Nestled in the southwest corner of Indiana, Owensville offers a lifestyle of a unique balance and blend of rural, suburban, and industrial life. As our famous Watermelon Fest proves year after year, you can't find friendlier people anywhere else.

Love nature?  The Wabash River, fabled in song, is a stone's throw away. We enjoy a four season climate. Hoosiers joke that "Every season has three seasons in one. If you don't like today's weather, wait a day. It'll change. "The Fall foliage is breathtaking. Winter offers just enough snow so that children are well versed in the construction of snowmen (and that Hoosier love for baseball and basketball means strong accurate arms for snowballs). Spring brings the farmers and gardeners out to tend that amazing Indiana soil. Summers are just right for swimming, water skiing, and all the other summer sports.

Agriculture is a respected and  important aspect of our community. The work ethic that made America great is evidenced in our local farmers - working hard to feed our great nation.

Industry is no stranger - Cinergy Corp.'s Gibson Generating Station and Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Indiana's plant are world class producers of energy and vehicles.

Owensville - where we still live the American Dream.

Public Meetings

Plan Commission Meetings are the 1st Monday of each month beginning at 7pm at 108 W. Brummitt in Owensville.The new plan commission member is Don Stansberry.

Town Council

A 3-member town council governs the Town of Owensville. This council exercises the legislative function of the town. The council acts as the de facto town executive also. There is no limitation on the number of terms a town council member may serve. As mandated by ordinance, the council is elected from districts.

The salaries of the council members are set by ordinance as are all salaries and wages of town officials and empoyees (IC 36-5-3-2). The council chooses from its members a president who conducts the meetings, performs various other executive functions, and is designated as the town executive (IC 36-5-2-7). The members fix the president's term, but it cannot exceed the term of office for the council member. Council members must reside in the town and district from which they are elected. Their office must be forfeited if that residency is not maintained.

State laws govern the general powers of the council, the methods through which the powers are left largely to the council to determine by ordinance. The powers of the town council are, in most cases, those powers given to the town governmant generally.

The town's appointed officials may be numerous if the councils has chosen to create, by ordinance, any of the various boards, commission and authorities authorized by statue, but usually the major appointments are the town marshal and town attorney.

The current town council members are:        Dale Henry                                     PRECINCT #3           TERM: 1992-PRESENT
                                                                      Bernard Thompson                         PRECINCT #2           TERM: 1996-PRESENT
                                                                      Clyde Scott                                     PRECINCT #1           TERM: 2008-PRESENT

The next election for Town Council will be held in November 2011, with the elected officials taking office in January 2012. If the current board and clerk treasurer have no opposition, a 2011 Town Election will not have to be held. Current elected officials will be reinstated.

Anyone wishing to register to vote may pick up a form at the Owensville Town Hall.

Town Attorney

Unlike cities, there is no statute establishing the position of the town attorney, nor requiring the appointment of a chief legal officer for the town. However, virtually every town has an attorney who represents the town and generally manages the town's legal affairs, under the direction of the town council either as an employee or as independent contractor. The town attorney is the town's primary source of legal advice and usually drafts ordinances and other legal documents. He or she represents the town in legal proceedings and serves at the pleasure of the town council. Compensation is determined by the council, just as it is for the marshal and all other town employees and officials. There is no statute governing the responsibilities of the town attorney, who represents the town in much the same manner as an attorney does any other client.

The Owensville Town Attorney is Ray Druley

Town Marshal

In most towns, the town marshal is responsible for law enforcement in the town.  The marshal is charged with executing the orders of the town council and with enforcing the laws of the town and the state and has the power and duty to serve all process issued by the town council.  The marshal and appointed deputies must meet the state training requirements of the Law Enforcement Academy Training Board (IC 5-2-1).  The marshal serves at the pleasure of the council but may not be dismissed or suspended from the force without a hearing if the marshal has served six months after completion of the state training requirements (IC 36-5-7-3).  There is a similar hearing requirement for deputy marshals (IC 36-5-7-6).  Towns are not required to have a town marshal, however.  The town council may adopt an ordinace to abolish the office of the town marshal and to establish a metroplitan board of police commissioners to administer the town's police department (IC 36-8-9-2).

The Town of Owensville's current Marshal is :

RODGER LEISTER                                       APPOINTED: 7/28/2006
                                                                      Deputy Marshal: 7/1998-7/27/2006

   The Town of Owensville's current Deputy Marshal is:

   JASON WRIGHT                                          DATE OF HIRE: 7/28/2006
                                                                       Reserve Officer: 12/15/1999-7/27/2006

The Town also has one reserve marshal.  This reserve officer assists the marshal & deputy upon request.  The reserve officer also fills in while the marshal/deputies are off.  The current reserve officer is:

Nathan Krug                                         DATE OF HIRE: 4/21/10-PRESENT

The Town of Owensville's current reserve Police Officer is:

DWAYNE MATSEL                                                DATE OF HIRE: 12/18/08-PRESENT

Clerk Treasurer

The primary function of the elected clerk treasurer of a town is to serve as the fiscal officer of the town, along with that the clerk also has many other responsibilities. Some of those duties are:

• receive and care for all town money and disburse monies on the order of the town council
• keep financial accounts identifying the sources from which funds have been received & disbursed.
• prescribe payroll & account forms for all town offices
• prescribe the manner in which creditors, officers, and employees shall be paid.
• manage the finances and accounts of the town and make investments of town money
• prepare the budget estimates of miscellaneous revenue, financial statements, and the proposed tax rate for the town council
• maintain custody of the town seal and the records of the town council
• issue all licenses and collect the fees fixed by ordinance
• serve as the clerk of the legislative body by attending its meeting and recording its proceedings
• administer oaths, take depositions, and serve as a notary without a fee
• serve as the clerk of the town court, if the judge of the town court does not serve as the clerk or appoint a clerk of the court (IC 36-5-6-6)
• powers to solemnize marriages (IC 31-11-6-1)

The clerk treasurer is also an ex office member of the town council solely for the purpose of casting the deciding vote to break a tie (IC 36-5-2-8)

In most towns, the clerk treasurer also maintains the books of the town's utilities and the town council may provide that the clerk treasurer will receive extra compensation for such work (IC 36-5-3-2). Clerk treasurers are authorized to appoint deputies and employees subject to authorization by the town council. Such deputies and employees serve at the pleasure of the clerk treasurer (IC 36-5-6-7). If a town owns a utility and a clerk treasurer is directly responsible for the billing and collection. These employees also serve at the clerk treasurer's pleasure (IC 36-5-6-7).

The town council determines the salary of the clerk treasurer, who serves a four-year term. The salary cannot be changed in the year for which it is fixed nor may it be reduced below the amount fixed in the previous year (IC 36-5-3-2). The clerk treasurer must reside in the town or forfeit the office (IC 36-5-6-3)

The current clerk treasurer is: Kristy York, Term: 1/2004 - Present

The next election for clerk treasurer will be held in November 2011, with the elected officials taking office in January 2012.

Anyone wishing to register to vote may pick up a form at the Owensville Town Hall.

Deputy Clerk Treasurer/Utility Clerk: Karen Reed

Accounts Payable: Pam Henry

Plan Commission

The plan commission is made up of 7 members.  The current members are: 

Dennis Simpson
Margo English
David Trowbridge
Randall Dike
Jack Light
Bernard Thompson

There is currently one vacant position at this time.  This board meets on the 1st Monday of each month at 7pm.

Town Employees:

  Dean Short, Supervisor

  Randy Ross, Operator

  David Julian, Sr. Laborer

  Caleb White, Sr. Laborer

  Billy J. Ross, Part-time Laborer