~ All Out of BubbleGum Indiana ~

 

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Is John Richwine, Ben Gale and the Swamp strong arming the municipalities because they would be breaking the law if they built their own dispatches since you can only have 2. 

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According to the Mayors, “They have told us repeatedly if you don’t pay, we will stop dispatching”... well that is against the law as well…Oh that’s right our County officials along with GOP Chair Russ Willis believe they are above the law!

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Here are some quick facts but it will have to wait for another post:

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- Dispatch budget is $3.5million... lists 37 dispatchers... they only have 21... that 1.3 million in fluff.

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- A study was done in 22 that said even at 21 they were over staffed and listed tons of changes that needed made... they enacted ZERO of them

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- There is actually a lawsuit against dispatch that several other communities are part of over this

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- The only people playing “politics with public safety” is the SWAMP!

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- Fun fact or disgusting fact, this county has enough money to run for an entire year without taking another dime from the taxpayers, for an entire year!!!!!!!!!!!

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Last time I looked, we have 3 
commissioners AND 7 County Council Members:
“I’m not sure how Ben can spew that he’ll take it up with commissioner Richwine.” 

This county ELECTED a body of people to oversee and make sure transparency takes place!!!

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But it looks like we’ve got two or three ring leaders who believe they run the show and can do whatever they want with our money.

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Please also look at Auditor Rick Gardner along with Chief Deputy Culp spewing that they have about $40 million, every month….

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Well here is the REALITY: according to Gateway at the end of 2023 we have over $105 million in our budget to be able to spend.

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So, would somebody like to tell me where the other $60 million is at?  

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There’s a lot of information to go along with this whole nightmare.

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I will continue to roll out more and more documents and information showing that commissioner Richwine along with President Ben Gale and the swamp are misleading, misrepresenting and ripping off the taxpayers.

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MY POINT OF VIEW:

 

ALL MUNICIPALITIES should cease making payments effective August 1, 2024. 

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YOU have FULFILLED the initial CONTRACT!

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They should take this money and raise the salaries to the OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, MEDICS, DISPATCH, and CORONERS along with Hiring additional members for the teams!

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The COUNTY has the money….. 

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But don’t take my word for it: Just take a look at all the documents I have provided for the PEOPLE~!

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Here are some comments that should be read in response to Ben Gales TIRADE

Mayor TODD JONES, Elwood
Jon Bell I thought the feds had mandated the counties to run dispatch for all municipalities within the territory?
Todd Jones

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Jon Bell , yes you are correct. The inter local agreement for the past 10 years was Anderson 1,172,523, Madison County 1,172,523 Alexandria 90,000, Elwood 90,000. This contract was valid for 10 years and has expired. The proposal for the redistribution of LIT written by Ted Nolting the County Attorney was trying to cram down all municipalities throats was a redistribution of over 3 million dollars of those funds. 

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Ben Gale told a lot of lies tonight and his threat of reducing dispatch services to communities not paying on an expired contract is ridiculous. Especially when I had an officer murdered less than 2 years ago so this strikes a major nerve. 

The 4 municipalities above pay for both police and fire dispatch while the rest of the municipalities/townships only pay for fire and receive police dispatch for free. If this redistribution would pass. The City of Anderson would pay $194,152 more than number above. 

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The County ironically would pay $24,516 less the number above. The City of Elwood would pay $126,557 more than the previous $90,000 expired contract, and the City of Alexandria would pay $52,922 more than the $90,000 expired contract. The City of Anderson, Elwood, Alexandria, and Town of Lapel are against this proposal prepared by County Attorney Ted Nolting. 

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The only good faith negotiations have been by municipalities throughout the County not the County itself. 

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Unfortunately the County’s mindset is we are the County you have to do what we say. I have set idle on a lot of the County’s mishaps but when they want to reduce services and then want to boast about how healthy the Rainy Day fund is, all that tells me is either they are taxing the residents in the County too much and not keeping the residents hard earned money where it belongs which is in the residents pockets, or they are passing the burden of a County operational expense to local municipalities which I believe both is the case in this situation. 

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President Gale this isn’t playing politics as you claim, as there is no D or R way when it comes to public safety you are playing with residents lives and public safety lives by threatening to reduce services because the County can’t come to terms with a contract, so instead your answer is to take money away from municipalities who are using that LIT money to put extra boots on the street to enhance Public Safety or cut their services.

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Brilliant thinking!
Jon Bell

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Katherine Callahan before the conglomeration of dispatch to a single Public Safety Dispatch Center (PSAP) Anderson had its own team and facility. A single PSAP could have been cheaper to operate than two stand alone facilities.
There has been a lot of debate over what the fare share of costs should be but last I knew, Anderson will not increase it dollar amount they pay in, regardless of the increase in costs over the years.

There are plenty of funds, especially given the public safety increase passed a few years ago. 

Is the purpose of this legislation to mandate a portion of the Public Safety LIT be used for dispatch? If so, that is a way to force some $$ from Anderson.

I wish I had the details.

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Shelly Boggs- Harvey:
After reading Todd Jones' comment, my eyes are open to the shenanigans of our Commissioners and of course Ben Gale will toe the line for them!!

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Just as I suspected as the council has approved MILLIONS to the judicial system and EXTRA raises and new hires beyond department's actual 2024 budget, Ben Gale & the Commissioners want to once again GOUGE the TAXPAYERS! 

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Madison County residents, this is why I & others were so outspoken during the primaries. Commissioner John Richwine has had 28 YEARS in county government to turn this county around and it is in shambles while every chance he gets, he raises our taxes and hires his favorite out of town cronies who pad his campaign endeavors! (I've seen his & Rick Gardner's campaign reports) 

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The same goes for Rick Gardner! He and his cohort Todd Culp are NO different than John Richwine! & Guess what? City Councilwoman Jennifer Culp (Todd Culp's wife) voted IN FAVOR of this tax increase on the City side!!

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When is ENOUGH actually ENOUGH??? Our property taxes are going up and now they want to raise our LIT tax both in the CITY & COUNTY!! and there sits Auditor Rick Gardner touting "HIS" Rainy Day Fund!! He is using OUR Tax $$ like it's his personal piggy bank!!

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If we have such a surplus the taxpayers should be receiving a refund instead of another tax hike!! And if the GOP chairman, Russ Willis, can run false information on candidates and send false information via email to sway the voters his way, we will NEVER get rid of them!

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Katherine Callahan:
Lying is the way of life for the swamp!

Gale, Emery, Willis, Darlene and Diana Likens, Steele, Richwine, Pratt, Smith, Gardner and Culp!

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If we the people sit idle and allow it.

We are no better than the Swamp!

For a handful of us.

We choose to continue to call the behavior out and hold the swamp accountable!

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For the elected Republicans who sit idle and condone this behavior well let’s just say…you love seeing your name on billboards!

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And I love posting factual information with receipts to help keep your face and your name in the public eye!

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Until we have enough people educated with accurate information that will vote for change…I will keep informing the public!

I have faith that our pursuit of truth will become infectious and others will get fed up and expose this corruption!

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We have come a long way and we have a long way to go!

But we are making progress!

All I ever wanted was respect for our deceased loved ones! 

A morgue, transportation and enough funding to do proper death investigations! 

To the Swamp:  you want to send out Disgusting full of lies Flyers regarding ME! 

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Well I am going to set the record straight! 

Stay tuned Madison County! 

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July 09, 2024 Herald Bulletin Article Links: 

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County council takes no action on dispatch center funding | Local News | heraldbulletin.com

 

Madison County wants change in dispatch center funding | News | heraldbulletin.com

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County takes NO ACTION on DISPATCH CENTER FUNDING! 07/09/2024 due to Mikael Vaughn absence would tie the County Council Vote. This is the 2nd month in a row Council Man Vaughn has not been seated at a County Council Meeting this year.