LOOGOOTEE, Ind. (July 14, 2025)- The Loogootee Board of Works and City Council meeting took place this afternoon at 6 p.m. Monday, July 14.

Present at the City Board of Works meeting was Mayor Brian Ader, Danny Clark, Dana Strange, Mark McAtee, and Brandon Carrico.

Present at the Common Council meeting was Loogootee City Mayor Brian Ader, Mark McAtee, Jeremy Holland, Dave Smith, Carroll Rayhill.

Other important figures at the meeting were Public Works Superintendent, Bo Wilson, City Attorney Steven Teverbaugh, Police Chief John Wagoner, Fire Department Chief Eric Thomas, and Building Commissioner, Justin Davis.

At the Board of Works council meeting, the board discussed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with the Loogootee school system regarding the School Resource Officer (SRO) program at the Loogootee Schools.

Mayor Ader addressed this issue and suggested two amendments to go through before passing a new the MOU. Specify that the SRO should wear a “city department” uniform, and add new language requirements that the school system is responsible for in regards to adding vehicle maintenance and insurance.

Mayor Ader said, “I just think it should say city department, so that way we’re not dealing with other uniforms.”

“I also think we should put on here all means will be the responsibility of the school system, not us.” Ader pointed out that before the board ultimately approved the MOU with these proposed amendments, it ensured clear language about uniform standards and vehicle maintenance operations.

The board also addressed the event and safety efforts for a new show at the pavilion area as a George Strait Tribute band from Nashville will hold an event downtown on August 29, the city discussed closing several streets around the pavilion. Specifically, Southeast First Street, Northeast First Street, Railroad Street, and possibly closing Church Street if extra safety or law enforcement measures are heavily needed.

Mayor Ader said, “We’re still trying to get all that worked out short notice, but if we have the vendors, we can handle those areas.”

He addressed only having one incident occur during the Loogootee Summerfest back in June, where he, along with other law enforcement agents, tried to stop a vehicle from going towards the pavilion and would not stop running then turned around and left.  

Otherwise, he said there has been no other problems with the safety or security of eventgoers near the pavilion since that incident.

Dana Strange sternly addressed the board and suggested the city will need to close the streets. “Probably by three o’clock, until the events over.”

After discussing the George Strait Tribute Band event, the board then looked at the crowd, and Bo Wilson, wearing a branded hunting hat, addressed another important issue on the table.

Wilson addressed the crowd from his first row seat about how the city department’s water reports.

The water department reported 7.2 million gallons of water sold to Daviess County Rural Water. Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Specifically, he told the crowd that his findings indicate 18.2 million gallons of water are treated, with an average daily volume of about 627,000 gallons per day, and the water treatment plant is operating at 63% capacity.

Wilson stressed that the city water workers were not able to fix some of the water issues due to a  lack of manpower.

There have also been reports of breaks and tears in the roadways since the city recovers from storm repairs that have been noticed in buildings that have standing since the 1980s.

The board talked with Wilson and is considering doing emergency repairs on some of the streets dealing with water breaks near downtown and in several blocks in town.

Mayor Ader said there was some leftover money to help with storm surge repairs.

A motion was made and approved by the board to enhance storm surge protection and improve road repairs.

Police Chief John Wagoner spoke to wrap up the Board of Works meeting before proceeding on.

“The Loogootee Police Department made 6 arrests last month.” Chief Wagoner said, “As a department, we had 89 calls for service. Of those calls for service, 12 of them turned out to be actual cases. We had six arrests and we wrote six citations last month.”

The Mayor then joked around about the arrests made, the board laughed and called the Board of Works meeting adjourned after 6:30 p.m.

The Common Council meeting addressed business that were not discussed in the last meeting.

This included an enhanced presentation about the latest on the new Oak Street Village apartment housing project.

Presenting the presentation was Joe White, the President and CEO of JBH Ventures, wearing a blue dress shirt and black dress pants.

White took questions from the audience and was pumping up the crowd gearing up to break ground on a new project as soon as next week.

The site, spanning five and a half acres, has undergone extensive GEO and environmental testing, with the state issuing clearance for the development of children’s and family centers.

The site plan has been finalized, and White expressed excitement about the project, highlighting that daycare plans are progressing smoothly. “It’s actually a pretty exciting week this week.” He said, “It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year, over a year that we’ve been working on this development, and we’re getting really close to actually breaking ground as soon as next week.”

The project includes the submission of memorandums of understanding, ensuring operations and licensing for daycare services that will serve children before and after school in Loogootee.

White also emphasized that the development will serve as a ‘truly a public asset,’ featuring pickleball courts and stormwater prevention measures from the cemetery to the humane society, which will remain operational. The site will host 14 two-story units and 38 three-story units, with ample parking available. The groundbreaking event is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. at 507 N Oak Street.

The development plan includes 50 units across the two buildings, with a total project cost of approximately $14.6 million. Rental rates for one-bedroom units with one to two bathrooms are set, with the developer committed to maintaining high quality and value inside the buildings. The project will also feature a small patio for residents.

An on-site manager will be present for five hours a week, playing a key role in property management. Importantly, the units will not accommodate Section 8 tenants; rent will be payable by residents who meet certain income requirements, with utility relief offered. The project targets children aged two to five and will operate a separate daycare facility, which will be located at 505 N Oak Street and 507 1/2 N Oak Street, as advised by police.

The overarching goal is to build trust within the community and encourage residents to become homeowners in the future. Construction is expected to begin before the winter months, with completion anticipated by November 2026, roughly 15 to 16 months from now. Leasing for the units is planned to start between July and August 2025 or 2026, with White assisting in the transition. The mayor praised White for his efforts in advancing the project.

After the presentation a representative from Wessler Engineering along with Bo Wilson addressed more about the SCATA project that has been in the works.

This according to Wessler Engineering involves a strategic downsizing plan with a planned return in two years to upgrade the SCATA project.

If Wessler is not involved, the cost for the project will amount to $5 million.

The industry standard approach emphasizes modular design for flexibility and efficiency. Maintaining the current relationship is expected to be more cost-effective in the near future, although specific details are still to be determined.

Ader has suggested that the project could be completed within six months.

Regarding staffing, utility workers are generally hired with little to no prior experience, earning approximately $15 to $18 per hour.

However, benefits are a concern, as many are hesitant to accept these positions, especially younger workers.

There was an issue with the incorrect use of a code; a call was made to the election division, and the Secretary of State did not subsequently utilize the code.

The meeting’s atmosphere grew increasingly tense when Ralph and Charity Truelove presented three Public Comment Requests. They addressed a city ordinance pertaining to water bills at the Sunset trailer park, highlighting their concerns and adding a layer of emotional weight to the proceedings.  

Nessa Friedel made two other Public Comment Requests over the road conditions near her home on Country Court St. in Loogootee, as repairs haven’t been made for a while near her street.

Gary Arvin addressed complaints about several unfinished projects and reports of high grass he has been affected by.

Then the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting is yet to be determined at this time, but we will keep you updated about those meetings on Twitter/X, on our website, www.loogooteetimes.com, and Facebook.