My ability to vote in the primary this year was a team effort.
Because I put off updating my license with my new address longer than I should have after I bought a new house in February, I failed to realize I hadn’t yet updated my voter registration information. It wasn’t top-of-mind priority for me, unfortunately. But I was saved.
On April 1, Clerk Beth Davis sent The News-Banner an email about the deadline to register to vote (it was April 5) and wanted to get that information in the paper. It could not have come at a better time. Not only was I working on an election-related story when she sent it in, but it served as a reminder to update my address.
I beat the deadline, was able to update my license at the BMV (I always have a good experience at our local branch), and still had enough time to use my new license once it was mailed to me to vote early — which I did in the couple minutes before the last election board meeting since I was on the second floor of the courthouse already.
There were a lot of steps and several people to get me from Point A to Point B and earn me that “I Voted” sticker. Now I won’t have to rush around on Tuesday or wait in line.
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Speaking of crowds, I hope there is a good turnout for this year’s city-wide garage sale the first weekend in May — and I’m not just saying that because I am participating this year with a post-moving sale.
The two-page listing of sales on the city’s website was updated Tuesday morning and now includes almost 70 sales. (I counted so you don’t have to.) It’s going to be a can’t-miss event for bargain shoppers. And watch out for increased pedestrian traffic next Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
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The month of May is always a fun one that ends with the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. This year marks nine years for me since graduating from Indiana University and starting at the Banner. What a ride it’s been.
This month also marks an interesting change for county government. It will be the last time the county commissioners meet in the morning hours. Starting in June, they’ve moved their start time to the late afternoon.
It’s been in the morning for as long as I’ve been at the paper, which I know because with the exception of my maternity leave I’ve rarely missed a meeting all that time. The city’s Board of Works made a start time change this year as well, so this isn’t unprecedented locally.
But now that it’s a done deal, I’ll be honest, this is going to be a major inconvenience for me and whoever the paper gets to fill my position after June 17. Twice a month I spend two to three hours in the Carnegie Government Annex building basement for these meetings absorbing information for our readers to be able to follow their local government.
With the time change and factoring in drainage board and solid waste district board meetings when they stack up back-to-back, the new meeting time will take us through the dinner hours — and through the time daycares close and kids need picked up — and push us closer against our nighttime deadline for the next day’s paper. Oftentimes I spend multiple hours a week long after the meetings adjourn combing through the information learned at a county meeting and pulling out next-day stories and news briefs, the bulk of which I organize later the same day.
And this impacts department leaders too, who will undoubtedly extend their days to accommodate the new meeting times. And on Monday holidays when the meetings are held on Tuesdays? They will stack up against county council meetings in the same room. What a nightmare, which the city is having to deal with regularly as well. Just ask my colleague Dave Schultz.
The change is an effort to make public officials more accessible to the public. I truly hope it works and that more people are able to attend these meetings. But if it doesn’t, I hope the commissioners notice and are willing to change it back.
I will note that the Banner has a history of providing extensive coverage of said meetings, which are also livestreamed, in case people cannot attend.
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And speaking of the commissioners, I tweeted a thread about an interesting public notice that was published Tuesday in print and online.
I think it illustrates the importance of legal notices and why The News-Banner continually advocates with other publications across Indiana and with the Hoosier State Press Association that notices remain a requirement in local newspapers for public entities.
The county commissioners are accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals, a group I have written a lot about this year as misconduct is alleged and being investigated by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.
In the commissioners’ meeting last week, they removed a PTABOA member in light of said allegations. It was unclear to me at the time whether they would solicit new applications or only review those who have already expressed an interest in serving.
The county attorney said a lot of interest has been sparked for serving on the board this year. Soliciting new applicants was discussed as an option. Well now it’s clear because of the legal notice: Applicants are sought to fill the seat.
Here’s the notice that was posted online and in print. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 13, which is right before the commissioners’ second meeting of the month: news-banner.com/2022/04/legal-notice-109/
jessica@news-banner.com
