress safe operation of ORVs and the use of proper protective equipment such as helmets.

Indiana Conservation Officers were assisted by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Morristown Volunteer Fire Department, Fountaintown Volunteer Fire Department and Shelbyville Medics.

 A 28 year old woman from Vevay, Indiana was killed Saturday morning in a single vehicle roll-over crash along I-74 in Shelby County.

At 10:45 a.m. emergency crews were called to I-74 westbound near the 107 mile marker for a single vehicle crash. Callers were reporting one person had been ejected from the car and another was trapped inside. When first responders arrived on scene they found a female outside of the vehicle unresponsive and not breathing. Despite life saving efforts, Samantha Boyer of Vevay was pronounced deceased on the scene. A male passenger was entrapped and had to be extricated by the fire department and was later transported to Methodist Hospital in critical condition.

Investigators have preliminarly determined a 2008 Toyota, driven by Boyer, ran off the side of I-74, came back across the westbound lanes and went off the right side of the road.  It then rolled several times and came to rest on a side road.  Boyer was not wearing a seatbelt was was ejected from the vehicle. At this time troopers do not know what caused the vehicle to run off the road. 

Alcohol is not suspected however standard procedure with all fatal crashes requires a blood test for impairmentt.  Those results are pending. 

At 8 a.m. on Monday, the Shelbyville Common Council is expected to vote on a property tax abatement for a South Dakota biofuels company.

POET Biorefining Shelbyville LLC plans to build a refinery to make ethanol, a gasoline additive, at a facility now under construction on County Road 300 North, just west of Tom Hession Drive.

The city has annexed the area.

POET has asked the city for 10-year tax abatements on more than $110 million in both real property and the plant's equipment.

Under the terms, 100 percent of the taxes on the $5.2 million real estate investment is to be abated for 5 years, with 80 percent of taxes abated for the remaining 5 years.

For the equipment, taxed as personal property, 100 percent of taxes on the $105.4 million investment is to be abated for the entire 10-year period.

The agreement has a clawback provision if POET fails to meet the terms which include 45 new jobs paying some $2 million annually in combined salaries.

Another item on the City Council's agenda Monday is funding for Mayor Tom DeBaun's proposed downtown revitalization project.

The plan includes infrastructure and a parking garage to support executive housing developments, plus a complete makeover of the Public Square.

DeBaun is expected to ask the council for approval to spend money already budgeted to seek bids in order to get firm cost estimates for the project, now due to run some $22.4 million.

The City Council is scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. Monday in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St.

Effective July 1, Mary Harper will become the new superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools.

The school board voted unanimously in a special meeting Thursday to approve a 1-year employment contract and officially hire Harper, now the assistant superintendent of SCS, for the top job overseeing the city's public schools.

Following the brief meeting at Blue River Career Programs, 801 St. Joseph St., Harper thanked the board for the opportunity.

She could not say whether she would stay on after her 1-year contract is up.

“You know, I'm going to take 1 year at a time. You know, I've been, I was honored that they asked me to take the position as they look to see what the future of Shelbyville Central leadership is gonna look like. And I've been here a long time, 34 years, and so I think they know my work, and so, I think I'll just keep on dedicating myself to the families of our school community, and we'll just go from there,” Harper said.

Focus for the upcoming school year will be the opening of the new Golden Bear Preschool in the former Marsh supermarket at 1015 E. State Road 44, she said.

That's scheduled to take place in less than 2 months.

Another focus, Harper said, will be expanding Shelbyville Central's STEM curriculum, teachings in science, technology, engineering and math.

The STEM initiative, Project Lead the Way, is due to begin for 6^th grade students this fall.

David Adams, the current superintendent of the school corporation, is set to retire at the end of June.

In other appointments for the 2019-2020 school year:

Kathleen Miltz will become the assistant superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools. She's been the principal at Shelbyville High School since 2013.

Brent Baker, principal at Loper Elementary for the past 7 years, will become the new principal of Shelbyville High School.

Adam Harpring, assistant principal at Coulston Elementary, will become the new principal at Loper.

Few new details have been released by Shelbyville Police in an ongoing stabbing investigation.

Just before 1:00 am Wednesday, officers responded to the 200 block of West Taylor Street for what was being dispatched as a fight or some type of disturbance.  Officers arrived and found several subjects in the area.

Officers located one subject who appeared to be injured and bleeding.  The victim was transported to Methodist Hospital for injuries consistent with stab wounds.  At this time all those involved are being questioned by detectives.

This is an ongoing investigation at this time.  The Shelbyville Police Department asks that anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Shelbyville Police Department Investigations Division. 

A stabbing occurred in the early morning Wednesday hours in Shelbyville.

Among the few details known as of this report, one person was hospitalized. No further word on injuries at this time.

Police were on the scene in the 2:00 am hour on West Taylor at S. West Street.

The clock is ticking toward two big changes in the Shelbyville school system.

On Thursday, the board of Shelbyville Central Schools is scheduled to reveal the name of the city's new school superintendent.

The school board is due to hold a special meeting at noon Thursday in Blue River Career Programs, 801 St. Joseph St., to vote on a 1-year contract for the new superintendent.

Following the board's regular meeting Tuesday evening, school board chairman Mike Warble said the name of the new superintendent will be revealed at that time.

Current superintendent David Adams is retiring this summer after nearly 40 years in education.

The second big change coming to city schools – in less than 2 months, the new Golden Bear Preschool is set to open.

Before Tuesday's meeting, the school board toured the preschool now under construction in the former Marsh supermarket building, 1015 E. State Road 44. (File photo)

Leading the tour, Adams told the board that the preschool's designed to accommodate future growth.

“Fifteen classrooms, which means, at capacity, if the state would ever change the law, and say that you could, we have enough room for every 4-year-old that lives in Shelbyville. We could easily do 300 kids in all of our classrooms. And actually, because preschools have days, we could actually do more. The capacity here, it's built to grow,” he said.

In other matters, the school board on Tuesday evening heard from Assistant Superintendent Mary Harper that Shelby County is eligible for pre-K funding from the state and will be applying for it.

Harper also told the board that Project Lead the Way will be adopted for 6^th grade students.

Project Lead the Way offers coursework in science, technology, engineering and math, the so-called STEM curricula designed to meet the demand for skilled workers. Harper said parents would not be charged for the startup costs of the program.

CSX is replacing ties in their railroad crossings throughout Shelbyville and Shelby County. 

The following Shelbyville streets are going to be closed down at the rail locations on May 20 for 2-3 days:

Hendricks

Jackson

Washington 

Noble

Franklin

Pennsylvania 

Walker 

John 

Mechanic and Broadway will remain open during this period with signs promoting traffic to those locations.

A bridge that has been closed for eight years is soon to re-open.

The former Shelby County Bridge 13, on County Road 875 West, just south of 700 North spans Buck Creek. The crossing has been closed to traffic since 2011.  The new structure, ow known as Bridge 219, is almost ready for travel.

Shelby County Commissioner Don Parker says striping for the new bridge is scheduled for Tuesday.  A formal 'grand opening' ceremony is being set for Friday.

Built in 1889, Bridge 13 is a rare example of Pratt steel truss-through construction. Because of its historic nature, the state required Shelby County to preserve it.  So Bridge 13 was disassembled, cleaned up, stored, and now is being reassembled in Shelbyville's Blue River Memorial Park where it will become part of the city's bike-pedestrian trail.

Residents are invited to pay respects to Shelby County law enforcement officers who gave their lives in service to the community.

A ceremony to honor the county's seven fallen officers is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday at the First United Methodist Church, 34 W. Washington St.

Each year the Shelby County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #84 organizes the memorial service. It's being held at the church due to on-going construction work at the FOP lodge, 1237 N.  Knightstown Road.

Sheriff Louis Koch told the Shelby County Commissioners at their meeting on Monday that people will be welcome to stay after the ceremony.

“There'll be some gathering after the event, so everybody can kind of hang out there and mingle. It was a nice turnout last year,” he said.

In addition, after the ceremony Sunday, the local FOP is due to hand out its Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarships to students from the county schools.

More information is on the Facebook page of the Shelby County FOP Lodge #84 under “Events.”

In other actions, the commissioners renewed service contracts for the Recorders office and the sheriff's department.

And Commissioner Kevin Nigh (R-Center District) noted that Bridge 219, which is replacing Bridge 13 on County Road 875 West in the northwestern part of the county, is expected to open this week.

The state required the county to preserve Bridge 13 because of its historic nature. Bridge 13 has been moved to Blue River Memorial Park where it will become part of Shelbyville's bike-pedestrian trail.

Reconvened as the Shelby County Drainage Board, the commissioners heard from John Coy about water problems related to a wetlands area near Fairland.

Coy owns a large tract of farmland east of Fairland between County Roads 400 North and 450 North.

During the Fairland Road reconstruction several years ago, the state of Indiana required Shelby County to create a wetlands area to replace some wetlands lost due to the road project.

Coy told the commissioners that a dam used to create the new wetlands is also creating flooding issues on his farmland, and others.

“It's even now starting to affect my neighbor's field. If you happen to drive by the cemetery just outside of Fairland, and look at the field directly north, you'll see a big pool of water. That hasn't been there forever, that's just the last couple of years that's developed,” Coy said.

The commissioners' office will work with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to try to resolve the issue.

Announcement of the new interim superintendent for Shelbyville Central Schools is expected soon, following a public hearing on a contract for the position.

The SCS school board convened for a special business meeting Thursday evening at Blue River Career Programs, 803 St. Joseph St., to hold a public hearing on the proposed 1-year contract.

Asked by Giant FM if the contract was any different from the existing superintendent agreement, Denny Harrold, the board's attorney, noted that it was a short-term deal.

“It's not a superintendent's contract. It's an interim contract for 1 year. In it, the uh, all the provisions were in that notice of publication that was in the paper on April 28. So if you look at that, it'll tell you exactly what the provisions of this contract are,” he said.

The notice said the interim superintendent of Shelbyville Central Schools is to be paid just over $121,000, plus a stipend of $19,000.

Various other benefits, such as insurance and retirement, are also part of the deal.

No one from the public spoke at Thursday evening's public hearing on the interim superintendent contract, and the school board took no formal action.

Board members said, by law, they must wait 7 days after the public hearing before voting on the contract.

The board's next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 14 at the Blue River Career Programs building, which is too soon to take action.

Current SCS superintendent David Adams is due to retire at the end of June.

The Indiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) will host its popular morning event for the third straight year at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The event will follow a slightly altered program from past years and will include some afternoon and evening sessions, tagged with a new name “Grand Experience” in 2019.

“Grand Experience” kicks off Saturday, May 11 beginning at 9 a.m. with a free continental breakfast trackside followed by a shuttle to the starting gate for the day’s theme “Gateway to Racing.” Each morning, Starter Ray Kuwik and the assistant starters work with various horses needing experience in the starting gate. Guests of “Grand Experience” will be able to watch the work that is done with these horses to prepare them for racing. The morning event will conclude by 10:30 a.m. Members of Indiana HBPA will be present to assist with the event.

Other “Grand Experience” programs slated for 2019 include “The Barn Door is Always Open,” a tour on the backstretch at Indiana Grand set for Saturday, June 8 beginning at 9 a.m. The third installment is “Out to Lunch,” slated for noon Saturday, July 20. Guests will board a shuttle and head to the local farm of Katie and Tony Duran, who live just north of Shelbyville. Guests will enjoy lunch and see the inner workings of a real breeding farm, complete with mares and foals.

The fourth event of the season is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 in conjunction with “Boots ‘N Brews,” also sponsored by the Indiana HBPA. The evening will include free refreshments, rewards and racing for guests complete with a mechanical bull, kids’ activities and live entertainment to coincide with the racing program.

The final session for 2019 is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 with the theme “Come Along for the Ride,” Indiana Grand’s slogan for 2019. Guests will enjoy a visit from Otto Thorwarth, former jockey and the actor who portrayed Ron Turcotte in the Disney movie “Secretariat.” Thorwarth, who now serves as a track chaplain, will talk about his work at the track and give a tour of the jockey’s quarters.

All events are free and open to guests of all ages. Parking and admission are also always free at Indiana Grand.

Good news for Shelbyville railroad crossings

City engineer Matt House says CSX is going to finally replace a number of crossings in town with a rubber crossing.  The work will result impact traffic at various locations.

CSX is replacing crossings at Hendricks, Jackson, Washington, Noble, Franklin , Mechanic, Walker and John Streets.  A contractor has already saw cut the road next to the crossings

A contractor also saw cut Progress Parkway, but the CSX representative said it wasn't on her list and was going to check further.

SR 9 has already been saw cut as well.  The representative said the contractor thought that this would require a different kind of crossing, and they would likely come back later to do that location. 

INDOT will require CSX to put up a message board in advance.

The crossings will be closed for 2 or 3 days. 

The city has  asked that CSX leave Mechanic and Broadway open while the others were closed and that they create closure signs that say 'Use Mechanic St and Broadway St". 

The current start date is May 27, which is Memorial Day. 

Three contested Shelby County Republican races were decided in Tuesday's primary election.

Shelbyville Common Council - At-Large  (vote 2)

Brian Asher, 520

Rob Nolley, 474

Phillip Coit Conover, 203

Shelbyville Clerk - Treasurer

Scott Asher, 375

Amy Glackman, 312

Morristown Town Council  (vote 2)

Tammy Davis, 75

David Benefiel, 70

William White, 40

All Republican primary vote totals 

Next stop for a $22.4 million plan to revitalize the city's downtown is the Shelbyville Common Council later this month.

That follows a public hearing about the proposal before the city's Redevelopment Commission on Monday evening.

About seven people of the 60 or so attending got up during the meeting in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St., and spoke in favor of the proposal.

One was Doug Cassidy of Bishopp's Appliances, who has questioned the downtown plan in the past.

“I've said this prior to this; if we don't do anything, get right back to, 'this won't work and will this work,' if we don't do; we know what won't work because we're living it. So I think we need to do something, whether it's this or another way, we need to do something. If you always do what you've always done, you get what you've always got, and what we've always got isn't working too well,” he said.

No one in the audience spoke against the downtown development project.

The plan proposed by Ron Kelsay, co-owner of Riverfront Taproom, along with Tim Barrick of Ratio Architects and Chris King of Runnebohm Construction Co., includes:

• Building executive-style homes in the $400,000 price range on the vacant Major Hospital lot and townhomes across from it on West Washington Street;

• Renovating the Methodist Building on the Public Square and the Bradley Hall building next door to include upscale living spaces and retail space;

• Extensive redesign of the Public Square itself and the streets leading into it.

Kelsay, co-owner of Genesis Property Group, the lead developer, stressed that they're only asking the city to fund infrastructure improvements to support the projects.

“So I want to be clear. What is not included in this proposal is the development of the Methodist Building itself; that's a privately-funded project, that's private investment. It doesn't include anything related to the Bradley Hall building, which again is private investment. It does not include any construction of Hamilton-Major homes themselves or the purchase or sale of any of the land related to that site,” he said.

The city owns the old Major Hospital site. Major Health Partners gave the property to the city when the hospital moved to the Intelliplex business park.

Most of the funding the developers are asking the city to provide is for reconstruction of the Public Square, a total of $16,500,000.

The estimate for the parking garage at the Methodist Building is $4.45 million, and the city's cost for the Hamilton-Major housing project would be $1.41 million, according to the developers' proposal.

Combined, the three publicly-funded components total $22,360,000.

Redevelopment Commission members asked a few questions at Monday's meeting but took no formal action on the proposal.

Commission president, Mark McNeely, noted that time was limited since the City Council was due to meet right after. The commission meeting lasted one hour.

The Shelbyville Common Council is expected to hear the public funding request at the council's next regular meeting, scheduled for 8 a.m. on May 20 in City Hall.

City Council OKs new riverfront license for 18 Public Square

The Shelbyville Common Council has approved a riverfront liquor permit for a new business on the Public Square.

Meeting right after the Redevelopment Commission hearing on the downtown plan Monday evening, the City Council voted to grant a riverfront alcohol permit after some clarification as to how to pronounce the name of the business.

Pudders (pron: POO-ders) plans to open at 18 Public Square, according to the alcohol license applicant, Val Phares.

Asked by the council when he hoped to open, Phares said July, but added he still needed approval from the state alcohol board which may take longer.

City Councilmen Brian Asher (R-At Large) and David Phares (R-At Large) abstained from the vote.

In other matters, the City Council approved $306,000 in racino funds for a new trash truck and excavator for the Street Department, and repairs to Hillcrest Drive caused by a water main break.

The council also OK'd racino funding transfers of $50,000 for the Aviation Department and $200,000 for the Parks Department, and a transfer of $325,000 in EDIT funds for debt payments.

CORRECTION - Councilman Rob Nolley (R-3rd Ward), not Councilman Brian Asher, abstained from the vote on Pudders.  The Shelby County Post regrets the error.

Work to open Blue River Road just west of Morristown will begin as soon as materials are available.

The Shelby County Commissioners have voted to approve emergency repairs to the road just north of U.S. 52.

Highway Superintendent Kem Anderson told the commissioners at their meeting on Monday that a backup in nearby drainage culvert had washed out the road.

They've located a pipe to fix the problem and work will begin as soon as they get it, Anderson said.

In other matters, the commissioners approved a contract to repair Bridge 11, as part of the county's on-going bridge maintenance program.

Mike Obergfell, a vice president with USI Consultants Inc., the county's engineering advisor on the bridge program, said the winning bid was under the estimate.

“First of all, our estimate was $266,463.49. Their's was $6,000 below that. All the numbers are pretty good; one's a little high, but they're all right there. Everything looks in order. All the bid prices and totals add up. I think you have both agendas in the agreement, or in the packet. I would recommend awarding the project to Trisler Construction,” he said.

The company's bid price was $258,679. Bridge 11 is located on County Road 800 North, a short distance west of County Road 325 West. The concrete span was built in 1930.

Also, the commissioners approved updates to the county's planning ordinances regulating small cell towers, and allowing construction of larger-sized pole barns.

The board renewed a 5-year agreement with the Shelby County Fair Board of Directors regarding management of the county-owned fairgrounds.

And the commissioners approved a proclamation presented by Kim Koehl, executive director of Shelby Senior Services (pictured), declaring that May is “Older Americans Awareness Month” in Shelby County.

Three motorcyclists were transported to area hospitals after a pickup truck that had run into the rear of a car rotated into their lane. Troopers were called to SR 44 at 125 W. just before 12:30 p.m.

sunday afternoon for a report of a four vehicle crash.

The preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Jeff Culley indicates that a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, driven by Bonnie Moore, 59, of Rushville, was stopped on SR 44 eastbound waiting to turn north (left) onto CR 125 W.  A 2002 Toyota Tacoma pickup driven by Adelle Nuxoll, 17, of Holton, was eastbound on SR 44 approaching CR 125 W. and was unable to get stopped before hitting the Volkswagen Jetta from behind.

The impact caused the Tacoma truck to rotate to the right, and the bed of the truck swung into the westbound lane of SR 44 into the path of a line of passing motorcycles.  A 1974 Harley Davidson Motorcycle being driven by Clayton Brown, 42, of Fairland, Indiana, hit the truck bed as it rotated into his lane and he and his passenger, Julie McKee, age 45, (address unknown) were ejected off the motorcycle.

The motorcycle behind Brown, a 2014 Indian driven by James Armstrong, 50, of Indianapolis, skidded on its side past the crashed vehicles into the ditch on the south side of SR 44. Armstrong was taken by ambulance to Rush County Hospital for complaint of pain.

Julie McKee was flown by medical helicopter to St. Vincent’s in Indianapolis with a head injury and other non-life threatening injuries. Clayton Brown was transported to St Vincent’s in Indianapolis by ambulance for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. None of the injured motorcyclists were wearing helmets.

The drivers of the passenger cars were uninjured.

Alcohol was not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Trooper Culley was assisted in his investigation by Trooper Eric Downey, the Rushville City Police Department and the Rush County Sheriff’s Department.

Through a Ball State immersive learning course, Emma Brauer of Shelbyville, helped create a reenactment video, virtual walking tour, virtual museum, and an in-depth marketing plan to celebrate, preserve and promote Indiana history.

Brauer, a history major with minors in anthropology and historic preservation, worked with nine other students through this four-part course to learn new skills in multimedia history education.

“I learned so much in this course – from marketing, to writing, to website creation. And most importantly, I realized this is exactly what I want to do with my life: educate the public in intriguing ways,” Brauer said.

One component of the course culminated in a short documentary film that featured students re-enacting the distinct roles of unsung revolutionary war heroes who brought Indiana to statehood. The students partnered with the Sons of the American Revolution and Ball State’s Digital Corps to learn the story of each war hero and to produce the documentary. The video can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/album/59362.

Brauer leveraged the virtual landscape by helping to create a historical virtual walking tour for eight districts in Putnam County, Indiana. Each 10-12 stop multimedia tour consists of narrative audio sound bites, written description and pictures that the students mapped, wrote, recorded, and researched. The tour can be accessed through phone or computer at http://heritagepreservationsociety.org/.

The junior also contributed to the creation of virtual museum that showcases Indiana’s role in the civil rights movement. The 90-exhibit online space displays the influential people, places and struggles that shaped Indiana. The virtual museum can be accessed through http://digitalresearch.bsu.edu/digitalcivilrightsmuseum/.

The final part of the course required the students to create a marketing plan for the Canal Society of Indiana, which aimed to connect the historical organization with a new demographic. Brauer is confident the series of marketing strategies will heighten the historical organization’s membership and influence in the community. 

“Most of the time in history classes, students write papers or take notes. In this class, however, we created products for public consumption, and worked with great clients,” Brauer said. “This was an extremely challenging course. I received such a unique hands-on experience  and feel empowered because of it. I hope my hard work makes the Muncie, Ball State, and Shelbyville communities proud.”

Gebr. Knauf KG (“Knauf”) and USG Corporation (NYSE: USG) announced the completion of Knauf’s acquisition of USG.

This acquisition creates a global building materials industry leader that will be even better positioned to meet customers’ needs by leveraging two highly complementary businesses, product portfolios and global footprints.

“This transformational transaction is the largest acquisition in Knauf’s history and, accordingly, presents significant opportunities to create a stronger, more sustainable company for our employees, customers and communities,” said Alexander Knauf, General Partner of Knauf. “We greatly admire USG’s strong brands, leading market positions in North American wallboard and ceilings, and highly talented employee base. We are excited to welcome USG employees to the Knauf family and look forward to working together to accelerate growth and profitability and even better serve our customers.”

Chris Griffin, incoming CEO of USG, further commented, “I am excited to be back at USG, working with a talented USG team and Knauf leadership to make this combination a huge success. Our immediate priorities are ensuring a smooth transition for our employees, helping our customers be successful by putting them at the center of everything we do and driving operational excellence across the business.”

USG stockholders will receive $43.50 in cash for each share of USG common stock held at the effective time of the merger, without interest and subject to tax withholding as applicable. This closing consideration is in addition to the special dividend of $0.50 per share of USG common stock that was previously paid on October 2, 2018 to holders of record as of the close of business on August 21, 2018.

Shares of USG common stock will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the Chicago Stock Exchange(“CHX”) and will be delisted from the NYSE and CHX.

About Knauf
Gebr. Knauf KG is the ultimate parent company of the German based Knauf Group. Knauf is a leading manufacturer of building materials operating more than 220 factories worldwide. In 2018, Knauf generated revenue more than $8 billion and employed more than 28,000 people.

About USG Corporation
USG Corporation is an industry-leading manufacturer of building products and innovative solutions. Headquartered in Chicago, USG serves construction markets around the world through its Gypsum, Performance Materials, Ceilings, and USG Boral divisions. Its wall, ceiling, flooring, sheathing and roofing products provide the solutions that enable customers to build the outstanding spaces where people live, work and play. Its USG Boral Building Products joint venture is a leading plasterboard and ceilings producer across Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. For additional information, visit www.usg.com.

Cautionary Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 related to management’s expectations about future conditions, including but not limited to, statements regarding the acquisition of USG by Knauf. Actual business, market or other conditions may differ materially from management’s expectations and, accordingly, may affect the combined company’s sales and profitability, liquidity and future value. Any forward-looking statements represent the combined company’s views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing the combined company’s views as of any subsequent date, and the combined company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Among the risks, contingencies and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements or could result in the failure of the merger to be completed are the following: the failure to realize contemplated synergies and other benefits from mergers and acquisitions, including the merger of Knauf and USG; the effect of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, including the merger of Knauf and USG, on Knauf’s operating results and businesses generally; the ability to maintain credit ratings; changes in the building materials industry; changes or differences in domestic or international economic or political conditions; changes in tax laws and rates; the impact of adverse legislation and regulation; the ability to develop, produce or market new alternative products profitably; the ability to effectively implement strategic initiatives and actions taken to increase sales growth; the ability to enhance cash generation and pay dividends; adverse litigation and dispute outcomes; and changes in the market position, businesses, financial condition, results of operations or prospects of Knauf. Information describing other risks and uncertainties affecting USG that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements may be found in USG’s filings with the SEC, including, but not limited to, the “Risk Factors” in USG’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190424005587/en/

Source: USG Corporation

Gebr. Knauf KG
Media:
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher:
Joele Frank/Ed Trissel/Annabelle Rinehart, 212-355-4449
or
Investors:
Innisfree M&A Incorporated:
Scott Winter/Jonathan Salzberger, 212-750-5833

USG Corporation
Media:
USG Corporation
Kathleen Prause, 312-436-6607
KPrause@usg.com
or
Investors:
USG Corporation
Bill Madsen, 312-436-5349
investorrelations@usg.com

Absentee voting will be available in the lobby of the Shelby County Courthouse through Friday, May 3 during the hours of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. 

The courthouse will also be open for voting on Saturday, May 4 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm., and Monday, May 6 from 8:00 am to noon.

Anyone wishing to vote at the courthouse should use the west entrance off the parking lot. Absentee voting will be conducted on the first floor.

May 6, by noon, is the deadline for the Circuit Court Clerk to receive an absentee ballot application from a voter requesting an absentee traveling board to visit the voter at the voter’s location because of illness or injury of the voter, or because the voter is caring for a confined person at a private residence.

Applications may be submitted to the Circuit Court Clerk in person, by fax, by mail or by e-mail. 

Any questions regarding the Primary Election to be held May 7, the public can call the Voter Registration Office at 317-392-6324.

The Public Square is the center of Shelbyville.

And the proposed $22.4 million renovation of the city's downtown was the central theme of City Councilman Brad Ridgeway's Town Hall meeting Wednesday evening.

Ridgeway (R-4^th Ward) is a candidate for mayor in this year's election, running against incumbent Democrat Tom DeBaun who's seeking a third term.

DeBaun has proposed spending a total of $22.4 million on three projects to revitalize the downtown.

Under his plan, the city would enter into an agreement with three local private developers in support of those projects using a state law governing such public-private partnership deals.

Ridgeway opposes the plan, saying it concentrates too much spending in the downtown when other parts of the city are in need.

He noted that the city's own financial consultant has also voiced opposition to such deals.

At his Town Hall meeting in the VFW Hall, 1622 E. State Road 44, Ridgeway read a published quote from consultant Greg Guerrettaz of Financial Solutions Group Inc. in Plainfield.

“Here's our financial consultant that we've spend thousands of dollars on telling us what to do. And he's done a good job on refinancing some of our debt, so I appreciate that. But this is, what his comment was to me in 2016, or was, yeah, 2017. 'Guerrettaz,' name's Greg Guerrettaz, 'has little use for public-private partnerships. That's the most misused word in economic development going now,' he said. 'The private side seeks to place the financial risk of the deal on the public side of the equation. So public money ends up funding private profits,' Ridgeway read.

“That's exactly what we're doing,” he added.

City funding for the three downtown projects in the public-private partnership, or P-3, deal Mayor DeBaun has proposed includes:

• $1,410,000 for infrastructure to support building 13 executive homes on the former site of Major Hospital plus townhomes across the street;

• $4,450,000 to construct a parking garage as part of renovating the Methodist Building, 23 Public Square, into upscale apartments and retail space;

• And $16,500,000 to reconfigure the Square itself, eliminating the circular traffic pattern, and upgrade streets leading into the Square.

However, Ridgeway said he supports the Hamilton-Major housing project for the Major Hospital site, just not as it's construed now.

And he covered a number of other topics in his 2-hour Town Hall attended by about three dozen supporters.

Regarding tax abatements, Ridgeway said that, to approve a tax abatement, he'd require that the company's executive leaders live in the city. He called it, “the Knauf way.”

He also said he'd make beautifying and improving neighborhoods across the city a top priority, as well as a strong policy to combat drug abuse.

And transparency in public meetings and city government activities would also be at the top of his list, Ridgeway said.

On the other side of the election contest, Mayor Tom DeBaun is scheduled to hold his own public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. this evening at the Shelby County Public Library, 57 W. Broadway St.

GIANT FM will carry the event live on 96.5 FM and AM 1520 in Shelbyville, on 106.3 FM Greenfield, and online at GIANT.fm.

The mayor's re-election campaign purchased the air time.

And the Shelbyville Redevelopment Commission is due to hear the developers' proposals at the commission's meeting starting at 6 p.m. on Monday in City Hall, 44 W. Washington St.