Updated Friday, September 18th at 8AM

Application Packet

1.  City of Monticello Small Business Grant Overview/Information
2.  Choose from one of the two following grant applications:

•   Grant Application Form - Computer Fillable submission using Microsoft Word Compatible Software  (DOCX)
•   Grant Application Form - Printable for handwritten or typewritten submission  (PDF)

3.  Employee Income Form
4.  Choose from one of the two following W-9 Forms:

•   W-9 Form - Computer Fillable submission using Microsoft Word Compatible Software (DOCX)
•   W-9 Form - Printable for handwritten or typewritten submission (PDF)

5.  Applicant Checklist

Overview

The City of Monticello is proud to announce the City of Monticello Small Business Grant due October 2nd.  Businesses that have been established and operational in the City of Monticello since January 1, 2020 may be eligible for the maximum award amount of $10,000.00.  This grant money is to be used for payroll and operational costs.

The selection committee, formed with The Mayor, the Clerk-Treasurer, City Council members, and the MRC, will consider whether applicant businesses have:

• demonstrated a commitment to the community, through the support of local youth or charitable programs, good corporate citizenship, participation in community and business support organizations.
• plans to hire, maintain, train or assist individuals who lost jobs or experienced economic hardship during the COVID-19 crisis.
• needs that have not been or are not anticipated to be addressed through other government assistance programs
• made all reasonable efforts to keep employees employed during the recovery process.
• an industry sector particularly affected negatively by COVID-19 and public safety measures associated with the outbreak (for example retail, dine in restaurant, salon).
• are not part of a franchise network.
• have a physical location in the city limits of Monticello.
• had 20 or fewer employees as of August 1, 2020.
• received funds in the first round of City or County loans
• Veteran, Woman, or Minority ownership.

Updated location on 11 Sept. 2020

Mark your calendar Monticello!  To show our appreciation to our local law enforcement the "Thank A Police Officer" Hog Roast will be held on Saturday, September 19th from 12PM-4PM.  The location of the event will be announced later.   Whiskey & Wine and Chapman’s BBQ will be roasting pulled pork sandwiches, smoked mac and cheese, and baked beans.  We will be serving complimentary meals and bottled water to ALL our law enforcement officers from 12pm Noon till 4pm. The general public can also purchase a meal for a minimum donation of $5.00. All proceeds will go to our local law enforcement programs.

  Click here for more details

Updated 9 September 2020

State of Indiana Executive Order 20-40:  Child Care Matters and COVID-19
Orden Ejecutiva 20-40, "Asuntos de Cuidado Infantil

Governor Eric Holcomb in response to the COVID-19 Emergency and the opening of public schools has temporarily suspended regulatory statues as they relate to schools and child care programs.

Many school corporations have opted or been ordered to provide remote or e-learning rather than in-person instruction, leaving working parents in the lurch if their children remain at home.

On August 21st, he signed Executive Order 20-40, which allows school corporations to contract with organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club or YMCA, to operate school-age childcare programs in locations in addition to public school buildings to help families who need care while their students engage in e-learning.

Additionally, the order increases the number from six to 10 of school-aged children allowed to gather in one location on school days for e-learning without requiring the childcare setting to be licensed.

Shafer & Freeman Lakes Environmental Conservation Corporation (SFLECC) Issues low water warning

SFLECC Press Release - August 28, 2020

Lake Freeman is under a low water flow warning! If you are boating on the lake be aware of submerged objects that may be dangerously close to the surface of the water. If you have watercraft docked on Lake Freeman be aware of the lower water levels and take appropriate action to protect your watercraft. Low lake levels may make many docks and lifts unusable.

At this time, the SFLECC is in the middle of a lengthy battle in the Federal Court system, with no new information as of now. Our actions, if successful, will benefit you and your family in some way, whether you are an SFLECC licensee, other Lake property owner, Twin Lakes area resident, business owner, or occasional visitor.

Unfortunately, we do not see the current situation improving until there is significant rainfall in our watershed.

What can I do regarding the lake levels?

1.  Be Careful!

• The water levels have dropped significantly, creating many hazards.

2.  Contact Federal Representatives!

• https://www.young.senate.gov/contact
• https://www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike
• https://baird.house.gov/services/casework/help-with-a-federal-agency.htm
  • Let them know the Endangered Species Act in which US Fish & Wildlife is enforcing is resulting in…in your own words describe how it is affecting your Lake Freeman experience.
  • Explain your damages if you have any to your property and property value concern.

3.  Support SFLECC’s appeal in Federal Court to overturn FERC’s decision to uphold US Fish & Wildlife’s mandate to drain Lake Freeman!


4.  Learn about mussels in Lake Freeman

• US Fish & Wildlife has determined there aren’t mussels in Lake Freeman that are on the endangered species list.

5.  Learn what is the SFLECC doing?

• We have spent over a half million dollars fighting this battle against the US Fish & Wildlife and are now in the Federal Court process. If you would like to contribute, we need your help!
  • https://checkout.square.site/pay/edcd3dc7f1d74c069f7ab44c51f1bdcc

Face Covering Requirement

• State of Indiana Executive Order 20-37:  Face Covering Requirement
• State of Indiana Executive Orider Extending Mask Mandate through Sept. 25th

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb will order a statewide mask requirement through Sept. 25th. The reasons for this requirement:

• To get children back to school
• To keep businesses open
• A statewide increase in COVID-19 positive cases
• A statewide increase in number of Hoosiers hospitalized for COVID-19
• An increase in cases and positivity rate in neighboring states

The mandate will be for anyone 8 years and older in indoor public spaces, commercial entities or transportation services, or in outside public spaces when you cannot social distance.

Extension of Back on Track 4.5 and Mask Mandate

• State of Indiana Executive Order 20-42 - Extending Stage 4.5 (Back on Track through Sept. 25th)
• Orden Ejecutiva 20-42 - Vuelta a la Normalidad en Indiana: Tercera Continuación de la Etapa 4.5; Primero Extención al Requisito de Cobertura Facia

Declaration of Emergency (Extension)

• State of Indiana Executive Order 20-41 - Extending Public Health Emergency (through Sept. 25th)
•   Orden Ejecutiva 20-41 - Sexta Renovación de la Declaración de Emergencia de Salud Pública para el Brote de COVID-19

What Can Be Open Right Now?

• Personal services, Gyms, fitness centers, and other workout facilities can continue operations with restrictions.
• Restaurants dining room service may be open at 75% capacity while maintaining social distancing
• Bar Seating in restaurants may operate at 50% capacity while maintaining social distancing.
• Bars and nightclubs will open to 50% capacity while maintaining social distancing
• Retail stores will open at full capacity.
• Cultural, entertainment, and tourism sites (amusement parks/water parks will open at 50% capacity.  Reservations are encouraged to limit number of customers at any one time)
• Movie theaters and bowling alleys will open at 50% capacity while maintaining social distancing.
• Public playgrounds, community tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, and similar facilities may resume.
• Amusement parks and water parks may open at 50% capacity.  A reservation system is recommended.
• Campgrounds may be open with social distancing limitations.
• Outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, boating, birding, hunting, and bicycle riding are permitted.

What is Open in Stage 4.5?

• Festivals, fairs, and parades may open with restrictions.  See Indiana Guidelines

Guidelines During Stage 4.5

• Outdoor visitation must resume July 4 at assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
• Indoor visitations at assisted living facilities and nursing homes MAY resume on July 4.  Facilities not allowing indoor visits must have a plan for indoor visitation by Stage 5.
• Hospital Visitations encouraged with precautions.
• Social gatherings of 250 people may take place following the CDC social distancing guidelines
• Hoosiers 65 and over with high-risk health conditions should limit exposure in their communities.
• It is HIGHLY recommended that residents wear face coverings in public settings.
• There are no travel restrictions.

"The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority has information available to Hoosiers who are struggling with rent, mortgage, and utility payments due to COVID-19, or may be facing eviction, foreclosure, or utility shut-offs now that moratoriums have expired. Click on the following links to find assistance:

• Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network: 877gethope.org
• Rental and Housing Assistance: IndianaHousingNow.org
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): https://www.in.gov/ihcda/4067.htm
• Coronavirus Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Guide: https://www.in.gov/ihcda/4464.htm
• Additionally, help may be available through Area IV Agency at: https://www.areaivagency.org/Home.aspx

  Download the Guide for Businesses:  Masks (Face Coverings), COVID-19, and the Americans with Disabilities Act

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC and other reputable, scientific sources strongly recommend that in places where people will come into contact with individuals from outside their own household and social distancing cannot be consistently maintained, individuals should wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Additionally, because confirmed positive cases are on the rise in Indiana, on July 24, 2020, Governor Eric J. Holcomb issued Executive Order 20-37, mandating masks that cover the nose and mouth be worn inside businesses and other indoor spaces in Indiana that are open to the public.

Executive Order 20-37 does provide, in Section 4, subsection c of Executive Order 20-37, that “any person with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability which prevents wearing a face covering” is exempt from the state’s mask mandate. However, it is not always readily apparent that a person has a disability, and stores—particularly national chains and smaller businesses in areas where surges are occurring—may have mask policies in place that are more stringent than those detailed in Executive Order 20-37.

The following guide has been created with the goal of clearing up confusion for businesses as they navigate compliance with the mask mandate, protecting themselves, their businesses, their customers and their employees, and applying CDC and Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) best practices guidelines, all while not running afoul of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

  Learn More - Download the Guide

Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs awarded the City of Monticello and 23 rural Hoosier communities $15.3 million in federal grant funding to improve water infrastructure.  The City of Monticello was awarded $600,000 for water and sewer improvements. This project will

• upgrade 4,000 lineal feet of four-inch and six-inch water mains
• replace seven fire hydrants
• add eight new six-inch water valves.

"By investing in our state's water infrastructure, we are laying the foundation for regional growth and prosperity,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch. "These grants are supporting projects that are crucial to rural communities' continual economic development and improving the quality of life for its residents.”

Monticello Mayor Cathy Gross said, "The City of Monticello is excited to share this news. City leadership past and present worked together with our Water Superintendent, Rod Pool, KIRPC, Jason Miller of RMA, and Commonwealth Engineers to make this possible. We are looking forward to improving the water infrastructure in the NW quadrant of the city, with this grant we can leverage our own funds to provide better services for our community. Thank you to Lt Gov Crouch, and OCRA for providing this opportunity."

The State of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as: infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.

The City of Monticello, Indiana is seeking applications for the position of Wastewater Operator.

The successful applicant will perform a variety of technical and maintenance work in the operations, maintenance, and repair of the wastewater plant, wastewater collection system, and other duties as needed. The work environment, characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this Job.

  Click here to review the full description of the position.
  Review/download the application

The Governor has mandated the wearing of masks beginning Monday, July 27th. As White County is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, it is important that we all work together to get our schools open and our businesses back on track. I support the Governor in taking this step and am urging residents of Monticello, White County and Indiana to comply with the Governor’s order to "Mask Up".

Take a look back to our April 3rd "Be A Hero" video:



ASL Video of the 'Be A Hero' message (Katherine Tardiff, ADA/Title IV Coordinator)

The City of Monticello is asking our residents for assistance to complete this survey as we apply for an OCRA (Office of Community and Rural Affairs) grant that could provide over $240,000.00 in small business grant relief for businesses in Monticello with 20 or less employees.

The link to the survey is:  https://forms.gle/XdWa7uqoqqmM4kjB6

The City of Monticello will delay the re-opening of city offices for at least one week. This delay is part of our continuing effort to insure the safety of our employees and community as we see increased numbers in social gatherings and positive COVID-19 cases. City offices will continue to provide city services with essential personnel and through remote and virtual meetings.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation and remind you to "mask up" to keep yourself and others safe.

City leaders are re-opening city hall on Monday, July 13, 2020 at 8:00 am, with mitigation protocols in place. Visitors to city hall are required to wear face coverings if attending a meeting or plan to spend time in department offices.

White County is seeing confirmed cases increase, but not at an alarming rate so far. Of course, this is a very fluid situation and could change at any time.

We thank you for your cooperation as we all adjust to a new way of safely providing services to our residents. We will get through this together!

Our "Twin Lakes" provide wonderful assets to Greater Monticello! How do we connect our thriving city to the river and our lakes? The Monticello Riverwalk Plaza! The Riverwalk Plaza, will be located next to the Historical Society Museum, and it will be a starting point for recreational opportunities focused on our lakes such as hiking, canoe and kayak rentals, picnics and fishing. The plaza will be a gathering place for Monticello residents, as well as visitors, looking to enjoy the sweeping views of the water in a safe, outdoor space with room to socially distance if needed.

We need your help to reach our goal of $50,000. If we reach it, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority will match the $50,000 and help us create the Plaza, but only if we reach our goal.

Please review the video below and visit our crowdsource funding page to learn more about the project.  We encourage you to donate and share this information with your friends, family, neighbors, and Monticello Supporters near and far! Every donation, large or small, will make a difference.

   Click for the Monticello Riverwalk Information/Donation Page

The City of Monticello is proud to announce $55,000.00 of loans assisting Monticello small businesses.  The monies, established by the 'Economic Development Income Tax Fund' (EDIT Fund), were earmarked to:

• promote employment opportunities
• and/or retain/expanding current businesses

The list of businesses receiving loans are:

• Alex's Apparel - Jeff Alexander
• Ashley's Massage & Yoga - Ashley Tincher
• Best's Bowling Center - Ryan and Melissa Best
• BJ's Nails - BJ Wray
• Buschman's Service Center - Paul and Shirley Buschman
• Day & Knight Fitness - Robert Phillips
• Down the Street Bar - Alex and Michelle Hughes
• Frankie Rupe School of Guitar - Frankie Rupe
• It's Just a Flesh Wound - Buddy Wicker
• Maximum Tan - Heather Crowe
• Monticello Community Radio, Inc. - Laura Page
• Necessities - Ingrid Landis
• New Directions Salon & Spa - Susan Alpha
• Pins & Needles on Main - Karen Tiede
• Reclaim Dames & An Udder Sensation - Sharon McKinley
• Rugies Dugout - Salina Vargus
• Skipper's Frozen Yogurt - Skip and Amy Sturgeon
• Slot Farms - Tracy Davidson
• Twin Lakes Cinema - Timothy Luby

  Visit the Monticello-Union Township Public Library Website
  Monticello-Union Township Public Library Facebook Page
  Monticello-Union Township Public Library YouTube Channel

The Monticello-Union Township Public Library is pleased to announce the soft reopening plan for the library. On June 1st, the library will open to the public with limited hours. Patrons will be able to come in the library during these open hours, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. closed for cleaning and then open 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and closed for cleaning and then open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with Saturday open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is a 30 minute grab and go situation. You have the ability to come in and use the facilities and check out materials in a convenient time frame. Masks are recommended. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The Library will monitor the number of people within the building.

For patrons who are not ready to come in the library, please feel free to continue using our Curbside Service. Patrons can call the library and request up to 10 items to be checked out. Staff will search for your items, then call you back to reserve a pick-up time. Staff will not accept returns from the vehicle; they will need to be returned to the book drop. Hours for Curbside will be during the limited hours, Monday – Friday, 10 am – 1 pm, 3 pm – 5 pm, Tuesday and Thursday 10 am – 1 pm, 3 pm – 7 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.

All items being returned to the library will be placed into quarantine for 3 days and checked in on the 4th day. Due to this quarantine process, your account may not be current.

Thank you for your support during this time! For more information, please visit the library’s website for the full soft reopening plan. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the library at 574-583-2665. Visit our Facebook page for information on upcoming events and our YouTube channel to watch book reviews, storytimes, cooking, and exploring our resources.

  Take the 2020 Census

The City of Monticello, Indiana is participating in the U.S. Census 2020. Here are some brief facts about this year's census:

• The U.S. Constitution mandates a Census count must be held every ten years.
• The data is used to allocate federal dollars which have direct impact on planning for schools, transportation, health programs, and other community needs.
• Census data is also used to draw districts which translates to Congressional seats.
• The Census will be available in 13 different languages online.
• The Census Bureau will provide support in 59 different languages.
• It is safe and easy to complete.
• Your answers are confidential.

Your response is important to our city.  The data from the census is used to allocate federal money for schools, special transportation services, health programs and other needs within our community.  We urge everyone to respond to the Census, which can be securely and safely online.

Video Assistance (English):

Video Assistance (Español):

Video Assistance (American Sign Language ASL):

  Review the Governor's Back on Track Indiana - Stage 3 Document (May 22nd - June 13th)

What Can Be Open Right Now?

• Campgrounds may be open with social distancing limitations.
• Restaurants and bars that serve food may be open at 50% capacity
• Retail stores may operate at 75% capacity. Examples include apparel, furniture, and jewelry stores.
• Community tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, and similar facilities may be open with social distancing guidelines.
• Outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, boating, birding, hunting, and bicycle riding are permitted.

What is Closed Right Now?

• Bars and nightclubs
• Cultural, entertainment, and venues
• Playgrounds
• Amusement parks, water parks, and tourism sites
• Festivals, fairs, and parades
• Movie theaters

Guidelines During Stage 3

• Social gatherings of 100 people may take place following the CDC social distancing guidelines
• Hoosiers 65 and over with high-risk health conditions should limit exposure in their communities.
• It is recommended that residents wear face coverings in public settings.
• There are no travel restrictions.