For more information, contact: Superintendent Bruce Boerner, (765) 648-6480
Commercial and industrial customers of Anderson Municipal Light and Power will soon have access to a valuable energy efficiency tool. A new service available through the utility’s wholesale power provider, the Indiana Municipal Power Agency (IMPA), will provide commercial customers with immediate access to load profile data with the click of a mouse.
“Anderson Municipal Light and Power is becoming an innovator in energy efficiency and conservation,” commented AML&P Superintendent Bruce Boerner. “We are pleased to be able to offer this program to our commercial customers – a service that makes energy efficiency easier.”
AML&P plans to implement a Commercial Load Profiler service available through Automated Energy, Inc. (AEI), a leading provider of web based energy information services in North America. The profiler service provides commercial customers with secure, detailed 15 minute interval load profile data (KW, kVar, and kWh data) via the Internet. The energy data is presented in both tabular and graphical formats, allowing customers to conduct end use analysis online or export the data for use in external benchmarking, auditing, billing, or energy management applications.
“The Commercial Load Profiler enables businesses and industries to evaluate their energy usage and look for areas of improvement,” said Erick Rheam, AEI Sales Manager. “It has the ability to show you exactly when and where you can capitalize on energy savings in your daily operations.”
The utility is hosting a breakfast and demonstration of the software for commercial and industrial customers interested in the program on Thursday, February 11 from 9-10:30 a.m at Moran’s Restaurant. Customers interested in attending should contact the utility at (765) 648-6480.
“We are excited to offer this service to our commercial and industrial customers as yet another tool to help in evaluating their energy usage,” commented Boerner. “In today’s economic environment, any steps that businesses can take to reduce their expenses and save money are welcome opportunities.”
For more information on the Commercial Load Profiler, please contact Anderson Municipal Light and Power at (765) 648-6480.
WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Congressman Mike Pence announced today that Mayor Kris Ockomon, Mayor of Anderson, and his wife Ann will be his guests of honor at the 58th Annual National Prayer Breakfast, which will take place this Thursday, February 4, 2010 in Washington, D.C.
“I am honored to be joined at this significant event by Anderson’s mayor, Kris Ockomon and his wife Ann,” said Pence. “As we set aside time to remember the power and necessity of prayer, we should also be reminded to pray for those like Mayor Ockomon who sacrifice much to be public servants.”
“I am thrilled to have been invited to attend the National Prayer Breakfast this year,” said Ockomon. “Ann and I have felt the power of prayer at work in our lives and look forward to being present at this event, where thousands of people united in purpose and faith will gather together to call on a greater power.”
Background on the National Prayer Breakfast
WHO: Congressman Mike Pence/Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon and wife Ann
WHAT: 58th Annual National Prayer Breakfast
WHEN: Thursday, February 4
7:00 AM EST
WHERE: The Hilton Washington
1919 Connecticut Avenue NW
Members of Congress initiated the Breakfast in 1952 and over 3,400 guests, representing more than 160 nations, all 50 states and the U.S. territories, accepted the invitation last year to gather together in prayer.
From January 2010 College Board Connection
For Highland High School counselor Kyle Poyer, who is also head wrestling coach, motivating students to work harder to reach higher goals is nothing new. Not only has he produced state wrestling champions, but also three of the last four valedictorians at Highland High School in Anderson, Ind., have been four-year varsity wrestlers. So when Poyer set out with his colleagues to find new ways to promote the school’s Advanced Placement®culture, he pulled from his coaching experience and created, in essence, an AP®booster club —complete with fundraising events, community outreach projects and bowling nights —and made “Highland University” the place to be.
Anderson is like a lot of Midwestern industrial cities —the loss of manufacturing jobs has leftthe city devastated, and a large number of students have parents who never went to college.Higher education represents the best hope for students who wish to build a brighter future forthemselves and a stronger economy for their community, so the school has employed variousmethods to increase student participation in college-preparatory courses.“Following two strong years in which the number of Highland students passing AP Exams morethan doubled,” said Poyer, “we saw an opportunity to increase the program’s momentum, createmore excitement and build community awareness.” Highland’s director of guidance, Michel Mullins, suggested they first plan an event to raise the visibility of the AP program. The group ofschool counselors and AP teachers decided to host an AP Rocks Tailgate Party this fall, justbefore a school football game, and Poyer found local sponsors to cover the initial costs. Topromote the event, the group made T-shirts, printed signs and invited the entire school. The event was a great success, and it was duplicated at each home game this fall.
Having gotten the students’ attention, Poyer and colleagues —AP European History and AP Economics teacher Ralph Robinson and AP U.S. History teacher Aaron Riley —wanted to start an AP club. “A teacher asked me how we could convince a student who prefers taking the easy route to accept the challenge of college-level work when it’s not required,” said Poyer. This gave Poyer the idea to call the club “Highland University.”
In a matter of months, Highland University has amassed more than 100 members, growing faster than any other club at the school. The club has created a mission statement and holds weekly meetings. Members offer tutoring and hold fundraisers to offset the cost of exams and to plan social events, such as an end-of-year celebration after their AP Exams. Most important, they have found a way to reach students and prompt them to engage in rigorous course work.
"The Highland University club has created a learning environment where advanced college-prep studies are no longer reserved for the elite,” said Robinson. “The accessibility of AP courses for students has been made wider by the support and enthusiasm of the Highland University student members through their efforts to expand enrollment and support struggling AP students. The support of our AP teachers and their students has been phenomenal. The reality of college is much more real and reachable even to our lowest-income students as a result. I am extremely proud to be a part of this community of scholars and look forward to even further expansion of the program to all of our student body."
Riley added that the University club and AP programs at Highland “have given our students the chance to push the boundaries of previous expectations. Our students have come to demand and expect the highest levels of performance from not only the faculty but from themselves as well. It has been a joy to watch the growth of our students as they realize the potential that lies within each of them.”
This year, Highland High School has 393 students enrolled in 14 different AP subject areas, up from 336 students last year. The number of traditionally underrepresented minority students enrolled in AP has increased 650 percent. Due to state budget cuts, Anderson Community School Corporation will merge the district’s two
high schools in 2010-11. When Highland merges with Anderson High School, Poyer — never one to waste an opportunity — believes this will provide yet another opportunity to strengthen the school’s AP program for all students. At Highland High School, one thing is certain: Rigor is cool.
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Crews are moving into the next phase of construction at the Dewey Street water pollution control facility. 
This $8.5 million project is building new screens and an energy efficient pump station at the Dewey Street plant to bring more sewer flows into the plant during wet weather. It will also add diesel stand-by electricity generators so the plant can operate during power outages.
During the week of Jan. 11, Shook Construction worked on excavating a hole for Dewey Street's new, energy-efficient pump station. The next step will be setting down a stone base and placing steel for the bottom slab.
The photos below show workers assembling the trench box that will protect them from cave-ins during construction. An electrical contractor has recently moved to the construction site and begun preparing for electrical work to support the new pump station.
By Amanda Matlock, staff writer
Pendleton Times-Lapel Post
On a 39 degree day in December, Anderson Police Department Sergeant Shawn Richwine did something he didn’t expect.
After witnessing a man struggling for breath, Richwine and another officer jumped into a freezing river to save his life.
“Before the river, we had received several calls from concerned citizens that said there was a man who appeared to be disoriented“, Richwine said. “He was walking near the Eighth Street Bridge in Anderson apparently weaving in and out of traffic.”
Richwine, who has been an officer with the APD for 11 years, said the first police officer on scene originally could not locate the man, so he went to help. Richwine said that while he was heading toward the bridge, he got the call that the situation had become much more serious.
“Officer Travis Thompson had located the man in the river”, Richwine said. “He saw him from the east side of the bank near the Eighth Street Bridge”. The 31 year old Sergeant said he arrived soon after.
“We kept calling out to him, but it was obvious he was struggling to stay above water”. He said that he and the other officer then took matters into their own hands. “I just jumped in to save him, which was good because by the time we got to him he had already gone under the water. I bet he was under for an entire minute by the time we reached him”. The water was 36 degrees and the air temperature was 39. There was still ice on the river.
According to the police report filed by Richwine, Douglas Cochren, who is 61 and lives near the bridge, was the man who fell into the river. The police report also says that both officers entered the river to perform the rescue and managed to bring the man to shore.
“The ambulance was there so quickly because we had called before we jumped in the river”. Richwine said Cochren was lucky. “When he got to the hospital, his body temperature was 84 degrees, which is a critical temperature”. The police report said the victim was listed in critical condition when placed in the hospital. “All I had to do was change my uniform”, Richwine said, “but the doctor at Saint John’s said the man suffered from hypothermia, exhaustion, and near drowning”.
Richwine grew up in Pendleton and graduated from Pendleton Heights High School in 1996. He said that his father, who served with APD for 28 years and was Sheriff of Madison County for eight years, inspired him to become a police officer. “I always looked up to him from the time I was really small. I always wanted to be a police officer. I always knew this was the path I would choose”.
Richwine also said his dad and any other police officer would have done the same. “It feels good to have helped. I think anytime you help someone, it’s a good thing”, Richwine said. “But any other officer would have done the same, and every officer does the same every day in some way or another”.
Business Incubator Tenants to Occupy Privately Owned Space
City Seeks Offers for Redevelopment of Downtown Property
As the City of Anderson’s 2010 budget goes into effect, initiatives funded at reduced levels are striving to adapt to their constraints while continuing to offer effective programming.
The Anderson Business Incubator (ABI), a division of the Flagship Enterprise Center (FEC), will receive $25,000 in funding for 2010, a reduction of $50,000 from 2009 funding levels. Currently housing five clients, the ABI is located at 700 Meridian Street in downtown Anderson.
DeWayne Landwehr, Executive Director of the Flagship Enterprise Center, says the reduction in funding has caused the ABI to “sharpen our focus” on the mission of the ABI, a process that involved calling on the resources of Anderson University and Dean of the Falls School of Business, Dr. Terry Truitt, who worked with City Economic Development officials, FEC leaders, and downtown building owners to develop an action plan for the future of ABI.
“The solution which emerged will effectively expand the ABI, provide revenue for downtown landlords, help ABI clients enter the market more effectively, and save the City of Anderson $50,000 annually”, Dr. Truitt explained.
The ABI action plan involves using City funds to supplement rents in privately held space for clients of the ABI. As clients grow their business through the programmatic guidance of the ABI and become more economically viable, their rent will gradually increase to market rates. Landwehr pointed to another benefit of the plan; “now, clients will ‘graduate’ when they move from being subsidized clients to being full-pay clients, without ever having to deal with the expense and hassle of moving business locations.”
Mayor Kris Ockomon explained, “Our intent is to move economic activity from the public sector to the private sector. It makes little sense for the City to pay several thousand dollars each year to house these businesses when there are commercial property owners with vacant space available.”
In a related move, City of Anderson Economic Development Director Linda Dawson provided a bid package prepared by the Anderson Redevelopment Commission for the dispensation of the present ABI building at 700 Meridian Street. The building has been appraised at $115,000 and is being offered for sale or lease. Bid packets are available from the City’s Economic Development Department and may be requested by email from Dawson at LDawson@CityofAnderson.com. Dawson said that three private parties had inquired about the building and that she expected them all to complete bid packets. Bids are due on February 2, and will be opened in a public meeting of the Anderson Redevelopment Commission at a 4:30 pm meeting on that date.
Any parties interested in learning more about the programs of the FEC or ABI, or building owners who would be interested in partnering with the ABI can reach DeWayne Landwehr by calling 622-0800.
On Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 18, 2010, the Paramount Theater will once again host the Citywide Celebration honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The theme of the celebration will be “Living the Dream, Preserving the Legacy”. Musical selections by Renee Fuller will be featured in the celebration, as well as a reflection on Dr. King by JJJ Performing Arts. Major Wendy Gray, a native of Anderson currently serving the United States Army as a Family Nurse Practitioner, will be the special guest speaker.
Mayor Kris Ockomon will present 4 citizens with the Dr. King Legacy Award. 2010 recipients will be Max Howard, Marietta Wright, John Bostic, and Pearl Alexander. Recipients of the Legacy Award in 2009 were Rev. Benny Santiago, James Warner, Daisy Gholston, and Adair Gibbs.
The celebration will begin at noon. A reception will be held in the Hardacre Ballroom immediately following the celebration. All are welcome to attend.
Meteorologists are unified in their prediction that the Anderson area will be hit with several inches of snow this week; the National Weather Service is calling for a 100% chance of snow tomorrow, with up to six inches of accumulation.
The City of Anderson Board of Public Works will engage the City’s “Snow Patrol” when accumulation reaches three inches. The Snow Patrol consists of plows, bladed trucks, dump trucks, bobcats and tractors from across multiple city departments, all engaged in the effort to clear roadways to allow citizens to travel unimpeded.
It is possible that, after consultation with the Chairman of the Board of Public Safety, Director of Emergency Management, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and Street Commissioner, the Mayor could declare one of three snow emergency levels, which are described as follows:
LEVEL 1: Travel Advisory: Roadways are slick and hazardous with blowing or drifting snow. Drivers should use extreme caution.
LEVEL 2: Travel Warning: Roadways are slick and hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Motorists should use extreme caution and are encouraged to travel only as necessary to and from work, in a medical emergency, or to obtain home necessities.
LEVEL 3: Snow Emergency: City streets and highways are extremely hazardous and in some cases impassable. Roads are totally snow/ice covered and drifted. No one should travel during these conditions unless absolutely necessary and it shall be a violation of this ordinance and unlawful if they block or impede the travel of any emergency or street department vehicles in the performance of their duties.
It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally violate a LEVEL 3: Snow Emergency. Violators may be fined $100-$500 at the discretion of the court. Any vehicle in violation of this ordinance is subject to removal by towing, or other means at the expense of the owner. Those vehicles exempt from this ordinance shall include: medical assistance, law enforcement, fire, emergency management, public utilities, employees of above said, those tending to agricultural needs, or any person traveling to and from post secondary education classes or laboratories.
Weather related announcements, including Snow Emergencies, will be distributed to all local media, Indianapolis television stations, and through www.CityofAnderson.com.
Have you ever noticed streetlights glowing brightly even in daylight? Can you imagine the difficulty of finding a burned out bulb among 6326 possible streetlights? Imagine paying a $565,000 annual electric bill for those 6326 streetlights. The City of Anderson Board of Public Works this afternoon voted to purchase a streetlight management system, or Remote Operations Asset Management System (ROAM) that will enable the City's Light and Power utility to manage streetlights for maximum efficiency, effectively solving all these problems.
Charged by the City Controller to reduce the annual streetlight bill by $75,000 to meet the constraints of the city budget, the Board of Public Works and Anderson Municipal Light and Power researched multiple options to reach their goal. Board of Public Works Chairman Greg Graham stated, "Some cities in the area have chosen to turn off the lights to reduce their expenses, an option that, surprisingly, comes with a substantial cost, in our case, of about $200,000. Our electric utility found a way to realize similar savings while also enhancing efficiency and updating our technology. The ROAM System is an investment we are making in ourselves by enhancing our infrastructure capabilities". ROAM comes with a $455,000 price tag, to be paid by Anderson Municipal Light and Power, but with an ongoing return on investment that will pay dividends in the long run. The City will see a return on investment in 3.8 years.
The project will:
-be programmable based on daily variations in time of sunrise and sunset
-be programmable individually and to the hour for random shutoff and for dimming
-notify linemen of outages through GPS location, resulting in higher operational efficiencies
- reduce the city's carbon footprint annually by the equivalent of that of 100 cars.
-save $75,000 each year through energy savings and $60,000 each year through operational savings
Beginning today, the City of Anderson will join a host of communities who already enforce nuisance alarms. “False alarms have become an enormous concern for law enforcement agencies everywhere. Millions of dollars and man-hours are spent chasing "burglars" which turn out to be nothing more than floating birthday balloons, unrestricted pets, or paper falling from a fax machine, “said Chief of Police Darron Sparks. False alarms place the lives and property of community members in jeopardy. While police are responding to alarms that turn out to be false, they are not available to respond to alarms and other emergencies that are valid. In addition, the occupants and police are less likely to believe in a system plagued by repeated false activations.
In August, the Anderson City Council approved ordinance 23-09 regulating false alarms and any resulting nuisance penalties. However, Sparks cautioned that the intent of the ordinance is to reduce alarms and not to collect fees. “Our goal is to encourage the alarm owners to maintain their systems so that they are reliable and have minimal false activations. The purpose of the ordinance is not to make money. In fact, the cost-recovery measure falls shy of the false alarm related costs to the city,” said Sparks. “The overriding objective of the false alarm ordinance is to make Anderson a safer place to live for all citizens, whether they own a security system or not.”
As per the ordinance, violators will be charged $50.00 for the second false alarm in a calendar year, $100.00 for the third false alarm and $200.00 for the fourth. Each successive false alarm (over four), will be accessed a fine of $300.00.
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The Herald Bulletin Editorial: People make the difference
published 12/27/2009
When we take the yearly inventory of what constitutes a positive difference in Madison County, it’s the people who stand out. Someone did something that inspired others to join in and that effort changed the community for the better. In today’s The Herald Bulletin, we list our person of the year and some of the runner-ups who, by their actions and inspiration, left a positive influence on Madison County in the past 12 months.
Skip Ockomon, firefighter and brother of the mayor, had a dream of helping people who were displaced by fire. Late last year, a fire claimed the lives of two children and left the parents, Jeff and Amanda Bouslog, with nowhere to live. They crowded into a relative’s house. Ockomon, who’s seen his share of such tragedies as an Anderson firefighter, wanted to have a home that people like the Bouslogs could move into while awaiting a permanent residence.
Ockomon spent a good bit of the year raising funds for just such a place. The Madison County Fire Rescue House finally opened to much fanfare. It’s been put to good use. Just two days before Christmas, a fire forced members of a family out of their home, and they moved into the Rescue House. Ockomon had a vision and saw it through, just like many heroes sung and unsung, every year in Madison County.
Also on The Herald Bulletin’s list were the pool ladies of Alexandria. Sherri Brown, Vanessa Hosier and Penny Stevens simply didn’t take no for an answer when Alexandria Mayor Jack Woods said the city pool wouldn’t be opening because the budget couldn’t handle it. The women raised the money needed to get the pool open and, as a plus, were celebrated with segments on national newscasts. They, too, had a vision and saw it through.
The Rev. James Warner has been a fixture in the community for many years. His annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Geater Center is always well attended and much needed by members of the community.
Highland graduate Adam Lind, the Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter/outfielder, wasn’t in town to make a difference, but his exploits on the baseball diamond made him a local celebrity and, of course, a role model for sports-minded youngsters.
People from all walks of life make a difference every year. Some can be in direct contact with people, such as Ockomon, while others decide they have to get involved, such as the pool ladies. Others, such as Warner, do what they can each and every year. Still others, such as Lind, are looked up to for what they have accomplished.
We at The Herald Bulletin celebrate them all. They, and many others, are the lifeblood of the community. When others are giving up, they are forging ahead. As we pass into a new year, we salute them and look forward to new heroes next year.
Even during December's cold weather, work continued on Anderson's $8.5 million project to improve its Water Pollution Control facilities. Shook Construction has poured the slab for the new grit and street sweeping storage area at Dewey Street. They have also started to excavate a foundation for the new lift station.
Pumps at the existing Dewey Street station have reached the end of their useful life. The pumps were installed in the 1970s and operators have no spare pump to use when a pump is out of service for repair or maintenance. In addition to adding a spare pump, the new pump station will also be more energy efficient than the existing pumps, helping the City reduce future electricity costs.
DeWayne Landwehr, Executive Director of the Flagship Enterprise Center in Anderson, Indiana, recently completed the National Business Incubation Association’s Incubator Management Certificate Program.
NBIA launched its certificate program in February 2007 to provide incubator executives with a comprehensive and practical overview of the tasks and responsibilities of managing a business incubation program. The program is designed to enhance managers’ skills and to provide them with opportunities to gain ideas for building stronger relationships with key constituents, providing effective client services, ensuring incubator sustainability and more.
Although the certificate program is not a professional designation, NBIA officials say that receiving a certificate is a mark of distinction verifying mastery of incubator governance, services and policies. “We thought it would be helpful for NBIA to establish a base of knowledge that every incubator manager should know, regardless of the type of incubator they run,” said Tom Strodtbeck, NBIA director of events and training. “The certificate program is a way for people to track their progress in gaining that knowledge.
To receive a certificate, incubator managers must complete a total of 24 hours of training, including three full-day workshops designed specifically for the program and five elective 75-minute sessions offered at NBIA’s annual conference. Workshops and sessions cover a range of topics, including incubator finances, strategic planning, graduation policies and procedures, client selection, and facilities management.
According to Landwehr, “All the courses required for this certificate are taught by incubator professionals who are known to employ best practices in one or more areas of operation. Just listening to all of those highly qualified people discuss their various topics has been a tremendous help to me. The Flagship is already recognized as one of the best in the nation, and I want to ensure we continue to improve on the record that has already been established. As we improve, our clients reap the benefits of better programs. Having achieved certification is very nice, but secondary to that.”
Business incubation programs, such as the Flagship Enterprise Center, catalyze the process of starting and growing companies by providing entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and tools they need to make their ventures successful. NBIA estimates that in 2005 alone, North American incubators assisted more than 27,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for more than 100,000 workers and generated annual revenue of more than $17 billion.
Created through a partnership between Anderson University and the City of Anderson, the Flagship Enterprise Center serves as a small business incubator and growth stage business accelerator. Through its client-specific Client Support Program, the FEC helps emerging companies to become independently viable. Located at I-69 and (exit 22) in Anderson, the FEC provides ongoing contact with management consultants, university researchers, student mentoring opportunities and access to capital. For more information, contact DeWayne Landwehr at (765) 622-0800 or visit the FEC Web site at www.flagshipenterprise.org.
The National Business Incubation Association is the world’s leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies.
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By Aleasha Sandley, for The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — As Anderson businessman Barry Sharp’s plane rumbled down the taxiway at Anderson Municipal Airport on Friday, the crowd gathered in the frigid air at the end of the taxiway watched as history was made. Sharp’s plane, which also carried Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon and two other passengers, was the first to use the airport’s relocated Taxiway A — an $8.9 million project consisting of four phases. The plane lifted off from the airport around 9:30 a.m. after a ribbon cutting signaling the opening of the taxiway. The event was precluded by aviation officials speaking on the importance of the airport to the community.
Federal Aviation Administration Chicago Office Manager Jim Keefer said general aviation airports, such as the one in Anderson, did not serve only wealthy people with private jets. “If airports were just for those folks, I wouldn’t be here in front of you, the federal government wouldn’t be involved in airports,” said Keefer, who oversees airport grants for Indiana and Illinois. “The main purpose of this type of airport is for business development. “This airport serves you all whether you know it or not, and it serves every person in this community whether they know it or not.”
Kevin Rector of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation said Anderson would be handicapped in the area of economic development without its airport. “People don’t realize that airports are not renewable resources,” he said. “The closing of any airport really sends the message that this community is no longer open for business. Without this airport, these dollars would be spent in some other city’s economy.”
Bart Giesler of the Aviation Association of Indiana said that organization performs an economic impact study of the airport every two years. The study determines the direct impact, including the jobs and money made at the airport itself, and indirect impact, which involves money spent in the community by those who use the airport. Further, the study finds the induced impact of the airport, including jobs created throughout the community as a result of the money being spent by airport users. Finally, it shows the transportation cost savings, which includes the time and money saved by flying into the Anderson airport. Airport Manager Lori Curless said the airport had eight businesses on site, which employed 34 people, not including employees of the airport itself. According to the AAI’s study, the Anderson airport has $4.9 million in direct and indirect impact combined.
The airport has almost $3.1 million in induced impact, and $690,000 in transportation savings cost, according to the study. The relocated taxiway was a result of new federal standards that encouraged airports to move taxiways and other obstacles that were within the “runway safety area.” The total cost of the project was about $8.9 million, including $8.46 million from the FAA, $222,500 from INDOT and $222,500 from the city. For every $1 the city invested in the project, it received $39 in federal and state funds.
Local businesses received $5.9 million of the investment for doing the work on the project, which included new parallel alignment, LED taxiway lights, guidance signs, airfield vault work, lightning suppression network and drainage. Ockomon said some people in Anderson didn’t believe the airport would be successful. “We will be an airport that will thrive and survive,” he said.
From the newsletter of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Indiana:
It was the coldest day of the year Friday Dec 4th at Athletic Park in Anderson, but all the people involved with The Amazing Share had warm hearts and were glowing with concern and care for others. Over 60,000 pounds of food was distributed to 955 families in a special tailgate event for hungry residents of Madison County.
Each family received potatoes, apples, milk, bread, hominy and granola bars. Red Gold handed out tomatoe products.
Santa distributed stuffed animals to all the children, moving around the park in a fire truck. The hundreds of teddy bears and toys were transported to the park by Two Men and a Truck. Boy Scouts prepared informational packets.
Volunteers came from throughout the community including from The City of Anderson, Operation Love, Pay Less Supermarkets, Anderson University, St. John's Health Center and Emergency Management. Anderson Rentals also collaborated to make this an amazing event.
While families received much needed food assistance, another line called a reverse tailgate was in place for donations of food and cash. Nestle provided hot chocolate for all prepared at the Christian Center by Daniel Troup. On the Go Espresso at Community Hospital covered the coffee. WLBC, WERK, WHBU, WMDH and WQME braved the cold to warm hearts and provide live coverage of the event.
More than $2500 was raised to provide food for meals and many pounds of food was donated. Lead gifts were received from Kroger and The Madison County Fire Rescue House. A large food donation was delivered by BackYard Broadcasting. Our sincere thanks to all those mentioned above and to Mayor Kris Ockomon, Skip Ockomon, Tammy Bowman, Nita Weidner, Chris Martin, Coco Bill and Pay Less Supermarkets, Dick Wiley and Frank Dick of the City of Anderson for all their support during the event.
Seeing all this come together in such a special way touched our hearts but one story brought tears to everyone's eyes. A small boy rode his bike to Athletic Park and asked if he could take food home to surprise his mother. Although he was sure he could carry all that food on his little bike, he was loaded with his bike and his food onto the fire truck and "special delivered" to his home sitting beside Mayor Ockomon with fireman Skip at the wheel. His mother was shocked to see a shiny red fire engine pull up in front of their home. He said "am I in trouble"? Tears came to her eyes as she was told where her son had gone. She was thankful and felt blessed for the food and the special delivery.
We hear and see stories like this at every tailgate we do in every county we serve and feel thankful and blessed that we are able to operate the Tailgate Program with the help of our sponsors and donors.
Water Pollution Control employee Rose Adams Whitehead recently received the Water Environment Federation’s Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award at the 73rd Annual Conference of the Indiana Water Environment Association (IWEA) held November 17-19, 2009 in Indianapolis. This award is presented to recognize an individual for outstanding performance, professionalism and contributions to the water quality analysis process. “Rose has worked tirelessly over the years, reaching out to facilities that need help and we appreciate her enthusiasm and dedication to the laboratory profession,” says WEF delegate and past IWEA president Lynn Brabec.
Whitehead recently celebrated her 30th year of employment with the City of Anderson.
City of Anderson Dedicates New Water Well
Project Will Provide Capacity to System, Ensure Future Development
ANDERSON, Ind. -- City leaders dedicated a new water well today on the grounds of the Madison County Equestrian Club. The well is expected to produce 2 million gallons of water per day, bringing excess capacity to 3.5 million gallons per day.
"It is true that everything that grows needs water, and that holds true not just for plants and animals, but for cities. Our city is poised for future development with the water utility capacity provided by this new well”, Mayor Kris Ockomon announced to those assembled; “by making an investment in our infrastructure, we are making an investment in our future.”
The well was named the Hanna Well, after 43 year water department veteran employee James Hanna, whose family attended the dedication ceremony and unveiled a plaque honoring Mr. Hanna for his dedication to public service.
The Hanna Well is a tubular type well, reaching 125 feet deep and measuring 24 inches in diameter. It has a full propane powered auxiliary generator, which eliminates the risk of groundwater contamination from traditional diesel fuel generators. The Hanna Well was designed by Robert E. Curry and Associates and constructed by M.K. Betts Engineering for a total bid price of $313,414.00
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Fallen leaves are accumulating on the lawns, sidewalks, and streets of the City. The proper way to dispose of those leaves is simple and good for the environment!
- Leaves are to be placed either in biodegradable paper bags or waste receptacles placed curbside with the lid left open.
- Leaves will be picked up the day after regular trash collection, beginning at 5am.
- Leaf pickup will continue until December 15.
- Citizens may dispose of leaves, grass clippings, weeds, bushes, and branches under 3” in diameter. Branches must be bundled and tied in lengths not over four feet long.
Please contact Best Way Disposal at 649-7272 with additional questions regarding Fall Leaf Pick Up.
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Also consider using The City’s Yard & Garden Recycling Center, which accepts clean leaves and grass. Recycling woody debris, leaves and grass keeps these items out of landfills and out of our storm water system.
Limbs and brush can be dropped off at a fee of $15 per pickup truck load. Yard wastes must be loose, in biodegradable bags, or free of trash.
The Yard and Garden Recycling Center offers specials on high-quality mulch and compost. Leaf compost can be used as organic mulch on the soil surface in place of peat moss or straw to control weeds and keep soil moist and friable. Compost is produced by a natural decomposition of leaves brought in from homes in our community. Because we work with large piles, heat is generated during the decomposition which kills insects and weed seeds. We add nothing to enhance the product or hasten the process. The mulch is made from limbs and small trees dropped off at the center, then ground twice and screened. Prices are: Mulch $10.00/cubic yard; AAA leaf compost $ 10.00/cubic yard.
The City’s Yard and Garden Recycling Center is located at the former Emge site, located at 2000 West 8th Street, in Anderson. The center is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8am-2pm (closed for lunch from 11am-noon). Call 648-6399 with any questions about the Yard and Garden Recycling program.
At first glance, a crowded room full of more than fifty young adults eagerly trading pieces of candy might not seem like a lesson in business. At the kick-off meeting of the Madison County Young Professionals Group (MCYPG), however, that is exactly what it was. The exercise was used as a hands-on demonstration of networking and set the stage for an evening of entertaining and educational experiences.
The October 8th meeting was the first of a continued series of monthly forums, designed to create opportunities for young professionals in Anderson and Madison County to network in order to develop professionally and personally. In attendance were a diverse group of individuals from the community, including business owners, CEO’s, marketing directors, stylists, job seekers, students, and more. The MCYPG has no age cap, and welcomes all who “think young” and want to participate as mentors.
Featured as keynote speaker for the night was Falls School of Business professor Dr. Wendell Seaborne. Seaborne shared a lecture on networking tips and tricks. Troy Jones, an AU MBA student and Mid Indiana Associate Director for the American Cancer Society, says the experience was both unique and beneficial. “It was a great opportunity for young professionals in the area to get together to network and meet each other,” says Jones, “because on a daily basis we often do not get the chance to connect with people who are already next door. It was a just a great time to get to connect with people that we don’t get to on a daily basis.”
Sherri Fields, Anderson University MBA Recruiter and Public Relations Director, explains the potential she sees for the group. “Madison County is filled with opportunities for young professionals,” she says. “We can be a bigger fish in a smaller pond and have many opportunities open to us that are not possible in a larger market. We now have a group that we can use to share opportunities, continue our education and build solid professional relationships.”
Anderson University is a private, four-year, Christian liberal arts institution of approximately 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, the university offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, nursing, education and theology. Falls School of Business is one of Anderson University’s largest academic departments offering eight undergraduate majors as well as MBA and DBA programs. The school is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and is a member of the Christian Business Faculty Association (CBFA).