Residents and commissioners flag RISE board transparency and contract concerns

Several residents said they had used FOIA requests to obtain consulting contracts and correspondence related to the Vermillion RISE board. Stephanie Simpson said she obtained documents showing a consulting-services agreement for Jerry Acey and raised questions about dates and payments, saying the consultant had been paid before the contract was formally signed. "I was requesting all contracts signed with Jerry Acey... There should be one that was signed in November 2025," Simpson said, adding that she later received a public-record response that the contract was drafted earlier but signed later.

Multiple residents asked the commissioners to remove or replace RISE board members and to require the RISE board to publish clearer minutes and meeting schedules. Commissioners said they were not previously aware of some of the details raised publicly and pledged to examine records and ask the county attorney (John/Brad) to review legal compliance. The board scheduled an executive session and asked citizens to send any documentation they believe shows misconduct.

Commissioners also discussed the TIF and how IEDC incentives and EDA-style agreements could interact with local remittances; residents questioned whether such incentives would deliver promised local benefits.

The commissioners did not remove RISE members in the meeting but agreed to investigate and to set interviews to fill vacancies on the RISE board.