Vol. I · No. 2Terre Haute, IndianaAsk a questionAskSearch the archiveSearchAll meetingsMeetings

The Vigo Ledger

Saturday, September 12, 2026A public record of city & county governmentFree to every resident

Vigo County Courthouse · Photo: Wikimedia Commons

MoneyCity Council · Sep 3, 2026

Council adopts a 10% sewer rate increase and new stormwater fee, the first sewer hike since 2019

Passed on a voice vote, first to take action and then to approve. Approved sewer rate increase (2030): 10%.

3 events · thread — see where this standsVoice vote

Terre Haute sewer customers

Council authorizes up to $125 million in bonds to fund the sewer and stormwater upgrade plan

Watch: Mayor's overview of the rate increase and stormwater fee, 15:57

9 months indexed41 highlights in this editionAI-assisted · editor-checkedNo corrections in this edition

Where things stand

General Ordinance 10, 2026 — Groundwater Usage Restrictions

Status: Passed2 appearances · last Sep 10

Terre Haute City Council passed the ordinance on Sept. 10, 2026 after staff said a records check found no sewer customer in the affected area relying solely…

Sep 10 · City CouncilCouncil passes groundwater-use restrictions after a records check finds no customers relying only on wells
Sep 3 · City CouncilCouncil holds off on a private-well ban near old contamination sites after members ask for more notice

Vigo County schools building & funding plan ("Option 6.2")

Status: Tabled24 appearances · last Sep 8Returns Sep 29

The council has not voted: on Sep. 1 it pulled the request and referred it to a three-member committee, set to meet Sept. 29.

Sep 8 · County CouncilUnverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedCouncil rejects a bid to pull the school-funding resolution back from committee for an October vote
Sep 8 · County CouncilCommissioner says the council broke its promise to meet on school funding within a week
Sep 1 · Vigo County Council (Sunshine)Commissioners ask the council for $15 million up front and $6 million a year for 20 years toward a $222 million school plan

Additional Appropriation 2026-42 — prosecutor forfeiture funds ($502,000)

Status: Passed3 appearances · last Sep 8

Vigo County Council passed Additional Appropriation 2026-42 by a 7-0 roll call on Sept. 8, 2026, authorizing $502,000 in seized-asset forfeiture funds for…

Sep 8 · County CouncilCouncil approves $502,000 forfeiture appropriation for police vehicles and gear after a September deferral
Sep 1 · Vigo County Council (Sunshine)Prosecutor's $502,000 forfeiture-funds appropriation is tabled again
Aug 4 · Vigo County Council (Sunshine)Prosecutor asks to spend $502,000 in seized drug-case money on police vehicles and gear

Additional Appropriation 2026-47 — sheriff's office gasoline shortfall ($110,000)

Status: Passed2 appearances · last Sep 8

The council approved the sheriff's office's $110,000 additional appropriation for a gasoline shortfall, passing it 7-0 by roll call on Sep. 8, 2026.

Sep 8 · County CouncilCouncil approves $110,000 to cover the sheriff's office gasoline shortfall
Sep 1 · Vigo County Council (Sunshine)Sheriff's office asks for $110,000 more to cover a gasoline shortfall through the end of the year

Ordinance 96-2-1996 amendment — forfeiture & RICO reimbursement rules

Status: Passed2 appearances · last Sep 8

Ordinance 2026-3 passed the Vigo County Council 7-0 by roll call on Sep. 8, 2026, after the council first voted to set aside the 1996 ordinance it replaces.

Sep 8 · County CouncilUnverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedCouncil passes updated forfeiture and RICO reimbursement rules, first unwinding a 1996 ordinance
Sep 1 · Vigo County Council (Sunshine)Prosecutor's office moves to update the county's decades-old forfeiture and RICO reimbursement ordinance

Resolution 2-2026 — Sugar Creek Township Rainy Day Fund property purchase

Status: Passed2 appearances · last Sep 8

The township board passed Resolution 2-2026 on 2026-09-08, approving a $67,000 Rainy Day Fund transfer to complete a property purchase, after a state…

Sep 8 · Sugar Creek Township BoardUnverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedSugar Creek Township Board re-votes a $67,000 Rainy Day Fund property purchase after a posting error voided the first vote
Aug 19 · Sugar Creek Township BoardUnverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedSugar Creek Township Board approves a $67,000 Rainy Day Fund transfer for a planned property purchase

This week’s record · Sep 4–10

Unverified item. Flagged · Unverified

County Council — Sep 8

Auditor's complaint and a heated appeal revive the push to fire the county council's attorney

Who it touches —

No vote was taken; President Ellis ruled the motion out of order and took the question under advisement, saying he would look into it before the next meeting.12:09

Unverified item. Flagged · Unverified

Vigo County Commissioners — Sep 8

Commissioners accept the Shrine Farm subdivision's roads, a week after pulling the item over paperwork

Who it touches — Shrine Farm subdivision

Accepted on a voice votePetitioner returns with certified-mail receipts, 11:39

Unverified item. Flagged · Unverified

Vigo County Commissioners — Sep 8

Commissioners present Susie's Place with the county council's $15,000 check

Who it touches — Susie's Place

No commissioners' vote; a previously arranged $15,000 check was formally presented.Commissioners resume for the presentation, 17:07

Money

City Council — Sep 10

Council prepays $604,377 in 2027 fire-truck and ambulance lease payments using casino fund money

Who it touches — Terre Haute Fire Department

Passed on a voice vote.Comptroller explains casino-fund prepayment, 40:07

Money

City Council — Sep 10

City budget public hearing draws no comment; council sets Oct. 8 vote

Who it touches —

No public comment was made; the hearing was closed and no vote was taken on either appropriation tonight.0:26

Earlier this edition

Deferral

Vigo County Council (Sunshine) — Sep 1

Council pulls the county's school-funding vote from tonight's agenda, refers it to a new three-member committee

Who it touches — Vigo County School Corporation · West Vigo High School

Pulled from tonight's agenda and referred to a new three-member committee; no vote taken13:21

Friction

Vigo County Council (Sunshine) — Sep 1

Council president orders an outside audit and revenue forecast after the county's bond rating is downgraded

Who it touches —

Executed by the council president using existing council rules; no council vote taken11:47

Deferral

Vigo County Council (Sunshine) — Sep 1

Courthouse's secure elevator funding is pulled from the agenda for a second month

Who it touches — Vigo County Courthouse

Removed from the agenda for a second time at the commissioners' request; no funding decision made2:55:50

Friction

Vigo County Council (Sunshine) — Sep 1

A council member moves to fire the county council's attorney; vote to come next meeting

Who it touches —

Motion and second made to remove the attorney; a vote is expected at the next meeting4:10:35

Money

Vigo County Council (Sunshine) — Sep 1

Vigo County holds its first public hearing on a $124.2 million 2027 budget

Who it touches —

Public hearing held; adoption vote scheduled for October 132:42:23

Unverified item. Flagged · Unverified

Vigo County Commissioners — Sep 1

Shrine Farm roads acceptance stays off the agenda over a missed mail deadline

Who it touches — Shrine Farm subdivision

Not placed on today's agenda; no vote was taken.Surveyor's report on the pulled item, 4:39

Unverified item. Flagged · Unverified

Vigo County Commissioners — Sep 1

Vigo County commissioners approve $4,258,122.91 in claims for August 21-27, most of it public-safety-related

Who it touches —

Approved on a voice voteClaims docket presented, 1:58

Property

City Council — Sep 3

Council approves a Farrington's Grove-area rezoning for an art studio and by-appointment tattoo parlor, over a neighbor's objection

Who it touches — Farrington's Grove area

Passed on a voice voteThe planned apartment, art studio and appointment-only tattoo parlor, 57:19

Property

City Council — Sep 3

Council downzones 908 South 7th Street to single-family only, at the owning family's request

Who it touches — Farrington's Grove

Passed on a voice voteItem read, Area Planning's recommendation, 12:05

Property

City Council — Sep 3

Council rezones three parcels for an 80-unit affordable senior housing project pending state funding

Who it touches — West Margaret Avenue area

Passed on a voice voteRezoning three parcels for 80-unit Margaret Senior housing, 1:24:53

Also this week

Boards and commissions — one line each. Every item opens in full.

Vigo County Election Board

Board

Sep 10Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedElection board pulls Meadows Shopping Center as an early vote center, opens an Election Day-only replacement at Woodrow Wilson

Seelyville Town Council

Board

Sep 8Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedSeelyville's proposed 2027 budget clears the first of two required votes
Sep 8Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedSeelyville's Glen Tank water tower needs major repairs, and only one contractor has bid on the job
Sep 8Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedDevelopers ask Seelyville to let them split a Second Street lot into up to four rental buildings

Terre Haute Board of Zoning Appeals

Board

Area Plan Commission

Board

Sep 2Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedArea Plan Commission sends a contested Farrington's Grove-area tattoo-studio rezoning to City Council
Sep 2Area Plan Commission recommends approval of the 908 South 7th Street rezoning, a month after a meeting-time mix-up shut the family out
Sep 2Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedArea Plan Commission tables a battery-storage zoning ordinance to add flood-zone rules first
Sep 2Area Plan Commission recommends rezoning for an 80-unit affordable senior apartment complex on Margaret Avenue
Sep 2Area Plan Commission replats five North 22nd Street lots into three, over a resident's parking and sewer concerns

Lost Creek Township Board

Board

Aug 31Unverified item. Flagged · UnverifiedLost Creek Township adopts a flat 2027 tax levy with no pay raises

Earlier

Capital Improvement Board · Aug 26CIB pencils in $1 million for Indiana Theater repairs in 2027, banking on a state grant match
Capital Improvement Board · Aug 26Larry Bird Museum replaces peeling graphics after warranty dispute with original vendor
Capital Improvement Board · Aug 26Developer asks Capital Improvement Board for $2.5 million toward a 100-acre youth sports complex
Sugar Creek Township Board · Aug 25Sugar Creek Township holds its budget hearing; general fund would rise 2.97%, heads to adoption Sept. 8
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 25Vigo County commissioners approve $870,767.38 in claims for August 14-20
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 25Resident flags an unfinished grade at the fairgrounds' new concrete; commissioners say they're aware
Terre Haute Board of Public Works · Aug 24Fire department buys new ambulance chassis outright instead of financing it
Terre Haute Board of Public Works · Aug 24Board sets aside the YMCA expansion's last $83,000 as an owner contingency fund
Vigo County Budget Committee · Aug 24State guidance says the county's 0.2% correctional/rehab tax fund can't pay for non-facility staff
Vigo County Budget Committee · Aug 24County budget committee floats a flat raise for every employee instead of stipends — no decision made
Vigo County Budget Committee · Aug 24Budget committee recommends paying for a $250,000 court program from opioid settlement money, not general fund
Vigo County Budget Committee · Aug 24Budget committee leaves radio-tower and EMA funding undecided; tower payments will need a special vote next year
Vigo County Budget Committee · Aug 24A committee member says the general-fund request for three mental health court positions will not be reopened
Terre Haute Parks and Recreation Board · Aug 20Ray Park clubhouse rebuild could miss a second deadline, pushing the reopening toward November
Sugar Creek Township Board · Aug 19Sugar Creek Township Board approves a $67,000 Rainy Day Fund transfer for a planned property purchase
Terre Haute Human Relations Commission · Aug 19EEOC's new login.gov requirement is making it harder for the Human Relations Commission to help residents file federal job-discrimination complaints
Terre Haute Human Relations Commission · Aug 19City reports $74,261 in first-round Neighborhood Investment Fund awards for 7 projects
Terre Haute Human Relations Commission · Aug 19Human Relations Commission approves $3,000 Pride Fest sponsorship after tabling it in July
Terre Haute Human Relations Commission · Aug 19City budgets at least $30,000 for warming-center support as a partner shelter exit could reduce capacity by about 20 beds
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 18County renews $37,800-a-year HVAC maintenance contract for the county jail
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 18Commissioners pull jail-overcrowding ordinance from the agenda, say a decision is still weeks away
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 18Commissioners say next month's school-funding meeting may move to a bigger venue after the last meeting overflowed the room
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 18Commissioners approve ordinance creating a new fire tax district for Otter Creek Township
Vigo County Commissioners · Aug 18County signs $469,000 contract to study traffic safety problems countywide

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