New employment, advancements named in Mt. Vernon

By Lois Mittino Gray

A pleasant moment of swearing-in Noah Manna as the newest officer on the Mount Vernon Police Force kicked off the April 30, Mount Vernon Board of Works and Safety meeting at City Hall. With a crowd of family and friends watching, Manna was sworn in by Clerk-Treasurer Cristi Sitzman. He was then congratulated by the Board, Department Heads, audience members, and his Police Chief Justin Rutledge.

Rutledge said Manna will be currently in field training with Sergeant Woodley. He also added a heartfelt thank you to the community for the outpouring of support during this “very difficult time with the passing of Officer Stallings. This has been a tough time for the department, as well as the community,” he acknowledged.

With the recent passing of another community servant leader, Street Commissioner Jim Kilgore, Mayor Steve Loehr expressed his gratitude for the respect and show of support from citizens in both losses. “It makes me proud to be from a small town like this. Thank you to everyone and their teams. We all lost friends,” he said.

After expressing these sentiments, the Mayor officially offered Assistant Street Commissioner James Miller the vacant position as the next Street Commissioner. Miller graciously accepted and said he is glad he did. The new Commissioner appointed Tracy Reese to take his place. Loehr observed that means he has an opening in the department and Miller affirmed it saying they are already getting lots of applications and resumes. “It should be a seamless transition,” the Mayor declared.

Under the Legals portion of the meeting, Loehr opened a Public Hearing for the Septage Receiving Station Preliminary Engineering Report and turned it over to Hannah Klein with the Lochmueller Engineering Group. She explained the project will install a 40,000-gallon below-grade, covered, concrete storage tank providing approximately one week of septage waste storage. It will be a designated septage receiving station for offloading by licensed septic haulers and includes duplex transfer pumps and associated piping to convey septage to the treatment process.

Mechanical mixing equipment will maintain solids in suspension and limit septicity and have odor control measures. A dewatering grinder pump lift station and short force main will integrate septage flows with existing treatment plant infrastructure.

She gave background on why the project is needed. In December 2025, the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) announced plans to discontinue operation of its own septic receiving station, probably by July. It has historically served as the primary septage disposal facility for Posey County and surrounding areas. This closure creates an immediate regional need for alternative septage receiving capacity and Mount Vernon wants to do this.

Sewage Treatment Plant Superintendent Curtis Prater said this facility will provide a reliable and controlled means of receiving septage at the Mount Vernon Wastewater Treatment Plant while protecting treatment plant operations, maintaining regulatory compliance and bringing in revenue for future facility improvements.

By establishing a dedicated septic receiving facility, this allows the City to control timing, volume, and characteristics of septic discharges, reducing the risk of treatment process upsets, odors, uncontrollable dumping, and cost hikes that may burden consumers.

The Total Project Cost is estimated to be $1,253,100. A timeline lists the design submission in May, 2026 with SRF Priority Ranking to take place in summer. October, 2026 is listed to initiate construction that should be completed by March, 2027.

Board member Andy Hoehn asked if there were other communities that could challenge them on this. Prater replied that Newburgh is in the initial design phase, but Mount Vernon is a tad ahead of them. He asked if Vanderburgh County is totally out of accepting waste. Prater said they will still accept restaurant type disposal. Prater added he feels this project is very viable for the city with current numbers. Board member David Dodd asked, “Even with the competition?” Prater replied yes, especially from Evansville West. “In five years, we should be making money,” he speculated. Prater said he can accept waste in the meantime as the business builds. Three waste companies have already reached out about getting permits. Prater stated he has come to an agreement with Posey County Regional Sewer District to take their waste at a rate of $4/per 1,000 gallons, which will end up bringing in income of around $5,040 per month. Loehr said he would like to thank Prater for taking charge of this and for getting together with the sewer district. “This is a big win for city and county.” The Mayor closed the public hearing at this time.

In Department Reports:

--Rutledge said for the period from April 16 through April 29, there were 211 total calls for service. Of those, 78 traffic stops were conducted and six traffic collisions investigated. There were nine individuals arrested on 15 different charges including nine drug, two warrant, two theft, one neglect of dependent, and one possess of firearm by serious violent felon. The Chief successfully completed Police Chief’s Executive Training Program at ILEA from April 19 through 24.The training covered a range of topics including State Board of Accounts, PERF, Community Engagement, Crisis Intervention, Leadership, Police Psychology, among many other topics. “It was a good week,” he summarized.

--Fire Chief Robert Wilson stated, since the last meeting, his department answered 50 calls for service. These included four fire alarms; two fire investigations; one motor vehicle accident with injury; one gas leak; and one missing person who was found using Project LifeSaver Technology. “We started the yearly pressure testing of fire hose. So far, 3,000 feet of supply hose and 1,000 feet of attack hose have been tested. We still have approximately 1,500 feet of hose remaining to do.” He concluded by stating they have provided several skills examiners to assist the CountryMark Fire Department in certifying around 15 individuals as Indiana Certified Emergency Medical Responders.

--Prater said he is talking with AstraZeneca concerning the lift station there. They have two options of either taking it over or installing a new one. This will allow for further expansion to the east. He will be posting two job openings soon. One employee is very near retirement, and they really need that transfer of knowledge. He concluded by stating they currently have no formal permitting process for sewer service, and that really needs to get started.

Street Commissioner Miller stated, since the last meeting, there were seven extra trash pick-ups generating $360; $150 generated from limb removal fees; and $20 for the sale of dirt. Two trash violation letters were sent to homeowners for their property being in violation for trash. He ended his report by announcing Smith Road is now open. Mayor Loehr added, “It looks great; you all did a great job on it.”

Code Enforcement/Officer Colton Givens stated there were two abandoned vehicle cases closed and five weed cases closed; one abandoned vehicle case opened, and three weed cases opened.

Prater stated he needs to announce that Parke Street will be closed starting next Friday all the way to the sewer plant, for about a month, for the sewer main project.