County Council votes to reconsider I-67 money

On Monday the Dubois County Council voted to reconsider the petition by OFS CEO Hank Menke for $25,000 to help fund feasibility studies to support the I-67 initiative.

At the end of the meeting agenda, Councilwoman Barb Mathies (D) told the council she had investigated the proposed I-67 initiative and its impact on the county. The studies have already been completed by the I-67 Development Corporation but Mathies said the council should show they supported the initiative with the grant. Her decision was based on conversations she had with Dubois Strong Executive Director Jim Dinkle about the impact the highway could have on the county.

The council had previously voted four to two —with Mathies voting against it at that time— against appropriating $25,000 to the newly formed I-67 Development Corporation for the studies in February. Huntingburg, Jasper, Davies County Economic Development Commission, Spencer County and Owensboro, KY have committed funds to the studies for the highway.

Mathies told the council she wanted Dubois County to be a place that her children want to come back to; a forward-thinking, modern county that attracts young people and Mathies stated she had come to the realization this highway was a viable part of that vision.

The motion passed four to two; Mark Brescher and Martha Wehr were the two nays. Bonnie Luebbehusen was not in attendance.

Council President Greg Kendall said he had abstained from voting in February but it wouldn’t have made a difference in the four to two decision then. I just want to do what’s right for the county. Sometimes these decisions are based on emotion and you can’t make a decision like this based on emotion, he said in regards to his vote in favor of the motion from Mathies on Monday.

The council will reconsider the $25,000 at the budgetary hearing scheduled in July. (The Dubois County Free Press didn’t have that date at the time of this story)