2015 Progress: Government & Education

Progress Government & education

news and tribune 05.29.2015

SOUTHERN INDIANA — It may just look like a bus, but to some Southern Indiana residents and businesses, it

can be much more than that. It’s a way to and from work for many, which businesses count on for continued growth.

So what does the future hold for mass transit in the area?

Currently the Transit Authority of River City, or TARC, has four routes in Indiana that carry ap-proximately 2,000 riders a day. But as the need for mass transit continues to grow, so may TARC’s presence on this side of the river.

While the area’s only mass tran-sit company depends on govern-ment funding, more and more companies are forming partner-ships with TARC to help carry their workers to and from work.

TARC currently has agreements with Humana, UPS, Louisville Met-ro Government, the University of Louisville, and with Amazon dur-ing the holiday season. Employees are able to use their work identi-fication badges as a transit pass and ride free. The companies then supplement TARC for the fares.

The company also has a park and ride agreement with Ivy Tech in Sellersburg where people can park in a school lot and catch a bus to Louisville. It could very well be the wave of the future as motorists look to avoid bridge tolls and as Jeffersonville’s River Ridge continues to grow, accord-ing to Barry Barker, TARC execu-tive director.

“There are a number of folks working with us more closely. We want to get employees to and from work,” Barker said.

As for adding routes to South-ern Indiana, Barker said he was open to the idea.

“All things are possible, all it takes is money,” he said.

He is definitely keeping an eye on the growth at River Ridge. He said recently the last bus at Ama-zon for the day filled up and there

were still people waiting so anoth-er bus arrived to accommodate those riders.

“We see it as an opportunity to participate in the economic growth going on out there,” he said. “We are not a profit-making business. We are here to support the area and economy. We are al-ways looking to tweak routes ... we want to make sure we have good geographical coverage.”

TARC’s current Southern Indi-ana routes include:

• 65x (express commuter route from Sellersburg/Ivy Tech to downtown Louisville and back)

• 71 (travels from Jeffersonville and includes trips to Amazon-Riv-er Ridge though Louisville to New Albany/IUS)

• 72 (Clarksville – Veterans Park-way – Eastern Boulevard – Jeff to downtown Louisville and back)

• 82 (stays in Indiana – down-town New Albany-Lewis and Clark

Parkway-Veterans Parkway-Jeff Meijer)

“Anytime you can provide the greater opportunity for transpor-tation, it makes your region more attractive to talent,” said Uric Du-frene, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at Indiana University Southeast.

A quality public bus system may also help manufacturers and retailers to retain employees, ac-cording to a new study from Ball State University.

Researchers Dagney Faulk and Michael Hicks recently published “The impact of bus transit on em-ployee turnover: Evidence from quasi-experimental samples,” in the journal Urban Studies. The study found that counties with fixed-route bus transit systems have lower employee turnover rates. The study found “an in-crease in bus systems’ per capita operating expenditures is associ-ated with a decrease in employee turnover. In turn, businesses save money by not having to train new workers or rebuild institutional knowledge within the firm.”

By CHrIs [email protected]

continued on page B4

A Transit Authority of river City bus makes its stop at the former Coyle Chevrolet building along spring street in New Albany. | StaFF PHoto BY cHriStoPHer FrYer

rooM To groW

“anytime you can provide the greater opportunity for transportation, it makes your region more attractive to talent.”

— Uric Dufreneexecutive vice chancellor for academic affairs at indiana university Southeast

oN THe WeBTransit Authority of river Cityridetarc.org

The interior of a new Transit Authority of river City ZeroBus is pictured at the transportation agency’s 40th anniversary celebration at Union station in downtown Louisville in November. TArC will be adding 10 of the all-electric, zero emissions buses into its fleet in the near future. | FiLe PHoto

tolls, river ridge development increase public transportation

A Transit Authority of river City bus travels across the Clarksville Memorial Bridge in Jeffersonville. Public transportation could increase with river ridge development and future bridge tolls. | StaFF PHoto BY cHriStoPHer FrYer

Jim Buckner, a former director of maintenance for the Transit Authority of river City, and his wife Julie, both of Campbellsville, Ky., tour the inside of a new TArC ZeroBus during the transportation agency’s 40th anniversary celebration at Union station in downtown Louisville in November. | FiLe PHoto

Progress Government & educationB2 news and tribune05.29.2015

Charlestown bills itself as a “Great Place to Live and Raise a Family” for good reason. With amazing schools, great restaurants, a large Family Activities Park, a state park, good neighbors, and civic pride to spare, the city is the perfect place to call home.

The Family Activities Park includes a water park with a Sprinkle Pad and pirate-themed playground, concession stand, party rooms to rent, a walking path and a new 18-hole miniature golf course.

Also on the grounds is a large open-air roller-skating rink. Skat-ers can bring their own skates or rent a pair at the rink.

In the winter, the park undergoes a transformation, with the skating rink surface converted to allow ice-skating and thou-sands of holiday lights strung throughout the grounds.

Each year in late June Charlestown celebrates its birthday with Founders Day. There are arts and crafts, family activities, lots of food, and live music from local talent to popular regional favorites like the Louisville Crashers and Endless Summer.

The weekend of festivities culminates in a fireworks display on Saturday night.

During the month of December Charlestown becomes Christmas City, drawing visitors from all across the region. Decorations and lighting displays synchronized to music create a wonderland in the city’s square.

Across the street in Greenway Park a more sedate spectacle awaits with thousands upon thousands of white lights covering the covered bridge and illuminated animals and snowflakes on the hillside. A 50-foot lighted tree towers above the scene.

The trackless Charlestown Express departs from the Family Activities Park, also transformed into a winter wonderland. It carries guests through the town’s light displays.

Progress Government & educationnews and tribune05.29.2015 B3

The Charlestown Excellence in Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization, works with local schools to prepare future leaders for life after graduation.

Banners along Market Street and the city square recognize CEEF Champi-ons, seniors who are graduating high school with a plan for post-secondary education such as college, a vocational school or the military.

The 5,100-acre Charlestown State Park offers hiking for everyone from the timid to the adventurous with elevation changes of more than 200 feet, rug-ged hills and deep ravines.

Devonian fossil outcrops and areas of karst sinkhole topography appeal to many, and bird watchers will not be disappointed with 72 species of birds to be found, including bluebirds, black vultures and bald eagles.

Guests can enjoy views of the Ohio River and 14 Mile Creek, where they can drop a line and catch some fish if they wish.

Picnic areas, shelters and a playground entice families to spend an after-noon, while campsites welcome overnight guests as well.

The Historic Charlestown Mall, owned by Deborah and John Lloyd, is still undergoing renovations, but is already a beautiful addition to the city.

Built in the early 1900s by Judge Ward Watson, the home has been lovingly restored and is currently operating as a bed and breakfast and tea room (by appointment).

Retail space in the home offers a variety of artistic creations, and the carriage house serves as Deborah’s real estate office as well as a space for gatherings.

A variety of classes will be offered, including children’s voice and piano les-sons, candle making, stained glass, and much more.

A beautiful garden now graces the yard of the mall, making Water Street a prettier place. For more information call 727-560-4081.

The 44-room Cobblestone Hotel and Suites makes visiting Charlestown easy as can be. The hotel features 42-inch flat-screen televisions, refrigerators and microwaves in each room and complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout.

With a 24-hour business center, guest laundry and fitness center, the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites offers “Big City Quality, Small Town Values…”

Charlestown combines the best parts of small town living with all the big city bells and whistles to create a comfortably livable community and attractive day trip or vacation destination.

In addition to old favorites like the Copper Kettle and Charles-town Pizza Company, Charlestown has recently welcomed four new restaurants.

Fans of Mexican food are in luck as San Pedro and El Tequilazo opened their doors. San Pedro sits along the north end of Market Street, while El Tequilazo took over the old train on Ind. 62.

Yamato offers Japanese cuisine and sushi, creating a loyal fan base since its March opening in a former Pizza Hut building.

The Venro & Rusty Bucket Saloon, named for the Venro The-atre, which once occupied the spot, serves up bar food along with regular live entertainment and billiards.

For more infoCity of Charlestown

• WeBSite: cityofcharlestown.com


Transportationcontinued from B1

NEW ALBANY — Frank Loop knew his way around the Floyd County Sher-iff’s Department before being elected sheriff last November. A 33-year veteran officer of the department, Loop said he is where he wants to be, leading the de-partment into the future.

“I am very humbled to be sheriff. It’s the pentacle of my career,” Loop said. “I have been here a long time. I appreciate the opportunity to work with the em-ployees and the public. I have always ap-preciated how hard the employees work for the money they make.”

Loop said he has been busy during his first 100 days. He said his first order of business was to regroup the employees.

“I wanted to put everyone in the same direction,” he said. “The employees have really caught on to that. We are all work-ing to provide the best professional ser-vice possible. We are working as a team.”

Loop, who has been the training offi-cer at the department, said he also wants to enhance training for his officers. He is in the process of hiring four new of-ficers to keep his department at 30. Counting jail officers, dispatchers and others within the department, Loop is in charge of 110 employees. His jail ser-vices 900 meals a day.

“The number of hats a sheriff wears are plentiful,” he said.

There is the safety of both employ-ees and inmates that takes precedence under a sheriff’s watch, and he has in-

creased church services and narcotic and alcohol anonymous classes within the jail to try and reform inmates.

He also said in the near future the jail will need to be renovated. There are sev-eral things broken or outdated through-out the facility. There are tarps currently covering the roof.

“The jail is 23 years old and never maintained the way it should have been. It is showing its age,” Loop said. “I am not advocating building a new jail. Renovat-ing it would be cheaper on the public.”

Loop said many things have changed since he first came on the force 33 years ago when officers also served as jailers and dispatchers. He said his goal is to keep moving the department forward and never lose sight of serving the pub-lic in a professional manner.

“With so many developments popping up, we are no longer a rural agency. We are now suburban,” he said. “The land-scape and calls for service have changed, but overall Floyd County is a great com-munity that is safe.”

Loop leading sheriff’s department into futureSheriff has 33 years experience as police officer

Floyd County sheriff Frank Loop.

For more infoFloyd County sheriff’s Department

• addreSS: 311 Hauss Square, new albany• PHone: 812-948-5400• WeBSite: fcsdin.org

So people want more mass transit, but will there be more public funding in the future? TARC currently operates on an $80 million annual bud-get and receives about $1.2 million per year in funding for services from the Indiana Department of Transporta-tion. Barker said TARC has al-ways received good support from the Southern Indiana legislative delegation which includes Rep. Steve Stemler, Rep. Ed Clere and Sen. Ron Grooms.

Barker said the Indiana Leg-islature gave TARC a 3 percent increase this year. That is not going to buy a new bus, but it’s a positive sign he said. Coupled with growing part-nerships with businesses and TARC not having to pay tolls on the two new bridges, there is opportunity for growth and expansion. It just takes money, Barker added.

All cross-river TARC buses are equipped with Wifi, charg-ing stations for mobile devic-es, overhead storage compart-ments and padded seating. TARC used traffic mitigation money from the Ohio River Bridges Project to purchase 21 new buses recently at a cost of $11 million.

While TARC continues to improve and expand coverage, some say it is still not enough.

“We need better public transportation,” said Melissa Fry, director, applied research and education center at Indi-ana University Southeast. “If someone has to get a child to childcare, it’s not compre-hensive enough to meet most needs. It [TARC] sometimes limits people on what kind of job they can take. It just doesn’t meet the needs and it limits individuals.”

Frank Goetzke, associate professor in the Department of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville, supports public transit. How-ever, he thinks TARC might be trying to do too much with too little.

Goetzke said a city like Louisville just “doesn’t have the density to support public transportation.”

“The more density the more

fares you have, although you still need subsidies,” he said.

Goetzke said it may be best for TARC to abandon Southern Indiana and concentrate more on downtown Louisville, al-though he admits that would not be a popular decision.

“TARC could maybe do a few more innovative things to become more attractive,” he said. “I think they could take all the resources they have and concentrate on the core of the city. Quality of public

transportation is how much of an area do you service. But I think it should be judged by having a bus come by every 20 minutes to a location. That makes good service.

“If I was head of TARC I would focus on urban areas ... the downtown and airport. I would try to serve that area so well. People could rely on the bus and live without a car.”

Goetzke said unless the price of gasoline skyrockets, public transportation will not

be looked at as a necessity in the Louisville area like it is in other cities like New York and Munich, Germany.

“Munich is about the same size as Louisville. Louisville may have 50,000 [TARC] trips a day where Munich may have a million. Munich is built much differently than Louis-ville. It is very congested. In Germany they didn’t build the interstates into the city and there is no parking.

“It’s about making the car less attractive. A parking space in Manhattan may cost $500 a month so you don’t want to own a car. In New York there is a lot of public support for public transportation.”

The Ball State study sug-gests that “access to fixed-route bus transit should be a component of the economic development strategy for communities not only for the access to jobs that it provides low-income workers, but also for the benefit provided to businesses that hire these workers.” The study went on to emphasize it is critical for businesses to have a public transit system, with fixed-

routes, to retain employees.Floyd County Commission-

er Steve Bush said it may be time to look at public trans-portation in the area, as com-muters look to avoid paying tolls to get to and from work. He said it may be time to ex-pand and maybe look at hav-ing some kind of commuter line in Southern Indiana.

“The cost is obviously the main factor,” he said.

Goetzke said most people don’t want to pay more in taxes to support public trans-portation because only a small percentage of them rely on the service.

“There is no public sup-port for public transportation in the United States,” Goetzke said. “Most people have ac-cess to a car. Cars are some-what subsidized ... streets are paved, paid for by taxpayers. Cars pollute the environment but people do not have to pay for the environmental damag-es. Public transportation does not work without subsidies. I don’t think public transpor-tation will ever work [on its own]. After World War II it’s not feasible anymore.”

Clarksville transportation officials reached a deal with TArC in August to fund the reworking of 26 bus stops throughout the city. | FiLe PHoto

A new Transit Authority of river City commuter coach pulls out of a parking lot next to the Big Four Bridge in Louisville in this file photo.

Street closure approved for ekin avenue festival

NEW ALBANY — A sidewalk en-hancement project worth almost $400,000 will begin as early as Monday in New Albany.

Excel Excavating — the contrac-tor who was awarded the bid in April to upgrade sidewalks along Thomas Street — updated the Board of Public Works and Safety on the work Tuesday.

Crews will focus on one or two blocks at a time to keep the dis-turbance to the neighborhood at a minimum, an official with Excel told the board. The contract award-ed for the project is good for 120 days, with a set starting time of June 1.

Wes Christmas, an engineer with the city-hired firm Clark-Dietz, said substantial completion is slated for early September, with the project scheduled to be finished in Octo-ber.

Since the crews are working on sidewalks, Christmas predicted traffic shouldn’t be greatly affected by the construction.

“We really think it should be very limited if there are any lane closures,” he said.

The project will extend from Beeler Street to Market Street along Thomas, and is being footed with federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

The city eyed the project in part because the path is frequently trav-eled by students who attend Ha-zelwood Middle School and New Albany High School.

Construction will begin close to Beeler Street when the project starts. There will be some curb re-placement included with the work, and that may require some lane closures, but none have been an-nounced to date.

sTreeT CLosUre APProVeD For FesTIVAL

For the third year, a neighbor-hood street festival will be held on Ekin Avenue.

The event, which is slated for June 13, will be held between 11th and 13th streets on Ekin Avenue, and the board of works agreed to close the street in that area for the festival.

“Last year it was great. So many people came,” said Lori Brown, one of the organizers of the event.

Games and activities for children will be held during the free event, which will run from 3 to 10 p.m.

Thomas street sidewalk work set to begin soon

A car drives past a section of broken sidewalk on Thomas street in New Albany last month. excel excavating was awarded the bid to upgrade the sidewalks, which will begin as early as Monday.

Progress Government & educationnews and tribune05.29.2015 B5

CoLLege AND CAreer reADINess

Greater Clark County Schools is helping its students focus well beyond high school gradu-ation through its new College and Career Readiness initiative.

Fully implemented this school year, the initiative offers students the tools they need to seek out college or job informa-tion, internship opportunities, scholarships and more.

“Our mission is for all stu-dents to not only graduate, but to be connected to a post-sec-ondary opportunity,” said GCCS Superintendent Andrew Melin. “We want to make sure we have the best fit for kids when they leave us.”

Post-secondary opportuni-ties are defined as attending a two or four-year college, an ap-prenticeship, military service, or taking a full-time job.

The new program hopes to build on previous successes, as “92 percent of the 2013-14 class left us having been ac-cepted to a post-secondary op-portunity,” Melin said. “That’s up 5 percent from 2013, the first year we started tracking that data.”

A PATHWAy To sUCCessStarting in sixth grade, all

GCCS students are channeled into pathways based on their skills, motivations and interests. Pathways were created using the Hoosier Hot 50 future jobs listing.

The Pathways are: Engineer-ing, Technology, Manufacturing and Skilled Trades; Business, In-formation Technology and Lo-gistics; Human Services (educa-tion, law, arts); and Health care and Related Sciences.

“All of our middle and high school students are in a path-way,” Melin said. “We’re trying to answer that age-old question - why do I need to learn this?”

The paths are fluid and can change as the child grows.

“They can be on one pathway one year and another a month from now,” Melin said. “It doesn’t matter to us what path-way the student is in, but they know what pathway they’re in and why.”

CAreer CeNTersA major component of the

College and Career Readiness initiative is the Career Center. All three GCCS high schools have one. Jeffersonville and Charlestown high school’s dedicated space to centers this school year and New Washing-ton High School’s is under con-struction.

The centers actively seek out partnerships with area busi-nesses, 368 just this school year. From those meetings 150 formalized relationships were formed, leading to anything from an internship for a high school student or a focused field trip for students on a cer-tain pathway.

The centers also host job in-terviews for local businesses or military recruiters, helps place students in internships, provide career counseling, host college recruitment visits, and provides information on scholarship op-portunities.

The centers’ internship ef-forts were met with immediate success with 49 interns/co-op students placed by January 2015. Current requests for the 2015-16 school year include 49 at Jeffersonville High School alone.

PrePArINg TeACHers, As WeLL

“Today, in education, more than ever, relevancy is a key

term that teachers need to have when they’re planning,” said Melin. “They need to ask, ‘How am I going to make what I’m teaching relevant to stu-dents?’.”

The Greater Clark County Schools Educational Foun-dation has committed up to $10,000 in matching funds for a Teacher Externship Program.

“It’s important that we pro-vide our teachers with oppor-tunities to get out into the com-munity,” Melin said.

Teachers can spend one week over the summer in a lo-cal workplace, “to see what life is like and bring that experi-ence into the classroom next school year,” said Melin. “It’s all about increasing the relevancy between academic concepts and real life.”

An advisory committee has been formed which will allow business representatives to meet with teachers four times

a year. Each school will have a sub-

committee of at least 20 com-mittee members — at least five for each of the four pathways, that will meet with the teach-

ers to discuss, “how they can connect academic concepts to real life,” Melin said. “The goal is to show the relevancy between their field of business and the classroom.”

Anyone living in Jeffersonville has witnessed the city’s progress over the last three years.

In 2012, the city was facing a reces-sion and high level of unemployment. Just years later, Jeffersonville is thriv-ing, with more than 3,000 new per-manent jobs created in the city.

The recent job growth is due large-ly to River Ridge Commerce Center. With the opening of the one million square foot Amazon fulfillment center, 5,000 full-time and seasonal jobs were instantly created. Since Amazon’s move to River Ridge, other companies — Standard Register Co., Autoneum, Tenneco Inc., American Fuji Seal, and Catamaran Corp. — saw this as an op-portunity for relocation as well.

Jeffersonville’s boom isn’t limited to new jobs. Plenty of new opportunities for residents and visitors have been created in the last few years as well.

Although the Clarksville side of Veterans Parkway has been a popular commercial corridor for years, Jeffer-sonville has only recently brought life to its side of the parkway with new shopping and dining experiences. In just the last couple of years, Veterans Parkway has seen a rise in visitors due to new additions like Culver’s, Boom-Bozz Pizza, Heine Bros. Coffee and Comfy Cow ice cream.

But interest in Jeffersonville’s new amenities is perhaps greatest in the city’s downtown, which experienced a revival upon the completion of the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge.

It is estimated that after Jefferson-ville’s side of the bridge opened in May 2014, nearly 100,000 people made the trek from Louisville to Jef-fersonville each month. This new foot traffic hasn’t slowed. And now, with the start of another warm weather season, increased interest in Jefferson-ville’s downtown continues to bring a boost to the area’s businesses includ-ing classics like Schimpff’s Confec-tionery and to new eateries, like Red Yeti and Big Four Burgers.

Big Four Station, the city’s newest park, also continues to draw visitors into downtown. The award-winning park, located at the foot of Jefferson-ville’s ramp to the Big Four Bridge, of-fers visitors the chance to enjoy the new pavilion, a children’s playground, walking and biking paths, and a wa-terfall with reflecting pool.

When Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel took office in January, the changes were immediate and plenti-ful and they have not stopped since. The Clark County Sheriff Depart-ment is now a mixture of the old and the new.

The old includes bringing back Maj. Sam Beard as the new jail com-mander to work along another long-time jail operations veteran — Capt. Michael Doggendorf. A Sheriff’s Of-fice veteran, Brad Jones, is the chief. A strong interest remains in the jail’s GED program, which is a leader in the state in percentage of inmates passing and receiving the GED cer-tificate.

Sheriff Noel has kept a court liai-son officer position to ensure com-munication between the courts and the jail to ensure inmates are not lost in the system or kept past their re-lease date in the jail.

The focus on community policing is two-fold; officers respond to complaints to protect the public and they serve the community in many varied programs and volunteer opportunities. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office is re-sponsible for delivering the court documents to those involved in legal disputes in civil process issues. Re-tired ATF Asst. Agent in Charge Col. Jeff Groh heads up the enforcement division.

The Clark County Sheriff’s correc-tions officers are assigned the tasks of manning Clark County Court-house security stations at the en-trance to the building as well as in the courtroom during criminal hear-ings.

The largest part of the depart-ment’s budget involves jail opera-tions. Newly appointed Director of Jail Operations Scott Conlen is a jail veteran whose mission involves more than just overseeing the jail’s day-to-day activities.

“My goal is not only to deal with the inmates while they are in jail but also to help to prepare them for life

on the outside,” he said. The recidivism rate, or the rate at

which people relapse into criminal behavior, is of great concern to Sher-iff Noel as well.

New inmate programs aimed to-ward that goal include keeping the Residents in Christ ministry for the inmates as well as having a new full-

time pastor. Other programs include an Alcoholics Anony-mous program and a Free-dom 101 cognitive thinking class that teaches inmates about accepting responsibil-ity for their actions.

A new 360-day program in the works called Life Line Connection, will have in-mates working a job during the last months of their incar-ceration. When not working,

classes will include training in areas such as anger management resolu-tion, addictions, depression, co-de-pendency issues and reconnecting with family. Successful participants will be offered a full-time job after their release as well as transitional housing.

Road officers are being equipped with new cars and increased train-ing. Corrections officers are now required to have monthly training and the new Certified Emergency Response team recently completed a weekend of defensive tactics train-ing. A reserve corrections officer program has been instituted to pre-pare a qualified list of applicants for future openings.

Adapting to changing societal is-sues involving law enforcement and jail operations will continue to be a trademark for Sheriff Noel’s admin-istration.

Watching out for Clark CountySheriff Jamey noel combines past and present to better the community

For more infoClark County sheriff’s Department

• addreSS: 501 e. court ave., Jeffersonville• PHone: 812-283-4471• WeBSite: clarkcosheriff.com

JAMey NoeL

A look at greater Clark County schools’ initiativesdistrict utilizes college and career readiness, Pathways

For more infogreater Clark County schools

• addreSS: 2112 utica-Sellersburg road, JeffersonvillePHone: 812-283-0701WeBSite: gcs.k12.in.usStudentS: 10,528, including preschoolemPLoYeeS: 718 certified employees, 717 other staff members

ToP AND rIgHT: greater Clark County schools has fully imple-mented its College and Career readiness initiative this year. gCss is also helping channel students into pathways and con-nect students with career centers. In addition, the gCCs educational Foundation has committed up to $10,000 in matching funds for a Teacher externship Program.

Jeffersonville Works!For more infoCity of Jeffersonville

• WeBSite: cityofjeff.net

Lights illuminate the Big Four Walking Bridge in Jeffersonville

The project will extend from Beeler Street to Market Street along Thomas, and is being footed with federal Community Development Block Grant funds.

The city eyed the project in part because the path is frequently trav-eled by students who attend Ha-zelwood Middle School and New Albany High School.

Construction will begin close to Beeler Street when the project starts. There will be some curb re-placement included with the work, and that may require some lane closures, but none have been an-nounced to date.

sTreeT CLosUre APProVeD For FesTIVAL

For the third year, a neighbor-hood street festival will be held on Ekin Avenue.

The event, which is slated for June 13, will be held between 11th and 13th streets on Ekin Avenue, and the board of works agreed to close the street in that area for the festival.

“Last year it was great. So many people came,” said Lori Brown, one of the organizers of the event.

Games and activities for children will be held during the free event, which will run from 3 to 10 p.m.


As New Albany cel-ebrates more than 200 years of history, it is also working to progress into the future with many new and exciting proj-ects, including more parks, summer events, added and expanded businesses, and more, all while operating under budget for multiple con-secutive years.

ProJeCTsDowntown and neigh-

borhoods in New Albany are seeing the benefits as progress continues throughout the city.

Mayor Jeff Gahan dis-cussed the newest open park facility for the city, Silver Street Park, which redeveloped an old in-dustrial site located in and near local neighbor-hoods. This project took an 18-acre dilapidated industrial site and turned it into a recreational des-tination. The park boosts an indoor turf facility, a walking trail, skate-park, football/soccer fields, basketball goals, shelter houses, graffiti wall, and a kids splash park. Resi-dents in the area have spoken highly of the im-provements done at the old Hoosier Panel site.

Another redeveloped area includes the soon to be opened River Run Family Water Park lo-cated at the former site of the Camille Wright swimming pool. Before construction on River Run began, this site had sat vacant for years after the old pool was closed. This left the city of New Albany without a public swimming pool for the first time in decades. The new water park includes a large recreational pool, multiple slides, a lazy river, as well as conces-sions and a sunbathing area. Mayor Gahan stated that this water park is unlike any other commu-nity public pool facility in the area and the citizens of New Albany will be proud of the improve-ments for years to come.

“These two projects, along with the number of improvements made to all city parks, make New Albany more com-petitive and will improve the quality of life for resi-dents for years to come,” Gahan said.

Other parks that have seen major improvements are the revamped and re-stored Billy Herman Base-ball Park, new soccer/football fields at Binford Park, and upgrades at Val-ley View and Cherry Val-ley golf courses.

Work has also been done to in-fill abandoned lots or demolished build-ings. Most recently, the dilapidated 922 Culbert-son lot has had multiple 2-story homes built, trans-forming and preparing the corner for new fami-lies to make their home.

The city is also hard at work on the business of residency, including work on the nearly 200 unit market rate devel-opment on Spring Street at the longtime vacant former Coyle Chevrolet car dealership site. This much needed addition to downtown housing will help drive business expansion and redevel-opment, as well as make New Albany the regional leader in downtown re-newal and growth. The city’s quality of life model is taking hold across the state as people recognize the value of infrastructure upgrades and amenity im-provements. Residents of all ages consider the “quality of place” a key factor in their home buy-ing decisions, and more and more people are be-ginning to notice that New Albany is truly one of the best places in the region to raise a family.

What’s very exciting about the growth of New Albany is how, thanks to private developers work-ing with city agencies, historic preservationists and pro-development efforts can not only co-

exist, but can thrive and compliment each other when communica-tion is encouraged. This past year, eight historic buildings received Pillar Awards, showcasing how historic structures can be repurposed, remodeled, and brought back into service. This new life has served to revitalize New Albany by improving re-tail opportunities, creat-ing new residency for eager buyers, all while being responsible and respectful of the cher-ished past by preserving history that lives in these authentic structures.

FINANCesFinances and opera-

tions are on track and under budget while im-provements are made

The city of New Albany continues to make prog-ress in both the opera-tions and finances of the city. The city received an A+ financial rating from Standard and Poor’s, and has maintained over three years of operations under budget, while on track for a fourth year to continue

that trend. While main-taining the finances, the city has continued to in-vest in equipment, includ-ing a recently purchased fire ladder truck which firefighters recently used to help save a citizen’s life from a burning home. In addition, New Albany has also replaced the fire de-partment’s training facil-ity and has opened and remodeled fire houses to provide better protection for the citizens.

Recent investments have also been made to the Flood Control Dis-trict. Nineteen pumps and motors were repaired or replaced, marking the first major improvements made to the project since its completion in 1953.

By the end of summer, New Albany will have a newly constructed City Square Market at the cor-ner of Market and Bank streets. Not only will this provide much-needed space to the growing and thriving Develop New Al-bany Farmer’s Market, but the site will be used for other community events as well.

“Develop New Albany has been an excellent partner of the city’s, cul-tivating the Farmer’s Mar-ket into the success that it is today, and helping us bring revitalization efforts to the core of downtown,” stated Mayor Gahan.

eVeNTs AND FesTIVALs

Events and festivals continue to draw large crowds to downtown New Albany.

This year marked the return of the highly suc-cessful Boomtown Ball and Festival, drawing even larger crowds than its inaugural year. The all-day music festival, lo-cated around the new City Square project, drew thousands to downtown New Albany for live mu-sic curated by New Alba-ny natives Houndmouth, local food and drink, and more than 100 booth vendors. New Albany businesses were given the opportunity for a free booth space.

The Bicentennial Park Summer Concert Series moves into its third year,

returning on June 5. The series runs every Friday in June, July, and August, bringing hundreds of visi-tors to downtown each weekend.

The Riverfront Inde-pendence Day Celebra-tion, featuring the Louis-ville Crashers, will once again take place on July 3 at the New Albany Riv-erfront Amphitheater. This is a fun-filled, family-friendly evening featur-ing live music, local food and drink, children’s in-flatables, and games, cul-minating in a beautiful fireworks display at dark.

“Our summer events have generated some very positive feedback from both citizens and local businesses, and I’m hap-py that we can continue the tradition,” Gahan said. “These events provide a great opportunity to have a night out, enjoy some fantastic music and meet new people.”

One can’t mention fes-tivals in New Albany with-out mentioning Harvest Homecoming, the yearly fall festival that brings hundreds of thousands to downtown New Albany.

“Hundreds of volun-teers come together each year to ensure the festi-val’s success, and the city is proud to do everything we can to support this excellent group and their hard work,” stated Gahan.

BUsINessesBusinesses continue to

open, others reinvest in

New Albany.Gahan has been hard at

work to bring more busi-nesses to the area.

“It’s about bringing jobs to the area and keep-ing our residents happy by providing them with the goods and services they want and need,” Ga-han said.

Big Four Burgers + Beer just recently opened their second location, right on Main Street in downtown New Albany. This joint features hand-crafted burgers and a se-lection of regional craft beers, and has had quite the successful launch in New Albany.

Coqui’s Café, a Carib-bean restaurant and bak-ery, has also revitalized the old Little Chef space. The Floyd County Brew-ing Company continues work on their location along Main Street, and when open, will be the second new brewery in New Albany just this year after Donum Dei Brew-ing Company opened its location off of Grant Line Road.

Habana Blues recently renovated a former bank building along Pearl Street for its new home of opera-tions, giving them more space and an updated at-mosphere. Other down-town businesses have also recently chosen to re-invest in New Albany, with Colokial, Dress and Dwell, and Pearls on Pearl all either expanding or re-habilitating new spaces.

“We have achieved so much already, but there is so much more to do to keep New Albany as a top choice to live, work and play,” Gahan said. “I’m very pleased with our plans and I look forward to what we can achieve in 2015 and beyond.”

New Albany progresses into future

river run Family Water Park.

City silver street Park.

Bicentennial Park summer Concert series

Big Four Burgers + Beer opens.

Last year’s riverfront Independence Day Celebration.

Boomtown Ball and Festival.

For more infoCity of New Albany

• WeBSite: cityofnewalbany.com

• High achievement scores

• High graduation rates

• One-to-One Computer Initiative for

Grades 3-12

• Accelerated math offerings at the middle

school level

• Nationally recognized Advanced

Placement program

• Fully funded ACT college testing program

• Extensive dual credit program

• Comprehensive, individualized intervention

and support for identifi ed students

• Balanced calendar

• Award winning fi ne arts programs

• Enrichment through athletics and after

school programs

Greater Clark County Schools offers:

Online registration is now open for current students and students new to Greater Clark County Schools.

Students living outside the district or currently attending another district may also register online.

Greater Clark County SchoolsB R I D G I N G E X C E L L E N C E & O P P O R T U N I T I E S

Clark County

Sheriff’s Offi ce Mission:

To treat all persons in the most

professional manner possible

and to show dignity and respect

to each individual.

CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

501 E. Court Avenue • Jeffersonville, IN 47130

812.283.4471http://www.clarkcosheriff.com/

EMERGENCIES CALL 911

Big Four Burgers + Beer opens.

NEW ALBANY

MAYOR JEFF M. GAHAN

City of New Albany.com • Facebook.com/NewAlbanyIN

ITS WHERE

YOU SHOULD BE

River Run Family Water Park

Silver Street Park and Sportsplex

2015 Progress: Government & Education

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Transcript of 2015 Progress: Government & Education