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PAGE UPDATED BY MARIA SIEVERDING JUNE 29, 2017 11 A.M.

Holton Town Board hires new marshal

Wanda English Burnett
EDITOR

The Holton Town Council has hired a new marshal. Ron Buchanan, long time resident of the area was selected as the candidate. Buchanan has served the county as the coroner and has also worked extensively in rescue care. Buchanan says he is looking forward to giving back to a community that did so much for him as a kid.

SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured left is the new Holton town marshal Ron Buchanan.

At a special meeting June 22, the Holton Town Council met to hear about a Community Crossing Match Grant. Chad Ebinger with FPBH Inc., North Vernon, was at the meeting to explain the 75%/25% match up to a million dollars. He noted that the state is now paying small towns 75% with a 25% match. He said INDOT is pushing to have the smaller communities get the grant money to fix roads. The discussed information with Ebinger question and answer forum with the town finding out their up front fee would be less than $6,000 to have the company check all the roads and get the paperwork in order. They heard what they needed to do to get the wheels in motion and while Ebinger said the grant wasn’t a guarantee, it was a “pretty sure thing”. This maintenance grant can be used for overlay on all the roads, sidewalks, curb and drain issues. Since it costs about $50,000 per mile to get the roads paved, the town council took the information and said they will work toward the goal of getting the grant.

Greg Pickett was in attendance at the meeting and complained about the maintenance on a road that has a garage on his property blocked. He said he has waited several years for it to be fixed. Council president Andy Stratton noted they would ask if the contractors for the Stormwater project could start near Pickett’s property first to alleviate the situation. Pickett still wasn’t happy saying it had just been too long.

The next regular meeting of the Holton Town Council is set for July 12 at 7 p.m. at the community center.

Gold Star Chili summer blood drive

Gold Star Chili and Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, are partnering for the eighth year in a row to present the 2017 Gold Star Chili Summer Blood Drive Tour. Gold Star Chili is a proud supporter of Hoxworth Blood Center and recognize that the summer months bring about lower than ideal blood donations with a higher than average blood usage.

The next stop of the 2017 Gold Star Chili Summer Blood Drive Tour will be at the Versailles Gold Star Chili location on Monday, July 10 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., located at 325 South Washington St., Versailles. All donors during the drive will receive a coupon for two free cheese coneys along with a 2017 Gold Star Chili Summer Blood Drive T-shirt.

Donors can visit www.hoxworth.org/goldstar or call 513-451-0910 or 800-830-1091 to schedule an appointment to donate. Due to the anticipated popularity of this event, appointments are encouraged.

Exploring local opportunities
Businesses host Manufacturing Camp for students

Approximately 40 local 7th – 9th grade students attended the second annual Southeast Indiana Manufacturing Camp week sponsored by Batesville Casket, Batesville School Corporation, Batesville Tool & Die, Genesis: Pathways to Success, Heartwood Manufacturing, Hillenbrand, Hill-Rom, Ivy Tech Community College, and Wood-Mizer.

Jim Devor Batesville Casket Engineering Manager SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pictured above, Jim Devor (Batesville Casket Engineering Manager) gives local Manufacturing Camp students a tour of the Batesville Doll Plant.

According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, manufacturing is one of the state’s four areas of critical need. The Manufacturing Camp was designed to address workforce at a local level and help develop the manufacturing workforce pipeline. The number of students who participated in this year’s camp doubled from last year.

“It is very encouraging to see this rising interest in manufacturing among local students,” said Chris Trainor, President of Batesville Casket. “Our people are our greatest asset, and having the opportunity to cultivate and nurture future talent at this early age is great for our company and our community.”

The Manufacturing Camp accommodated students attending for the first time, as well as returning campers. Participating companies planned a variety of different activities ranging from creating safety posters in a “safety scavenger hunt” at Batesville Tool & Die to improving group problem-solving skills during a Lego activity at Wood-Mizer.

At Hillenbrand’s Corporate Center, campers had the opportunity to discuss manufacturing and future career options with Hillenbrand and Batesville Casket executives over lunch. The students were challenged with a project that partnered with Project T3, a local non-profit that provides school supplies to needy kids and overnight bags to foster children. The campers had to design a production line to pack the backpacks and apply critical thinking to overcome every day obstacles to continue production. The camp kids assembled nearly 600 backpacks that will be delivered to families in need in 16 counties prior to the school year.

“Career exploration is so important in middle and high school,” said Cheryll Obendorf, Executive Director for Genesis: Pathways to Success. “That’s why we are thrilled to offer this camp where students can learn the skills needed to succeed. There are multiple opportunities right here in Ripley County, and we are excited to partner with local companies so that students can explore the many career choices in advanced manufacturing.”

Currently, Hillenbrand and other local manufacturing businesses are being lauded as leaders in workforce development practices. Hillenbrand provides opportunities from pre-K to post-college to boost interest in manufacturing and logistics. For more information visit Hillenbrand Workforce Development.