MSDMV plans receive public input

By Lois Mittino Gray

When a school corporation proposes to construct or renovate a school building at a cost in excess of one million dollars, Indiana law requires it must first hold a public hearing after advertising in local newspapers. Mount Vernon School Board Vice-President Mark Isaac presided over such a hearing at their March 16, regular board meeting after welcoming everyone and introducing members of the Board and scheduled speakers.

Chief Financial Officer Bo Harris began the hearing by describing what is currently planned for their next major bond project. He said the School Corporation’s current Debt Service Fund levy is $2,014,984 and the current Debt Service Fund tax rate is $0.1127. The last major chunk of money they owe for this will be paid off in 2027. The corporation would like to incur another loan, keeping the tax rate about the same for residents. He said the two main uses for the new funds would be a two-story wrestling building and converting the old Hedges Central School to their new District Administrative Office Building. The present Administrative Office Building at 1000 W. 4th Street is old and not handicap accessible.

The purpose of the hearing is to allow all interested people to give testimony and ask questions and voice opinions concerning the renovation of and improvements to facilities throughout the school corporation, including site and athletic improvements.

Presently, the former Hedges Central School houses many school departments such as IT, the Health Clinic, and Special Education. Not-for-profits rent the additional spaces and include organizations such as Big Brothers and Sisters, Trotter House, Willow Tree, Bellefontaine Cemetery, and the River Bend Food Pantry. Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation uses the gymnasium for activities and offices. The Posey County Historical Society has its Museum and offices there, too. Harris explained these organizations have been notified of the move and have leases until 2027.

Willy Clark and Noah Gordon both signed up to speak at the hearing and both had similar sentiments. Clark said he came to urge that the gym at Hedges not be closed and still be used for the public. “Don’t let that go to waste. People play pickleball there all the time and they have yoga classes, parties, and activities, all kinds of things to do there,” he said. Harris assured him that even though Parks and Recreation will be moving to their new offices in the Hageman Event Center by that time, the school would keep the gym open for activities.

Gordon stood up and spoke asking for the not-for-profits using it now to be able to still rent space if it is available. Harris assured him that all were given ample notice and will be helped along as well as can be in finding a new home.

According to State Law, a school corporation proposing to enter into a lease agreement and to issue bonds for the construction or renovation of a school building resulting in total costs in excess of certain thresholds,where imported goods can be stored without immediate payment of duties or taxes. This allows businesses to defer those costs for up to five years, improving cash flow and enabling more flexible supply chain strategies. The Mount Vernon bonded facility includes both indoor and outdoor storage, featuring a 20,000-square-foot warehouse and one-acre storage yard. To meet federal requirements, Ports of Indiana installed approximately 800 feet of fencing, security cameras, access controls and aggregate laydown yard.

The facility is operated by Indiana River & Rail Terminals, the largest general cargo operator on the Ohio River, which partners with Ports of Indiana to operate terminals in Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville.

“Through our partnership with Ports of Indiana, we’ve created new opportunities for growth and expanded our ability to serve customers,” said Jonathan Lamb, CEO of Indiana River & Rail Terminals. “This facility opens the door to new cargoes in metals, energy, and technology sectors, and we see strong potential for continued expansion.”

The bonded designation creates a new supply chain route that leverages Indiana’s absence of a state inventory tax, allowing companies to defer both federal duties and state-level carrying costs until goods leave the facility.

“This new facility creates a long-term competitive advantage for our customers and our community,” said Jason May, Port Director at Mount Vernon. “It builds on our strengths in cargo handling, multimodal transportation, and Indiana’s pro-business environment. We’re excited to attract new industries and cargoes that don’t traditionally use our ports.”

Mount Vernon’s capabilities support efficient handling and distribution of bulk and breakbulk cargoes, including the use of a 60-ton overhead crane to transload shipments from barge to truck or rail. The port offers access to five Class I railroads, 10 barge berths, fleeting capacity for over 400 barges, and 600 acres available for development. Its location near the median center of the U.S. population and the I-69 Canada-Mexico trade corridor provides strategic advantages for reaching Midwest markets.

The Mount Vernon bonded facility is designed to support industries handling high-value or high-tariff goods, including metals, automotive, energy, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage products. In addition to aluminum, the facility is capable of handling a wide range of commodities via barge, rail, and truck, further enhancing the port’s multimodal capabilities and expanding its role as a key logistics and trade hub for the Midwest.

About Ports of Indiana: Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system, and by serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade, and multimodal logistics.

About Indiana River & Rail Terminals: Indiana River & Rail Terminals operates the largest general cargo operation on the Ohio River, providing warehousing and transload services for barge, rail, and truck in Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville. Facilities include four Ohio River barge docks, seven warehouses, 425,000 square-feet of indoor storage, 10 acres of outdoor storage, two river craneways with 60-ton and 35-ton overhead cranes, a 250-ton heavy lift crane, connections to five Class I railroads, foreign-trade zone and bonded storage areas, and services for 1,000 acres of shovel-ready industrial sites. Indiana River & Rail Terminals is a joint-venture between Ports of Indiana and Superior River Terminals-Indiana.