TFP No, You Are Not on Indigenous Land – by Noah Smith

Nashville sewer rates and charges

2021-Open-Letter-From-Retired-Generals-and-Admirals-9-May-2021

READI-Informational-Revised-June7

April 19 2021 Agenda County Council

RDC Statement – Data Sharing – Commissioner Meeting 2020_08_19

ASQ Govt Div System Maturity Model

Brown County COVID-19 Letters

Brown County Maple Leaf Bldg Corp First Mortgage Note Feb 8 2018 3,500 ,000

Brown County Maple Leaf Bldg Corp First Mortgage Note Dec 27 2018 9,000,000

CVC – Pledging Innkeepers tax

In the Middle_ A Graduate Student in the (Farmers’) Marketplace of Ideas

2020304 Community Decision Making Process CDMP

Brown County Schools – Policy Citations

• Link to School Bylaws and Policies 

Brown County Inventory of Roads

2020_02_11 Pavement Inventory and Condition PDF

Instructions Spreadsheet – Inventory of Roads

As of  2020_02_11 9:00 a.m.  Pavement Inventory and Condition – State

Commentary_ Enjoying the Indiana sales tax _ Columns _ hoosiertimes.com

20191212_Draft Policy Brown County Commissioner Appointments

Herald-Times:

June 12, 2019. Indiana Daily Student (IDS),  2019 06 12 White supremacist allegations follow market farmers   (2019 06 12 White supremacist allegations follow market farmers

• (IDS) Letter alleges white supremacists sell at farmers’ market.
• Dec 8, 2019 Farmers’ market panel stresses First Amendment, limits to privatization _ Local _ hoosiertimes.com
• Dec 8, 2019 Community conversation focused on Bloomington Farmers’ Market _ Local _ hoosiertimes.com

Amazon Storefronts – Small-town entrepreneurs reach global customers

Brown County Parks and Rec Meeting – Audio 2019_11_20

Center for Sustainable Living, Bloomington IN.

2015-IRS From 990 EZ Center for Sustainable Living

Community Food System Development Model
IU Community Food Systems – Includes BC Fact Sheet

20190930 BFM Fact Sheet

IDEM Bill Monroe – Wastewater Treatment

• Bill Monroe’s Memorial Music Park and Campground WWTP-PEL Proposed -10-29-2014-lav
• Info Anti-Degradation Example Romney1

State Approved Treatment Plants

• Sep 20, 2016. BCD, Opry rebuilding: ‘We’ll get there.’ By Ben Kibbey -\
  • He has received approval from the state health department to construct a wastewater treatment plant to serve the new building.
  • The Opry needed a new wastewater solution because the state health department decided that the septic system couldn’t be reused. The system sits in the floodplain for Salt Creek, as does the entire property, so there was no suitable spot to build a new septic system.
  • Wayman had to get approval for a wastewater treatment plant instead, which is permitted in the floodplain.
  • Nearly a year ago, he was issued a permit from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to begin building the plant.
  • That permit is good until Tuesday, Nov. 1.
• June 14, 2019. BCD. Owner of Little Nashville Opry land dies; status of rebuilding unclear By Suzannah Couch –
  • In 2013, the Brown County Council approved a $250,000, 10-year tax abatement to help Wayman secure financing to build his own wastewater treatment plant. The 10 years were not going to start until the building was finished, and the tax break would not carry forward if the Opry ceased to operate during those 10 years, according to newspaper archives.
  • At that time, the tax abatement was the first one the county had ever approved.

BCRSD Aug 13, 2019 Meeting – Recording – MP3

Calculation of Estimated Maximum Levy for Budget Year 2020 Brown – 190711 – 2020 Estimated Maximum Levy

Supplemental Distributions CY2019 190515 – STATE BUDGET AGENCY Memo – Supplemental Distribution – approved  Brown $ 393,122

190701 – State Budget Agency Memo – 2019 State Assessed Value Growth Quotient

July 15, 2019. 2019_07_16_08_51_35 Ordinance to Thaw the County Property Tax Maximim Levy

Uploaded July 15, 2019. 135N Property Deed

July 9, 2019 Brown County RSD Meeting – Audio

County Council Agenda July 15, 2019 County Council Agenda July 15, 2019 1

July 5, 2019. WTIU/WFIU. Nashville Temporarily Picks Consultants Over Full-Time Town Manager

June 25, 2019.  Town gets ‘strategic direction adviser’ By Sara Clifford –

2018 Timber Contract 2018 Timber Contract for 135N Overlooks 23

Terms and Definitions

LoWV – Who is Where in Brown County?

National Low Income Housing Coalition – Indiana 2019

REPORT RELEASED TODAY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING FURTHER OUT OF REACH FOR AVERAGE & LOW-INCOME HOOSIER RENTERS

The Indiana Institute for Working Families (Institute) is a program of the Indiana Community Action Association, Inc. (IN-CAA).

20190627 RDC – Jim Kemp Handout RDC Meeting 2019_06_27 – Jim Kemp Handout

Ray Dalio is the author of Principles: Life and Work and Co-Chief Investment Officer & Co-Chairman of Bridgewater Associates, L.P. His book Principles: Life and Work is an excellent guide that provides proven approaches for improvement.  Mr. Dalio posts articles on sections of the book at LinkedIn.

TED  How to build a company (ORGANIZATION) where the best ideas win | Ray Dalio  Note: This applies to organizations to include county government.

Principles For Success by Ray Dalio:  Video – An ultra mini-series adventure in 30 minutes and eight episodes.

Examples: Principles explained at LinkedIn.

Work Principle 1. Trust in Radical Truth and Radical Transparency Understanding what is true is essential for success, and being radically transparent about everything, including mistakes and weaknesses, helps create the understanding that leads to improvements. That’s not just a theory; we have put this into practice at Bridgewater for over forty years, so we know how it works. But like most things in life, being radically truthful and transparent has cons as well as pros, which I will describe as accurately as possible in this chapter.

RSD – Regional Sewer District

PER – Preliminary Engineering Report

A. Table of Contents & Section1
B. Sections 2 & 3  Need for Project (section 3.1) ;  Section 2.3  History and Condition of Helmsburg Wastewater Treatment Facilities; Section 3.2 Helmburg WWTP Needs (“2009” assessment); 3.3 Wastewater Flows and Loadings by areas …
C. Section 4  
D. Sections 5 & 6 – Alternative and Costs – Including Helmsburg Option
E. Sections 7, 8 & 9
F. Appendix A 
G. Appendix B
H. Appendix C
I. Appendix D – Support Letters – circa 1998
J. Appendix E 
K. Appendix F
L. Appendix G 
M. Appendix H 
N. Appendix I 
O. Appendix J

“One of the themes I’ve had from the pulpit for some time is that we’ve lost the ability to disagree with civility,” …  “A theme I’ve borrowed from someone else is that ‘Clarity is more important than agreement.’ That means let me understand your thinking, you understand my thinking, and my agenda isn’t to change your mind, and hopefully your agenda is the same. I think if we focus more on that as a society it would benefit us.”
— Benjamin Sendrow 

Adverse climate change can have effects on the State and County.  The post by Kyle Birkemeier on Brown County Matters referencing an article in the IndyStar titled:  ‘Substantial loss of life’: What the climate change report says about Indiana” reinforces the need and opportunity for a better way of discussing the tough topics.  Personal attacks or comments that are taken as personal attacks typically don’t lead to support for any needed solutions.

• “Its time to rethink our forest management in brown county, we need to petition the state to start taking immediate action, imagine the hit on our county if we have mass die-offs of our forests, as the climate report is predicting. – Kyle B.

A process determines the result and on controversial issues, the process can be very predictable and too often, does not lead to a  constructive way ahead. The following observations incorporate suggestions for improvement in the process:

1. People can agree on the ideal, e.g., a safe and healthy environment.  An ideal solution is one where everyone gains, or at least, are not any worse off in the long-term.
2.  People can agree on the facts. If they disagree, they can identify areas of disagreement and then choose to work to identify the root cause of the disagreement.  If the issues is still unresolvable, individuals can respectfully agree to disagree.
3. Of all the causes of the respective problem, people can find at least one that they can agree that they can support and agree to resolve.
4. There will most likely always be polarity (oppositive perspectives) on an issue – especially a controversial one where change affects many people.
5. TRUST.  Motives of those driving any change will most likely always include those representing individual and special interests.  This leads to a “Trust” issue and lack of trust is probably one of the greatest barriers to contributions to a  conflict.
   • Given the scope of the problem/solution to be addressed/implemented, identify the stakeholders, their needs, desired and expected outcomes.
6. There is a never a perfect solution.  Any alternative will have pros and cons.
7. Any effects from an agreed solution once implemented, needs to be periodically reviewed. What is working, what is not, what additional action is needed?
8. Example: Problem Resolution and Decision Making Process

REFERENCES

Nov 27, 2018. ‘Substantial loss of life’: What the climate change report says about Indiana “A global warming report released by the Trump administration predicts several severe outcomes for Hoosier health and economy.”

Purdue University –  Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment

• Hoosiers and other residents across the Midwest can expect increased flooding that will strain infrastructure; warmer, more humid conditions that will increase disease and worsen air quality; and reduced agricultural yields caused by heat, pests and a shifting growing season.
• Perhaps the most startling revelation from the report: The Midwest region “is projected to experience a substantial, yet avoidable, loss of life” by mid-century.

NASA – Global Climate Change.  Scientific consensus: Earth’s climate is warming 

• Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals¹ show that 97 percent or more of actively publishing climate scientists agree*: Climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities. In addition, most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position. 
• Footnote: *Technically, a “consensus” is a general agreement of opinion, but the scientific method steers us away from this to an objective framework. In science, facts or observations are explained by a hypothesis (a statement of a possible explanation for some natural phenomenon), which can then be tested and retested until it is refuted (or disproved).  ….  As scientists gather more observations, they will build off one explanation and add details to complete the picture. Eventually, a group of hypotheses might be integrated and generalized into a scientific theory, a scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena.

Note:  I would like to see more information regarding the conclusion that warming is “extremely likely”  due to human activities.  What are the assumptions behind the models?  How was the degree of certainty (extremely likely) determined? Wouldn’t you need to know how the “system” was designed to arrive at this conclusion?

Nov 27, 2018. The Hill.  Counter (conservative) perspective regarding government “predictions” on major issues:  Another government report is dead wrong on fragile state of our planet

Nov 28, 2018. The media got it all wrong on the new US climate report.  Bjorn Lomborg is president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center.

• Yes, we need to speed up the transition from fossil fuels by investing in green R&D. Even so, reporting on climate change needs to be grounded in reality. Exaggeration is understandable but dangerous, because it risks wasting resources on the wrong policy answers, and gives ammunition to those who would ignore this real challenge. 

Nov 8, 2018. Professor Jordan Peterson on climate change and climate policy at the Cambridge Union

Brown County Memories – Andy Rogers Recalls  About Andy Rogers”

“He stands at the center of Nashville’s dogged attempt to satisfy a tourist industry while retaining its soul—the thing that people have
lost in their own communities, the reason they come to visit in the first place.”

What is Brown “County’s” Economic Engine? Spoiler Alert: It is NOT tourism.
Updated Nov 14, 2021

Innkeepers Tax Revenue – Govt Oversight – Preventing Over-tourism

Property Assessments and Taxes 2012-2019. Assessed values increased from a range of 7% to 16% “EXCEPT” for the Town of Nashville where assessed values decreased by 1%.  The JUMP in 2019 assessments is significant.  Is this an outlier or an indicator of more to come?

Research – Tourism Impact Studies – Convention Visitors Bureau (CVB).

• 2019-EIS-Brown-County-rev-3-18-21
• 2021 Estimate – Number of Visitors:  We estimate 3 million visitors a year. We look at things like park gate fees, innkeeper tax, food and beverage tax and put a conservative pencil to it. For example, we can estimate the number of cars that came through the park based on gate fees and we estimate 2.5 people per car.  Jane Ellis

Terms

• Fact. An event, item of information, or state of affairs existing, observed, or known to have happened, and which is confirmed or validated to such an extent that it is considered ‘reality.’
• Assumption. A  thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.
• Myth an unfounded or false notion.

Question:  How much tourism is too much?   An issue that is addressed throughout the world. (google the question)

May 21, 2019. BCD, GUEST OPINION: Time will tell what music center’s impact will be, By Tim Clark

Jan 28, 2019. Brown County Matters – Facebook Post on BCD’s Jan 24 article (below).

• Presentation – 2017 Economic Impact of Tourism in Brown County developed by Rockport Analytics. What the report and article in the Brown County Democrat does not provide is context.- Jan 24, 2019, BCD. Economic impact study finds tourism growing
• The study identifies that tourism is growing and tourists spent $42.7 million which is good news for the owners of business establishments that cater to tourists. The report also states: “For every $67,102 spent on tourism in Brown County in 2017 supported a job resulting in an average wage of $19,259 in gross wages” and … “ Total Traveler Spending supported 636 Jobs. “
  • Jobs within the county by Industry
    • Government:  (county and state): 859
    • Tourism: 543.
    • Other industries:  1,840.
    • Total jobs within the county: 3,242.
    • Total individuals employed (inside and outside the county): 7,500. (census data).

Jan 24, 2019, BCD. Economic impact study finds tourism growing, by Suzanna Couch. If tourism in Brown County did not exist, in theory, each household would have to pay an additional $613 per year in taxes to make up the money it brings into the community.

• In “theory,” if cows had wings, they could fly  🙂
• The article includes a summary presented to the CVC by Jane Ellis that highlights the benefits to the owners of the businesses that cater to tourists.

 Tourism – Summary of Key Points

• The State of Indiana promotes tourism which generates revenue from sales taxes. County taxpayers absorb the cost of services and infrastructure related expenses.
• The State subsides the tourism industry by allowing Brown County to collect a 5% innkeeper’s tax that has to be used to promote more tourism.
• Revenue from property taxes is derived from assessed values.  Since 2011, the adjusted net assessed values have increased in all taxing areas (townships, conservancies) from 7-16%.  The exception is Nashville where assessed values declined by 1%.
• Economic impact studies commissioned by the State and County “estimate” that tourism can result in positive economic impacts.  These studies do not include any adverse effects from tourism that include the impact on local culture, crime, congestion, increased infrastructure costs, emergency services,  etc.
• Andy Rogers – Vision for a right balance of tourism within Brown County
  • People say, ‘Well, we can’t change.’ But we can change and still retain some of the flavor of Brown County. We need people to live here. I’m in the tourist business but we don’t want to turn this town over to the tourists. You can go to Gatlinburg if you want to see what happens to a town that turns it all over to business. It’s not a town anymore—it’s a shopping center. We need people here. This town needs to be alive.” 
  • “We don’t need to be slick and highly commercial. We need to be more country. Country is what we sell…. We need to maintain that. Once you destroy that, it won’t come back.” 
  • County tax policy is high income (5th highest in the State) and low property. You lose “country”, and you most likely lose residents which shifts the tax burden on to fewer people.
• Validation of the assumptions supporting estimates as to economic impact would be reflected in revenue from income and property taxes.
• A five-member Convention Visitors Commission (CVC) is established to manage the revenue from the innkeeper’s tax.  The CVC budget has to be reviewed and approved by the county council.  The CVC contracts with the Convention Visitors Burea (CVB) to manage the funds.
• Three of the five members of the CVC must be innkeepers.  Justification – Innkeepers collect the tax and would favor promotions that may lead to more overnight stays.
• Owners of tourism establishments benefit from investments of the revenue from the innkeeper’s tax through sales and increases in the asset values of their establishments.
• The county is funded primarily by income and property tax.  The county collects no income taxes if owners and employees live outside the county.
• Commercial properties including tourism business in Brown County, are not experiencing the annual increases in property taxes that are being experienced by residential property owners.  A contributing factor is that the sales of commercial properties are not at the volume where an increase in market value can be established and other assessment options are required.
• The sale of acreage for the Maple Leaf Music Venue sold for $145,000 an acre. This sale did not result in an increase in the assessed value of surrounding commercial properties. It is not included in assessing market trends,
• County citizens and taxpayers pick up the inconvenience and infrastructure costs associated with more visitors to include congestion, roads, police and emergency services.
• We will always have tourism that is “perceived” to be considered an asset for Nashville but can be a liability for the county (see Andy Rogers vision for tourism).

Additional Information:  

• An excellent report on Brown County Economics.  BCD Report: Local taxes, job options need further scrutiny by Sara Clifford/Brown County Democrat, Tuesday, May 16, 2017
• Sep 20, 2017, GUEST COLUMN: A study of tourism and economic sustainability By Tim Clark. Economic impact studies of tourism in Indiana and Brown County reinforce the benefits of sustaining a tourism industry. However, tourism, by itself, has not and cannot provide a sustainable economic future for Brown County. Further, too much tourism can have detrimental effects on the attributes that have attracted pioneers, artists, residents and visitors to Brown County since 1836.
• Census Data- County Employment by Sectors: 20181103 Employment Data Census Bureau
• Future of Local Economy – Includes articles and independent results from studies
• United Way –  ALICE Brown County Report Information on households that earn more than the federal poverty level but less than the basic cost of living for the county. Nashville at 54% has the highest score compared to the townships and conservancy.

Nov 20, 2018. Town consultant: ‘You can’t ask for a better budget’ As far as finances go, Nashville government couldn’t get any better. … That’s the message that Paige Sansone, a hired budget consultant, delivered to the Nashville Town Council earlier this month.

“The county commissioners also hired Umbaugh to do a financial plan for county government, but Sansone said she wasn’t personally working on that plan.”

Nashville-5-Year-Financial-Plan-11-1-18

Letter to the Editor – Brown County Democrat – Published Nov 21, 2018,  Letter: A ‘referendum’ on the Maple Leaf project?

In the November 14, 2018 column in the Brown County Democrat – “Incumbent commissioner to serve another term,” Commissioner Biddle expressed a belief that her re-election included a referendum on the Maple Performing Arts Center. I believe this is a premature conclusion.

The next two years may provide voters the information needed to assess the popularity of Maple Leaf. The 2020 county elections will also provide a better assessment on the wisdom of this project and its endorsement by the local Republican Party and its candidates. If voters as Commissioner Biddle believes, are supportive of the project, are they also supportive of the process that was used to fast-track this project?

The idea for the Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center was proposed by individuals who to their credit, admitted that they had a direct financial interest in the project. They determined the type of project (music venue), the scope, size, cost ($12.5 million), feasibility, design, and location. Even though the venue is located in one of the most congested areas of the county, these individuals (along with commissioners and all members of the county council) also chose not to contract for a traffic study.

Commissioners and council members with a timeline provided by the county attorneys, agreed to fast-track this process. They held no public meetings to solicit citizen input on the desirability of this project or to review other options that may have resulted in projects with a higher return on investment and less risk. They did not contract for an independent feasibility study on behalf of the taxpayers nor did they review the business plan at a meeting that was advertised to the public. The business plan would include projections as to profit and loss, break-even analysis, risk analysis, and cash flow requirements.

Further, since the commissioners and members of the council lack the expertise to review such a business plan for a music venue, a contract for an independent financial review would have also been advisable. The only public meetings that the commissioners and council announced to the public regarding this venue was to approve the project which they did as quickly as possible and with no discussion among themselves regarding any questions or concerns.

The collateral for the $12.5 million-dollar loan is revenue from the innkeeper’s tax which posed a very little risk to the lender. Further, there is a high probability that the county government would provide any additional funding needed. In fact, a newly elected councilman stated that he would not rule out a loan for Maple Leaf. Interesting comment despite a statement by the council president at the time of approval that he would not support any additional funding and would allow for default if this venue is not successful.

At this point – which may surprise many, I do hope this project is successful. I  do not accept that the ends (Maple Leaf) justify the means (fast-track process).  Criteria for success includes not requiring any taxpayer funding, the occurrence of adverse effects that could include traffic-related injuries and fatalities, any delays in providing vital emergency services, and effects that lead to reductions in county revenue and decreases in our tax base.

Jonathan Haidt: The moral roots of liberals and conservatives (TED Video)

“If you take the greatest insights from Asian philosophies and religions and combine them with the latest research on moral psychology, I think you come to these conclusions:

• Our Righteous Minds were “designed” to …
  • unite us into teams,
  • divide us against other teams, and
  • blind us to the truth

Haidt posits the theory that “stories” help “un-blind” us from the truth and will lead to better outcomes.   Haidt’s theory is supported by the works of W. Edwards Deming – one of the foremost authorities on quality management who concluded that everyone benefits through optimization, e.g., that actions should result in outcomes where everyone gains or at least, are not any worse off in the long-term.

Haidt and Deming’s philosophies are supported by the “stakeholder” theory which is discussed in Haidt’s talk about the “Three Stories of Capitalism.”

The five foundations (channels) of morality – The Moral Mind:

1. Care/Harm
2. Fairness/Reciprocity
3. Ingroup/Loyalty
4. Authority/Respect
5. Purity/Sanctity

Liberals use two channels (1&2), conservatives five.

• Per Haidt,  “Self-described “progressives” he notes places a high value on care/harm and fairness and largely disregard the rest. Self-described “conservatives” by contrast, value all five — although they define both care/harm and fairness in different ways. The upshot of this difference Haidt suggests is that conservatives are generally good with empathizing with the political opinions of their adversaries where progressive, on average, are not.”
• ” … if you believe that the priorities of the progressives are valuable in and of themselves but they do not represent the who story, then you will likely consider the progressive world view to be well-intentioned but far too narrow.
• “But  if,  like the progressive in Haidt’s tests, you consider three of the five of the variables that conservatives hold dear to be orally worthless, you will consider your opponents to be charlatans who spurn what really matters in favor os useless ideals such as tradition and upright behavior.”
• Reference: Conservatarian Manifesto, by Charles C.W. Cooke , pg. 92.)

A sixth channel is Liberty which is associated with Libertarians.  Paper: Understanding Libertarian Morality.  YouTube Presentation

• Libertarians value liberty more, and most other moral values less, than liberals or conservatives.
• Libertarians rely upon reason more – and less on emotion  – than either liberals or conservatives.
• Libertarians are more individualist, less connected to other people than liberals or conservatives

Comparison – Libertarian and Conservative:  Libertarians and conservatives are a very odd couple. Very different personalities. United by a shared commitment to economic liberty; opposition to government enforcement of “positive liberty” via the welfare state.

 Jonathan Haidt: Three Stories About Capitalism (TED Video)

Johnathon Haidt is a social psychologist that works to bridge the gap between liberals, conservatives, socialists, and capitalists. In his talk – “Three Stories About Capitalism ” he reinforces how stories drive the narrative and concludes his talk by reinforcing the need for cooperative competition through the application of the “stakeholder” theory as opposed to the “shareholder” theory.

My career background is in the area of quality management. Quality Mangement supports the shareholder theory that is backed up by data, academic, and scientific studies.  If you want to read the stories of application success, “google” the winners of the Malcolm Baldrige Award.

Brown County IN “Stories”  The intent of including these descriptions of future scenarios is to reinforce the relevance of the perspectives shared by a sample of community  “stakeholders.”

• Brown County Matters – Facebook Posts “If you were to describe what you think the county will be like in 10 years, what would you say?   
• HCI Meeting Notes August 13 – Includes 10-year projections on the future possibilities — includes the best case and worst case.  Future reality will fall somewhere in-between.  A needed step is to identify the data that will be used to assess and monitor the trends.

Book and Interview: The Righteous Mind’: Why Liberals and Conservatives Can’t Get Along, Jonathon Haidt. (TED Video)

When he started his book, he considered himself as a  “partisan liberal.”   The process of writing the book led to a new perspective that both liberals and conservatives can be right.

• Number one priority? Political reform. (see nolabels.org)
• Educationally:  “… kill all the math classes beyond Algebra” – not useful and not helpful and replace with civics – political ideology and history;  replace calculus with basic statistics, Universities should be places of debate. People are concerned with their reputation that may create conditions that lead to more ethical behavior;
• Emotions Rule.  Emotions (stories) influence reasoning as opposed to reasoning (the facts) influencing emotions.

My article and its relevance to national policy: Working with idiots and getting better results – Published at FedSmith.com

• “Haidt’s research indicates that moral responses are instinctual—human beings are born preloaded with basic moral values. He believes that political attitudes are an extension of our moral reasoning, which accounts for much of the vitriol that surrounds liberal and conservative ideology.
• According to Haidt, an individual’s beliefs and actions are influenced through a filter of values that include caring, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity, and liberty. These values provide a foundation that is needed for a society to function. He believes that liberals focus more on caring and fairness and undervalue the importance of loyalty, authority, sanctity, and liberty. Conservatives also value caring and fairness, but not at the exclusion of loyalty, authority, sanctity, and liberty.”

Our vote history – From Democrat sweeps to Republican

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, results were almost the exact opposite of what we saw last week. …  The post-election paper in 1992 read: “Democrats dominate county election.” The only local Republican to win an office at the county level was Juanita Bainter, a four-term council member. … The story was similar in 1988, 30 years ago. All Democrats won their local offices, even though the county voted strongly for Republicans George Bush as president and Richard Lugar for senator.

The local Republican wave began to roll in 1996, the year of the Bob Dole-Bill Clinton presidential election. The top headline read “Voters sweep Republicans into offices’; the GOP won four of six contested races locally.

In 2000, it was more of the same. The top headline read “BLOWOUT: GOP loses only one contest.” That one holdout was Brown Circuit Court Judge Judith Stewart, a Democrat incumbent seeking her second term.

For the most part since then, Brown County has continued to trend red, following the majority of the state.

The 2008 election — with the Barack Obama/John McCain presidential race on the ballot — was the most balanced the results have been since then. Votes were nearly evenly split up and down the ballot, with seven Republicans and eight Democrats winning this county among national, state and local offices. Obama, of course, won the presidency that year; McCain won Brown County, but only by 208 votes.

Democrat Party Chair: “… And there, I think, is the problem: People that are not learning who the people are that are running for office.”

History Straight-Party Voting

Over the past 10 years, straight-ticket voting — automatically voting for all members of a particular party — has been on a fairly steady upward march.

In 2008, 18 percent of Brown County voters voted straight-ticket; 55 percent of them were Republican, 43 percent Democrat and 2 percent Libertarian.

This year, 56.7 percent of voters chose to vote strictly along party lines. Republican ballots were 65.6 percent of that total, 33.3 percent were Democrat and 1.1 percent were Libertarian.

Even as a party chairman, Bowman said he doesn’t like to see so many voters choosing the straight-party option. To him, that shows voters lack knowledge about the candidates. The choice listed from one’s own party isn’t always automatically the best choice for the job, he said.

Republican Party Chair:  “We need to protect the community with the best people, not just because you have a favoritism towards a certain party,” he said. “I view local elections totally separate. Obviously, you want your voters to vote for the best person even statewide and nationally too, but locally, it really affects us all.”

Democrat Party Chair: “Bond said that if straight-ticket would have gone the way of the Democrats, he would have been fine with it, “because I would have put up the best candidates. I believe I had the best candidates.”

Additional Articles:

• Two new members voted onto town council, By Sara Clifford – 11/13/18 2:09 PM

Nov 6, 2018. BCD By Suzanna Couch.   Maple Leaf taking shape: Amid construction, contracts also being hammered out …  The county has borrowed $12.5 million to build the performing arts center. The loan is to be paid back first by operating revenue, then by the innkeeper’s tax revenue if more is needed. Brown County visitors pay the innkeepers tax on room and cabin rentals.  (Facebook Post of the article and comments)

A  hexagon (6-sides) design is incorporated in the building of the government-owned Maple Leaf Performing Arts Center (MLPAC) in Nashville, Indiana.

A hexagram is a six-pointed geometric star figure used to refer to the compound figure of two equilateral triangles. The intersection is a regular hexagon.

Famous Hexagonal Buildings

Hexagram – Wikipedia   Hexagrams have been historically used in religious and cultural contexts and as decorative motifs; by medieval Muslims,  Judaism and occultism … as a decorative motif in medieval Christian churches,  and as a religious symbol by Arabs in the medieval period.

Of local interest, a hexagram is also used in Freemasonry.  The Nashville Indiana Lodge #135 Free and Accepted Masons started in 1851. 

Usage in Freemasonry (Wikipedia)

• The hexagram is featured within and on the outside of many Masonic temples as a decoration. It may have been found within the structures of King Solomon‘s temple, from which Freemasons are inspired in their philosophies and studies. Like many other symbols in Freemasonry, the deciphering of the hexagram is non-dogmatic and left to the interpretation of the individual.
• “The interlacing triangles or deltas symbolize the union of the two principles or forces, the active and passive, male and female, pervading the universe … The two triangles, one white and the other black, interlacing, typify the mingling of apparent opposites in nature, darkness and light, error and truth, ignorance and wisdom, evil and good, throughout human life.” – Albert G. Mackey: Encyclopedia of Freemasonry