WFHB Local News – October 2nd, 2024

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024.

Later in the program, we revisit our episode covering Indiana’s power grid on Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Are We Having Fungible Yet?” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News.

More following today’s feature. But first, your local headlines:

Ellettsville Town Council

The Ellettsville Town Council passed an ordinance for appropriations and tax rates for the 2025 Budget at their regular meeting on September 23.

The ordinance sets the tax rate to .7579%, but Clerk Treasurer Lauren Conyers says that it will likely drop after the town gets a Levy appeal. The town will apply for a $318,000 Excess Levy Appeal, but Conyers said they likely won’t receive the total requested based on past years.

Council Member Dan Swafford expressed concern about increases residents might expect on their taxes. Conyers mentioned that in writing the budget, many cuts were made to ensure the rates wouldn’t increase too much.

Council President William Ellis responded he understood the process, but was worried about the impact on the residents.

The Council discussed that tax rates should increase in correlation with property value increase. Ellis said that while it’s good for property value to grow, it would be nice if the rates could go down so residents aren’t paying so much more.

He continued on to ask if the town could accept less if the Levy Appeal is approved so rates could stay lower. Baker Tilly Consultant Paige Sansone responded that the town is growing at a rate where they should accept the entire amount if it’s provided.

Sansone said that the town has a fully justified need for the entire amount of the appeal, but said they could accept a smaller amount if they chose to.

The Council approved the Excess Levy Appeal Petition in a close 3-2 vote.

The next Ellettsville Town Council meeting will be held on October 11.

Richland Bean Blossom School Board

At the Richland Bean Blossom School Board Meeting on September 25th, Edgewood Junior High School Counselor, Brittany Straw, gave an update on the school’s therapy dog in-training, Barley.
Barley began training at the school in the 2023-2024 school year.

Next month, Barley is scheduled to take her certification exam to be an official therapy dog.

Superintendent Jerry Sanders noted how Barley has been beneficial to students.

Next, the school board opened the floor to public comment about amendments to the Superintendent’s contract, but no public comment was made. Legal Counsel Christine Bartlett discussed the two changes made to the contract.

President Dana Karr and Vice President Jimmie Durnil shared their thoughts about Dr. Jerry Sander’s efforts as superintendent.

Updates to the Superintendent’s contract were approved. The next Richland Bean Blossom School Board meeting will be held October 28th at 6pm.

Feature Report:

In today’s feature report, we revisit our episode covering Indiana’s power grid on Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate. WFHB News spoke with SIREN (Solar Indiana Renewable Energy Network) Communications Manager Anne Hedin, who walked us through the different types of electric utilities there are in the U.S., how solar and wind energy help to reduce strain on the grid and what we can hope for in the future with renewable energy in Indiana. We turn now to that rebroadcast of Deep Dive on the WFHB Local News.

Up next, “Are We Having Fungible Yet?” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. For more, we turn to host and producer Richard Fish.

Credits:
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