The hearing that did not happen

I saw a notice of a Rensselaer BZA meeting posted on City Hall doors early this week. The agenda item, a conditional use application submitted by Jasper County Senior Living, LLC, sounded intriguing. I had heard that someone wanted to construct some assisted living units behind Walmart and wondered if this was connected.

However, the hearing did not take place. The legal notice published in the newspaper had given the date as May 10, not May 8 as was listed on the notice at City Hall. The Board decided to abide by the letter of the law and will have a meeting on Thursday at 7:00 pm to hear the case.

Before I left, I asked the gentleman who had intended to explain the case what his company was doing. The company is Autumn Trace and they presently have two locations, Attica and Linton, with two more under construction, at North Vernon and Plymouth. He said that the plan was for 44 units, all under one roof. They would be independent and assisted living units, and the facility would be staffed around the clock.

I will try to get back on Thursday and see what else is involved.

As I was leaving, I noticed that there were dozens of cars parked around the Court House and wondered why. Someone mentioned that it was primary election night and people were there to watch the returns come in. So I wandered over to see what return-watching involved. The people were gathered on the second floor and many were in the Commissioners room watching the returns projected on the screen. It did not seem to change much, so I did not take a seat.

In the hallway two radio stations were doing live updates and there was a line of people outside the Clerk's office. I was told that these were election officials from the various precincts turning in their results. I had no reason to want the results early, so I left.

Election results are here.

On Wednesday I heard the paving crew on Emmet Street so I rode over to see how they were doing. The woman who was flagging traffic asked if I needed to pass through and I told her that I was just seeing how work was proceeding. She said that she commutes over an hour each way for this job but she did not mind it. She found the people of Rensselaer polite and courteous, unlike the people she with whom she interacts at other locations.