# Transcript — Vigo County Commissioners, 2026-08-04

Machine transcription of the recording of the Vigo County Commissioners meeting on 2026-08-04, aligned to the video timeline. **This is not the official record** — the clerk's minutes are, and this is unreviewed automatic speech recognition that mis-hears names and numbers. Check anything that matters against the recording.

Each line is stamped with its position in the recording, both as a clock time and as `[t=SECONDS]`. Those are the same seconds the archive's source links use: open [the recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BttQk1B8mjY) and add `&t=<seconds>` to jump to any line.

Speakers were separated automatically and named from the meeting's speaker roster where the evidence supported it; an unnamed voice is shown as `Speaker <n>`, which is a machine label and not a person's name.

## Transcript

- **0:00:00** [t=0] **Speaker 0:** To the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
- **0:00:15** [t=15] **Speaker 4 (chair):** Okay. All right. We have before us Commissioner Switzer is out of town, excused absence, so he will not be with us. So today, review of minutes, additions, corrections.
- **0:00:38** [t=38] **Speaker 6 (commissioner):** I've reviewed minutes from last week, and I make a motion to approve. I will second. All by aye. Aye. Aye. Minutes.
- **0:00:46** [t=46] **Speaker 8:** Claims, Mr. Auditor.
- **0:00:49** [t=49] **Speaker 12 (staff):** Good morning. July 24th, claim of 2026 through July 30th of 26th, an amount of $799,082.96. I would ask for the commissioners to approve that, please.
- **0:01:03** [t=63] **Speaker 14:** Reviewed. Make a motion to approve. Second. All by aye.
- **0:01:06** [t=66] **Speaker 12 (staff):** Aye. Then we have a payroll docket dated July 24th, 26th, July 30th, 26th, in the amount of $1,533,010.84. That's for the commissioners to approve that.
- **0:01:21** [t=81] **Speaker 18:** Motion to approve payroll docket.
- **0:01:25** [t=85] **Speaker 9:** Second. All by aye. Aye.
- **0:01:27** [t=87] **Speaker 4 (chair):** All right. All right. Now, we have a software agreement for the clerk's office.
- **0:01:39** [t=99] **Speaker 21 (commissioner):** And I think we've discussed that, reviewed it. Good morning. Good morning. Stiverson, do you have any?
- **0:01:47** [t=107] **Speaker 23:** Now, if you have any questions, I'll answer them, but it's pretty straightforward.
- **0:01:53** [t=113] **Speaker 24:** Is this a replacement or new?
- **0:01:55** [t=115] **Stiverson (staff):** It's new. So it's software that we're going to be using. We're working on developing a new note system for our office where we're going to have basically universal notes for all of our clerk's office. And it's a good way for us to capture like step-by-step instructions from our different systems. So it's software that helps us do that and develop like a really, it's pretty, it's really interesting and exciting software that's going to help us take our note system to the next level for instruction and training. And that's a yearly amount that we have. We have the
- **0:02:35** [t=155] **Stiverson (staff):** money in our budget, so we don't need the money. We just need your approval for the software.
- **0:02:40** [t=160] **Speaker 29 (commissioner):** Okay. I make a motion to approve. I will second. All by aye. Aye. Thank you very much.
- **0:02:48** [t=168] Thank you.
- **0:02:49** [t=169] **Speaker 4 (chair):** all right next is a taff letter of engagement uh for a potential bonding project
- **0:03:03** [t=183] **Speaker 37:** got any questions or anything or any additional i've reviewed the engagement letter and it's
- **0:03:08** [t=188] **Speaker 38:** pretty standard i've done a lot of these over the years so it's just for potential bond
- **0:03:13** [t=193] **Speaker 29 (commissioner):** work for the county in the future okay make a motion to approve the engagement letter i second it
- **0:03:21** [t=201] **Speaker 4 (chair):** all by aye aye aye okay that concludes our normal business um council meeting tonight five and uh any other comments from the public shannon do you have something please oh from you
- **0:03:40** [t=220] **Speaker 43:** I do. Are you representing who are you representing today? Who am I today? No Shannon Giles, Executive
- **0:03:46** [t=226] **Shannon Giles (resident):** Director for the Terre Haute Humane Society. First of all I would like to thank Mike and the folks from the county who came out and did some work at the shelter. They graded the gravel driveway and brought in some additional gravel as well as taking away some junk that we had lying around. So big thanks for that help. We really appreciate it. The second thing is starting for August, it is Clear the Shelters month. Clear the Shelters is a national program. It is co-sponsored by NBC and Hill Science Diet Pet Food. So all month you are gonna see different animals spot lit on our Facebook page.
- **0:04:31** [t=271] **Shannon Giles (resident):** Channel two is gonna be doing weekly stories about some of the animals in the shelter. On the 22nd, we are going to have a big event from 10 to four at the shelter. We're gonna have NBC doing live broadcasts. We're gonna have food trucks, the ones that aren't at the air show, because it's the same weekend, but we didn't get to choose the date. So if you are interested in adopting, we are doing adoption specials for dogs and cats. So please come check them out. And there's ways to donate. If you can't adopt an animal, you can always sponsor the adoption of an animal or donate.
- **0:05:08** [t=308] **Shannon Giles (resident):** So, yeah, any of those things would be awesome. That's it. Thank you.
- **0:05:14** [t=314] **Speaker 49 (commissioner):** Do you want to talk about a new doctor? Is that right?
- **0:05:18** [t=318] **Shannon Giles (resident):** We have hired a permanent full-time vet who's starting this month. We are going to do a grand opening for the clinic in September. because when the clinic opened, since we didn't actually have full-time staff, it was sort of a soft open. So we are making a big deal about it in September and a big launch of the services, the additional services we'll be providing in addition to the two days of spay and neuter. So that will be coming. So, yeah, look for info. Exciting stuff.
- **0:05:50** [t=350] **Speaker 4 (chair):** I think that's been one of the areas that you guys wanted to stress with more spay neuter keep good healthy animals in our community and and minimize the breeding that's unneeded and I make a I would make that the county helped a little bit with this but the humane shelter needs all of our help every day It's a nonprofit, takes care of a tremendous amount of need, horses, to pet pigs, to cats, to...
- **0:06:30** [t=390] **Speaker 55:** We try and avoid the horses, but yeah, if an emergency crops up.
- **0:06:34** [t=394] **Speaker 53:** You're kind of a big animal all of a sudden. And yeah, but just a broad range of services provided.
- **0:06:43** [t=403] **Shannon Giles (resident):** We are going to be... Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. We are going to be at the first responder event tomorrow night at Fairbanks Park. We're going to have some dogs. We're going to have some free dog and cat food to give away. And we are also doing free microchipping for animals.
- **0:06:58** [t=418] **Shannon Giles (resident):** So if your animal does not have a microchip, please bring them on a leash or in a carrier. And we will microchip the first 50 for free. Wow.
- **0:07:08** [t=428] **Speaker 58:** That's a nice deal.
- **0:07:10** [t=430] **Shannon Giles (resident):** Yes. Okay. Because if they get lost, it's much easier to find them. if they got a microchip.
- **0:07:17** [t=437] **Speaker 61 (commissioner):** All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
- **0:07:23** [t=443] **Speaker 49 (commissioner):** Yeah, Mr. President, Jonathan, are you ready to come up? I know you're running a couple minutes late, but this is Jonathan Blake,
- **0:07:30** [t=450] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** Interim Director of Terre Haute Economic Development, and you want to give us a little bit of update on things going on this morning?
- **0:07:36** [t=456] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** Yeah, yeah, thanks for the introduction. Jonathan Blake, Interim President of the EDC. Just wanted to give a couple updates.
- **0:07:42** [t=462] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** We've been working on business attraction and business retention and expansion efforts. Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with GE Aerospace at their facility on 3rd Street. I got a tour of the facility, spoke to some of the staff. There are opportunities there and interest in potential growth. So that's good for Vigo County, Terre Haute. And then we are also focused on business attractions. And so one of the most recent businesses that we've been speaking with is called Project Holly right now. They're still working through some of their internal processes before they commit.
- **0:08:23** [t=503] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** But ultimately that would bring about $8 to $10 million in property investment. So buying the property, constructing a facility, and then outfitting that facility with equipment. and then they would be bringing about another $40 to $50 million in personal property. And personal property normally would get abated in some sort. You know, they'd look at some sort of abatement. In this case, they're not asking for abatement on the business personal property. They are just asking for an abatement on the real property investment, but not 100% for 10 years. It would be some sort of step up.
- **0:09:08** [t=548] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** That still needs to go before city council because it's actually within the city limits, but we're working with the mayor's office and the city to bring that project to fruition. We're also targeting two additional developments. One is interested in the Vigo County Industrial Park. That one is, I would say, on less sturdy footing. It's not ready to be brought forward for any type of investment or incentive conversation, but we are actively engaged in those conversations. That one would bring a little over $60 million in investment, but again, we have not even brought this to the EDC board.
- **0:09:52** [t=592] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** One of the things that we are focusing on right now is getting the executive committee of the EDC more engaged in the discussions with developers early in the process. So making sure that the executive committee knows what's coming, knows the conversations that we're having with developers, and then can weigh in on potential investment and what those incentives might look like. So previously the EDC director or the president would have those discussions behind closed doors and then would ultimately come to the County Council or City Council to
- **0:10:27** [t=627] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** negotiate those deals what we're doing now is when projects come forward and when we're selected as a potential site so after the initial review after the initial hey this is a development we want to look at for the state of Indiana or West Central Indiana we then take that to the executive committee with a recommendation on what type of incentive structure would make sense for that investment and and that varies depending on whether it's a five million dollar investment or a three hundred million dollar investment we then ask the
- **0:11:04** [t=664] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** executive committee to ultimately make a recommendation to either the city council or County Council wherever it's headed and then ultimately take that to the to that body so really trying to get them more engaged and more involved in process so that you know they can be aware of what's happening they have intimate knowledge of the potential investments and then can help support that on the backside when it ultimately goes to the legislative or executive body of the county or the city in addition we've finished the assessment
- **0:11:40** [t=700] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** for the organization and we're working with the executive committee to start implementing improvements. So one of the things is the business retention and expansion. We didn't have a protocol, we didn't have a process or procedure for identifying what businesses we were going after, who we wanted to engage with, or even evaluating who is ready for growth and expansion. So we're putting some policy behind that to make sure that we're going to the right individuals and engaging them in the conversation, but then also making sure that elected officials are invited to those meetings as well.
- **0:12:19** [t=739] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** So typically a business retention expansion visit would include a tour of the facility, whatever facility that might be, conversation with the executive or leadership of that company to talk about are there challenges that you're facing either with workforce or employee retention or maybe you've got an opportunity to expand, bring a new product line, whatever. Having those conversations and being really thoughtful about who we're talking to and talking to them at the right time. We also understand that the Dyssen Krupp facility is going to be, if it has not gone live yet,
- **0:13:00** [t=780] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** but that will be going live very soon for the sale or listing of that property. We do have some local companies that are interested in that facility, and we've also heard from a couple of companies that are outside the county that are also interested. So that's starting to get some interest. And then lastly, I'm happy to answer any questions, But lastly, I want to just touch on we've been working with Sony DA DC supporting them in attracting Users for their clean room and for their facility So that they can continue to operate and get full use out of their facility so
- **0:13:45** [t=825] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** Having great conversations with them was just in a meeting last week. We're talking about a potential developer that's looking To come that would invest It's going to be a lower investment. It'll be about $8 million to $10 million, but still a significant investment in that facility and helping them fill the entire building that they've got there on their property. So with that, happy to answer any questions that you might have.
- **0:14:12** [t=852] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** I mentioned Thiessen Krupp. How's it going with the employees that are going to be laid off? Are they finding them other jobs in the community?
- **0:14:23** [t=863] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** Yeah, so their leadership team has been really thoughtful about that. They're working with workforce development to actually host some, not workshops, but more like meet and greets to help align those employees with other opportunities in the region. And Thiecent Group is actually allowing those interviews and discussions to take place in their facility. And they're making sure that they've got those in each shift that they have over the next, I think it's over the next 30 days they're working through that. So they do have a timeline, a very finite timeline,
- **0:15:00** [t=900] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** on when certain lines are going to go offline so that they can decommission and then move that equipment out. So it's not we're waiting until March and then everybody's gone. They're slowly ratcheting down their employees,
- **0:15:14** [t=914] **Speaker 81:** but then helping them get connected with other jobs in Vigo County, Terre Haute, and the greater Wabash Valley.
- **0:15:22** [t=922] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** Last thing, so we're down to what, 400 to 600 acres left in the industrial park? Yeah. We started looking at additional properties to expand that.
- **0:15:35** [t=935] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** Yeah, so in a meeting last week, I was explaining that we need to start looking at what that next industrial park looks like, where does it go, what makes the most sense. So we're going to start identifying with the executive committee, start identifying a couple of locations throughout the community that would make the most sense for the next industrial park. Really then start digging into some due diligence in each of those areas. You know, what utilities are available? What's the road infrastructure like? What kind of investments would need to be made to get that site ready?
- **0:16:11** [t=971] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** You know, certainly want to see development around the airport. So there's a lot of interest there. You know, perhaps a property to the east of the airport along I-70 would make sense. So we're going to start evaluating two to three locations, work with the executive committee, and then ultimately the elected officials with the county and the city to start talking about how we invest in that, how we get that infrastructure up to where it needs to be to start attracting development
- **0:16:41** [t=1001] **Speaker 84:** and get those shovel-ready sites available for future growth.
- **0:16:46** [t=1006] **Speaker 4 (chair):** I think that it's pretty exciting that we have some opportunities to explore. I don't think that our EDC previously sometimes was – that the opportunities just weren't out there.
- **0:17:08** [t=1028] **Speaker 41 (commissioner):** Right now there's a lot of opportunity. Let's go after it aggressively, and I believe we are.
- **0:17:12** [t=1032] **Jonathan Blake (staff):** Yeah, we've got a good team, so I'm excited about what's ahead.
- **0:17:18** [t=1038] **Speaker 91:** All right, thanks. Thanks.
- **0:17:22** [t=1042] **Speaker 94:** All right, comments? Any more comments from the public?
- **0:17:35** [t=1055] **Speaker 7:** Ricky, you got any update on county maintenance?
- **0:17:40** [t=1060] Yeah, I'm sure I do.
- **0:17:42** [t=1062] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** Sure. Hands on bricks and mortars kind of guy
- **0:17:49** [t=1069] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** Okay I'll try to make it as short as possible So the good news is we got the chiller going at the courthouse everything's operational there it's running well we do have the rental chiller in place at the jail and it's operating as it should right now so other than that everything's back up to going for the most part so
- **0:18:11** [t=1091] **Speaker 104:** I don't know if you want me to speak on it. Is there any questions that you have for the gel or anywhere else?
- **0:18:17** [t=1097] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** We'll be going to the council tonight to request funds for a total rebuild of the secure elevator, correct? Yep. Which is going to be a chunk of change, but that elevator, I'm not sure how old it is.
- **0:18:31** [t=1111] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** From what we've seen, it looks like it's about 50 to 60 years old. There was a modernization done, we believe. not a modernization I'm sorry a new controller that was installed in probably the 1980s 90s somewhere around there and the project looks like it's going to take like 43 to 48 weeks so
- **0:18:49** [t=1129] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** something we were definitely excited to get started sooner than later hopefully so
- **0:18:54** [t=1134] **Speaker 4 (chair):** yeah well that chiller you at the courthouse you you kind of glanced over that and you know we worked on that from what year and a half two years yeah we were to the point
- **0:19:09** [t=1149] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** where we were gonna end up spending more money than it was gonna cost three places so glad we all came to the agreement three places and when we we
- **0:19:18** [t=1158] **Speaker 4 (chair):** got the got the money allocated got the council on board got the bids out did that and then got it installed and it was should keep the courthouse running Heated and cooled for a few more years. We hope so. Okay. Working every day.
- **0:19:38** [t=1178] **Ricky Hammonds (staff):** Thanks for all your hard work. No problem. Appreciate it.
- **0:19:40** [t=1180] **Speaker 112:** Thank you.
- **0:19:45** [t=1185] **Speaker 118:** Any other things going on?
- **0:19:46** [t=1186] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** Just wanted to make a note that next week's commissioner's meeting is our special call meeting. It will be Wednesday evening at 5 o'clock. We will do a regular business first, and then we will hear from the oversight board on their recommendation. on what we can do to help build a new East Side school.
- **0:20:08** [t=1208] **Speaker 83:** All right.
- **0:20:09** [t=1209] So we won't have a Tuesday meeting then?
- **0:20:11** [t=1211] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** No Tuesday meeting. It will be Wednesday.
- **0:20:14** [t=1214] **Speaker 122:** Wednesday at 5.
- **0:20:16** [t=1216] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** This is, as far as I know, the first 5 o'clock meeting I've had since I've been here. So we'll see how people like it.
- **0:20:25** [t=1225] **Speaker 125:** Mr. Onder.
- **0:20:26** [t=1226] **Speaker 12 (staff):** I just wanted to give an update. Digital claims are happening, and I think we're doing really good with that. I appreciate all the help with that. And then digital payroll will begin training in September. Just wanted to give everybody a heads up about that.
- **0:20:45** [t=1245] **Speaker 64 (commissioner):** Mr. Auditor, could you – you and I talked about this before, but this ongoing conservancy district issue about a certain portion of tax not being paid by everyone. I think it's 84 people in that district that have not paid. But it's not that they've not paid their complete taxes. It's just a small portion that goes toward the conservancy. Is that correct?
- **0:21:08** [t=1268] **Speaker 12 (staff):** Yeah, and actually we're whittling that down. So the staff, along with Scott, just the technology has really helped us identify these parcels that were not being taxed for this conservancy tax. It is a conservancy tax. It is not tax, like property tax. Those people are paying their property tax. It's just this conservancy tax somehow got dropped between the years of 2010 and 2011, potentially, when a software change happened and it just did not get picked up. And we're not asking for that back pay or anything like that. We're just simply going to correct the issue.
- **0:21:50** [t=1310] **Speaker 12 (staff):** It's not fair for some people to have been paying all that this time. And for those that don't even know they weren't, we're just going to correct it. We've got six conservancies in Vigo County. There's 100, I believe, and one in the state. And these conservancies were adopted, put into force in the 50s and 60s, and a lot of changes have happened in that period of time. So we're just going to get it corrected. I will make sure that legal knows about it. you guys know about it before we make any changes we'll get all on the same page
- **0:22:27** [t=1347] **Speaker 12 (staff):** we're just gathering information right now to make sure we have an accurate
- **0:22:30** [t=1350] **Speaker 41 (commissioner):** number yes DNR was here the other day and they explained the conservancies at some length and there's what about eight different uses for the conservancies
- **0:22:40** [t=1360] **Speaker 12 (staff):** yeah I mean anything from levies to I mean that every and everybody that's in this room I'm sure can attest that in 2008 when the when the big flood happened around here you know people say well why do you need maintenance well you do need maintenance because if these levees break or if these Thompson Ditch you know you know has issues we want to make sure that we keep all that in intact and and in the best condition possible to hopefully avoid because we are Rivertown and so we want to make sure that we're taking care of everything
- **0:23:17** [t=1397] **Speaker 34:** yep okay thank you anything else nope all right we'll be recess