This annual address is held during the Rotary Club of Evansville Luncheon, and includes prepared remarks and video and graphics presentations, sharing the good news coming out of the county.
The Commission includes President Cheryl Musgrave of District 3, Ben Shoulders of District 1, and Vice-President Justin Elpers of District 2. Each shared updates regarding projects they helmed, interviewed by emcee Alexis Berggren, president and CEO of Explore Evansville.
The more than $35 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the Federal Government were the driver for many of the projects discussed.
In the pie chart of uses, the nearly $10 million rural broadband project was the single largest expenditure. While it was discussed in 2022 — Musgrave said it will be completed soon, on schedule.
This was one of dozens of projects made possible by the ARPA, and Musgrave said these funds were the biggest change from 2022 to now.
“Vanderburgh County has really spread the money into, around into different capacities. A lot of that (was) not for profit, money was focused on children, and children's well being,” she said “That's incredibly important to me.”
More than $3 million was focused on not for profits.
She's also excited about 2.5 miles of trails added along Green River Road. "We broke ground in the fall of 2022," she said. "And this visionary trail introduces a game-changing addition to our city."
$250 thousand was used to hopefully bring Detroit and Chicago flights back to Evansville regional airport, something Carrie Blackman, executive director at the Ark of Evansville appreciated.
“(It was) nice to hear what the county commissioners envision for the future of Vanderburgh. County,” she said. “The flights to Chicago and Detroit coming back is fantastic. It's going to help a lot of organizations and businesses in the area.”
Other projects include improvements to Burdette Park, which have just begun. The long-discussed restoration and improvement of the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum is a project upon which they’ll soon “embark.”
Elpers spoke for his first time at a State of the County to discuss the Vanderburgh County Misdemeanor Court expansion.
“The end result is by hearing more cases promptly and efficiently, informed decisions can be made about individuals in our justice system, allowing for inmates to be transferred out of the local jail and transferred or transferred to the Indiana Department of Corrections,” he said. “So to help alleviate some of that overcrowding at the jail.”
Commissioners also discussed increased pay and benefits for Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies (VCSO), and the new Southwest Behavioral Healthcare partnership with the sheriff’s office.
“Currently Southwest Behavior works with EPD (Evansville Police Department),” Elpers said. “And they have an agreement, and they go on runs. And out of those 357 mobile crisis responses, only 12 resulted in an arrest or play placement in jail.”
Elpers is hoping for such progress with the VCSO, and applauded Sheriff Noah Robinson on agreeing to the program.
Unrelated to ARPA, Commissioner Ben Shoulders talked about the County Health Department’s ‘Pre-to Three’ Program.
“The program is initially designed to reduce infant mortality through a team approach with nurses, community health workers and client advocates. These efforts help to ensure that children by the age of four have the skill set they need to have a positive start to school and continue their development.”
Also discussed was the cooperation between the County Council, and County Commission. The Council’s role is as a check on the Commission to safeguard spending.
“We would really like to thank County Council for our close working relationship,” Musgrave said on stage. She’s been on the commission since 2016, and said cooperation in county government isa the biggest change she’s witnessed.
More on the ARPA grants, and non profit organizations
Again, In the pie chart of ARPA fund’s uses, the biggest was $10 million dollars for extending high speed broadband to the rural unincorporated county.
Public safety was $8 million dollars, underground infrastructure was just under $7 million, the veteran’s memorial Coliseum was $6 million and Burdette Park was $1 million.
Shoulders says funds had to be allocated by the end of next year.
“But the projects themselves don't have to be done then; some of the projects we haven't even started on yet, like the Coliseum. Some of the ones like Burdette, we have started on, we broke ground on that, I think it was two weeks ago.”
More than $3 million was also divided among 30 local non-profit organizations, several awarded just in August.
The final $70,000 or so remaining will be used to hopefully cover any project overages as they receive bids.
As of this summer the Commission has finally awarded the last available dollars to a variety of non-profit organizations.
In August alone they provided awards to more than 10 organizations. These include Jacobs Village Inc., Little Lambs of Evansville and Habitat for Humanity.
“I think we have so many wonderful nonprofit organizations in our community,” Shoulders said. “So, you know, to award over 30, nonprofits that were affected by COVID, alongside and then to equate that to, to $3.28 million, which was almost 10-percent, 9.5- percent to be exact of the total allocation. I'm very proud of that.”
He said the commission took community input in deciding how to divide the more than $35 million dollars.
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