BOONE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
116 West Washington Street
Room 103
Lebanon, IN 46052
Phone: (765) 483-4492 | Fax: (765) 483-4494
District 1: Tom Santelli | District 2: Donald Lawson | District 3: Jeff Wolfe
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT
Noah Alatza, Coverdale Consulting
317-519-7892
Statement on delays to justice center expansion project
LEBANON, Ind. (April 14, 2022) — The Boone County Commissioners released the following statement on Thursday regarding ongoing delays to an expanded justice center project.
“We have been moving forward with the justice center expansion project for nearly a year. We have attempted several times to publicly and openly discuss the project before the County Council, but President Elise Nieshalla has prevented the Commissioners from sharing the details of the project in a public forum.
We believe a significant portion of the Boone County Council is ready to move forward, but Nieshalla’s political aspirations are preventing further progression of the project.
The Justice Center Commision has not provided recommendations to date on the need and scope of the updated facility. Planning, design, facilities and maintenance of the justice center are exclusively the responsibilities of the Commissioners.
The Commissioners have continuously warned the Council about the growing costs that our county’s taxpayers will endure if delays persist.
We have been working with members of the council, and we truly appreciate those members who have had the voice to say we need to move this project forward. We are deeply disappointed in President Nieshalla for continuing to delay these efforts, costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
The Commissioners have requested the County Council move forward with the local income tax public hearing on the project, but President Nieshalla has declined these requests on multiple occasions despite writing a letter in early 2021 to state and federal officials detailing the urgent need for the project. (Letter available on request.)
The county can move forward with financing once the tax is adopted. Interest rates have already recently increased one time and the Federal Reserve is expected to continue with the trend, which will increase the burden on the taxpayers.
Please ask Boone County Council President Elise Nieshalla to act immediately.”
Respectfully,
Jeff Wolfe,
Boone County Commissioners President
Tom Santelli,
Boone County Commissioner
Donnie Lawson,
Boone County Commissioner
