County Attorney Ellie Bright and Commissioner Matt Sporleder discuss the intergovernmental cooperation agreement contract Thursday.—Staff Photo by Bryce Mayer
The Jennings County Board of Commissioners reversed itself, unanimously voting to proceed with a work-release center and program in partnership with Jackson County and the City of Seymour after voicing disapproval one week earlier.
"I feel like we just reinvented the wheel," quipped Matt Sporleder (R-District 3), president of the commissioners, after the vote last Thursday in which he was joined by fellow commissioners David Lane (R-District 2) and Bob Willhite (R-District 1) in supporting the deal.
One week earlier, the commissioners said they could not support the arrangement when details about an intergovernmental cooperation agreement contract were apparently incorrectly communicated by the bond counsel and financial adviser for the project.
According to Jackson-Jennings Community Corrections Director J.L. Brewer and Jennings County Attorney Ellie Bright, some of the details were conveyed inaccurately by the Barnes & Thornburg law firm of Indianapolis and the Reedy Financial Group of Seymour.
Commissioners were told that the county would have to begin paying $75,000 semiannually before the center, to be located in Seymour, was built and that the facility would be open in incremental phases, not reaching full capacity for three years and thus limiting the number of inmates who would be housed there until then.
"Jennings County will have access to 50 beds in the center on Day One," said Brewer who heads Jackson-Jennings Community Corrections, the governmental agency that will manage and operate the work-release center. "The county will not pay until the center is complete."
A Vernon resident is now homeless after Superior Court Judge Gary Smith ruled her residence should be torn down at a hearing Friday morning.
U.S. Rep. Greg Pence (R-6th District) made a surprise visit to North Vernon Tuesday afternoon as part of a whirlwind tour to touch base with constituents, he said.Pence's office did not announce the visit before he stopped for around 30 minutes at McDonald's in North Vernon where he talked with members of the Jennings County Republican Party and others."I see constituents every day in Washington, but this gives them a chance to talk to me face to face in their home towns," Pence told the Plain Dealer. "I want to hear what issues they...
Connie Rayburn has announced her candidacy for re-election as the District 3 representative on the North Vernon City Council.She was first appointed to the position in 2010, then elected in 2011 and re-elected in 2015."My desire to run again for City Council is based on my love for our city - our citizens, neighborhoods, innovative spirit, quality of life, and care for youth," Rayburn said. "I am here to represent and serve everyone, regardless of party. The issues that are important to you are those very issues that are important to me."
After serving farmers and others in Jennings County for 44 years, Mark McClellan is now a Hall of Famer.The North Vernon man was inducted into the Gallery of Agricultural Leaders earlier this month, an honor bestowed upon Jennings County people who have made significant contributions to the agricultural community."I was taken completely by surprise," McClellan said, recounting how he was unaware he would be the next inductee when he attended the annual induction ceremony at the Hayden Historical Museum. "Juanita (McClellan's wife)...
Taylor's Pettit earns college loop honor Justin Pettit of Taylor University was selected as the Crossroads League Pitcher of the Week for March 10-16, as announced by the league office on Monday, March 18.
A possible funnel cloud moves over the Jennings County Highway Department Garage on North Highway 3 Thursday afternoon. Tornado warnings were sounded in Jennings County but there were no reported tornado touchdowns in the county.-Photo by Gabe Lowman
