All right, we're going to call to order the second meeting for this evening. This is the joint public
meeting of the Richland Township Board of Monroe County, Indiana, and the town council of Ellsville,
Monroe County, Indiana. We will begin with a call to order, which we've had the roll call. So if we'll
start to our far right, introduce each other, please. Jay Thrasher, Richland Township Board.
David Willoughby, Richland Township Board. Dawn Durnall, Richland Township Board.
I think we're going to since we've done three and four we're going to move forward to five if you guys
are all fine with that. That is the discussion of reorganization plan for Richland Township in the town
of Eltsville Monroe County Indiana and the attached exhibits.
I really don't have anything else to add at this juncture. Any questions from any of the boards? Okay,
and I'm sorry I was remiss to not certify that there is a quorum present from both boards, both the
town council and the township board. Nothing from any of the council? All right, we'll move down to
public comment. This is a public comment about whether we push this to the voters in November.
So you have three minutes from the time you begin. Good evening.
My name is Clark Greiner. I'm the interim CEO for the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation,
also known as the BEDC. On behalf of the BEDC, I'm here to acknowledge and commend the comprehensive
plans submitted to the Reorganization Committee regarding the proposed reorganization of the town of
Ellsville and Richland Township. The committee has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and foresight
in the rigorous evaluating the challenges and the opportunities inherent with the reorganization effort.
Furthermore,
I am deeply impressed by the collaborative exchange of ideas and the diligence with which the subcommittees
addressed valid concerns of their fellow citizens. And I think these subcommittees were well organized,
equitably assembled, and represented a true cross section of the Ellisville and Richmond township residents.
This transparent, inclusive approach exemplifies the democratic process within our constitutional republic.
and the BEDC highly respects the forward-thinking leadership both entities have shown in shaping the
prosperous future of generations to come. Therefore, we strongly encourage a favorable vote tonight
to place the reorganization measure on the ballot and grant your residents the voice and opportunity
they deserve to decide this issue coming in November. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else
that would like to address the combined councils?
Hi, my name is Andrew Henry. I spoke with the last meeting. I've been involved in the reorganization
process. Since the last meeting, I've had many conversations, both in line, online, and in person, with
people both from the town and the township. And I have heard many interesting questions
positions and arguments for and against. One view I have not heard a single time, not once, is I would
like to not have the opportunity to vote on this. Every single person I've spoken to, whether they were
indifferent initially, whether they were in favor or opposed, every single person expressed the desire
to have the opportunity to cast their vote and not have this be taken away from them as a ballot initiative.
So I think this is incredibly significant. It's going to shape Ellisville and Richland Township
beyond the lives of anyone here in this room. It's going to change the political and regional future
of this area for our kids and our grandkids. So I would strongly encourage you please make sure the
voters have the opportunity to cast their votes for and against this November. Thank you. Thank you.
Is there anyone else? Seeing no one rising in chambers, no one online, we'll move now to the
Richland Township Resolution Approving Reorganization Plan.
It's up to you guys. It's your portion of this at this point. Sorry. No worries. We do things so differently.
I will call roll call for or against putting the resolution for Richland Township approving
the reorganization plan. Don Durnall, approve. David Willoughby. David Willoughby.
No, I have talked to the last eight months. I have talked to friends, neighbors, people out into the
township and the majority of the people I've talked to are against it. So therefore I say no. I'm going
to vote to put it on the ballot. So yes.
motion passes. Okay, we'll then come to the town of Ellsville resolution 11 2026, approving
the reorganization plan. Yes, that would be a vote to approve the plan and to send it to the voters
in November. Since we do do things a little different, is there any comments? Just that a yes vote isn't
saying yes, that you're approving
that you're in favor of it, it's saying that you're thinking that the public has the best opportunity
to decide it and that we as an elected board should not take that role of the voters away. It's one
of the few things we can do to give the voters a choice. They don't get a lot of referendums on things
and for representative democracy, they trust us to make the right decisions but on something this big,
I think we should finally trust them
to make the right decision and should not deny that and then that opportunity. Anyone else? Okay, then
we'll roll call for the decisions. Scott, hold on. Yes. So there's a motion on the table to approve
resolution 11-2026. I guess we should do that. Is there a motion? I'll make the motion to approve resolution
11-2026 approving the reorganization plan for the November ballot.
Second now roll call Yes Yes Yes So as of this vote it will go to the voters For the voters to decide
do we combine and reorganize or do we stay out?
Seeing that that vote's been taken, is there any public comment that anyone wishes to make concerning
how we move forward? Seeing none. If you've got an opinion that you want to render, now is the time
to do it. If you don't, then there'll be more than ample conversations, I'm sure, in the next several months.
I'm a member of, I'm a business owner in town and I'm a resident of Richland Township and I applaud
both groups with the fact that I think Bill and William stated it very well, that you are giving the
voters the opportunity to make this decision. And I look forward to being a part of whatever your boards
decide to do to help get that vote out.
I don't mean to campaign for yay or nay, but campaign of information so that people know. Because even
as I have talked to my residents in town, in my township, in my area, still I get, what are we talking
about? And I don't want to have that be a question come November. I want them to know what we're talking
about. So whatever we can do in our
private or our business sector to help get that information out so that this is a well-informed decision.
Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Now I'll move to comments from any of the council members. Anybody?
I just want to thank the reorganization committee, all the subcommittees, all the people that spoke,
All the comments online, all those things were taken seriously and just about everything has
been incorporated into this plan. And I've just never seen anything like it in this much community
involvement. Keep up the good work and we will have a successful Ellisville and Richland Township no
matter which way this goes if we keep the community active and energized over their localities. I think
we have one more comment.
Just didn't know what the language will be on the ballot when it comes on the ballot Do we have that
somewhere? I don't know that we have it just yet. We were proposed. Yes Tell me I've got the packet.
Tell me where it's at in there Thank you, and it follows the statute exactly and is that packet available
to the public where they can look at page 45? Yes. Thank you And I guess in closing I'll make one final
comment This is a significant vote
I would encourage everyone to ask the questions you need to find out the answers for yourself. Don't
just believe everything that's floating around because there's a lot of misinformation both pro and
con out there. This shapes this town's future. This shapes this township's future. So let's all try
and get it as absolutely right as we can and not just believe a rumor of a rumor of a rumor of a rumor.
Come and ask one of the two boards, come and ask the
The committee who put these things together don't just go on third, fourth-hand information. This is
a very significant vote. Sir, did you have something? Yes, I'd just like to say as far as I'm really
glad that you guys are going to put it out to the public. I think that this is a Republican government's
establishment we have, so I'm glad to see you do that. I've been in Richland Township since the early 80s.
I have taken and built houses all over Monroe County and currently building M&O in County which does
not have the restrictions Monroe County has And I'm glad to see Ellisville in the Richland Township.
It encompasses a lot of area and to see that I personally in the last year moved in my house in May
of last year it took me on a piece of property that I bought had two separate warranty deeds on a share sale and
It took my wife and I a little over three and a half months to go through planning to prove to them
that I had two pieces of property, two earning deeds, two legal documents on that piece of property,
two tax bases. And after researching our personally and getting help with the records department in
Monroe County, clear back to 1926, they finally agreed that that property was two parcels. And I basically,
at that time, I've been building, like I said,
while I've been building most of my life, that I was gonna build it where I didn't really care what
they thought. But I'm glad to see at least we could have an area that is going to be in control of the
surrounding community and be a little more favorable. We're talking about an 11 and a half acre piece
of property and a three and a half acres. Either one would have met minimum requirements at that time.
But we still went through three to three and a half months to get all of the paperwork and to prove it.
them to even pass it and I'm just glad to see at least I can see some faces here I would say I'm 74
so maybe not as much but and come down talk to you guys and at least get it in Richland Township so
we don't have to deal with the far as I'm concerned the socialist system that Monroe County has and
I thank you for putting it out to the public thank you sir all right seeing no further business
Should there be any? We will stand adjourned.