We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, and voters of Madison County, are calling on our elected and appointed officials to immediately halt the 8th Street Greenway Project.

This proposed trail would stretch along old 8th St from Layton Rd in Anderson to Perkinsville Cemetery with the intent to connect to the Hamilton & Delaware County Trail system 25-50 years from now. However, this so-called “8th St. Greenway” is little more than a trail to nowhere—it fails to connect to existing trails in Anderson and offers no clear recreational or economic benefit to our local communities.

Even more troubling, this project is being pushed forward by a small group of officials, local business owners, and developers with clear financial interests in the outcome. Members of the Likens family, who own over a dozen properties along the proposed route and stand to benefit financially, have also held seats on the project's planning committees while actively serving as a County Commissioner and County Council Member. This is a clear conflict of interest that undermines the integrity of public planning.

Property owners along 8th Street have made it clear: WE do not consent to giving up or sharing our PRIVATE, rural properties for PUBLIC use. The trail would disrupt their land, their privacy, public safety, and their quality of life. Yet the project continues to move forward, with little transparency and virtually no meaningful public input. 

To make matters worse, Madison County is using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds—which were intended to help residents and communities recover from the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of supporting small businesses, essential workers, or mental health services, our federal recovery dollars are being funneled into a pet project that benefits a handful of politically connected individuals.

We demand that:

• The 8th Street Greenway Project be scrapped in its entirety.
• County officials cease all development efforts on the trail.
• Full transparency on how public funds—especially ARPA funds—are being spent.
• All conflicts of interest and pecuniary interests be investigated and addressed.
• NO Eminent Domain of any kind be used to complete any part of the project.
• And that meaningful public input be included in any future planning decisions that impact landowners and taxpayers in or around Madison County, Indiana.

This is a misuse of funds, a violation of public trust, and an infringement on private property rights. 

Join us in standing up for transparency, accountability, and the rights of Madison County residents. Sign this petition to STOP the 8th Street Greenway Project now.

Thanks,

We the People of Madison County, Indiana

NOTE: If you have signed the paper petitions then there is no need to electronically sign these petitions. Please share with your friends, family, and your network. Sharing is caring. 

County website:

www.madisoncounty.in.gov/park-trails-open-spaces-master-plan 

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🛑 Stop the 8th St. Greenway Project (Eminent Domain Land Grab)
📢 SIGN THE PETITION: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-8th-street-greenway-project-in-madison-county-in-2025

We are calling on all Madison County residents and concerned Hoosiers to stand with us in opposing eminent domain and forced property seizures for the proposed 8th St. Greenway Project.

💬 If you haven’t signed the hard copy petition, please sign the online petition today. All signatures—both physical and electronic—will be compiled into a master list and submitted to County officials within the next 90 days. Our goal is 5,000 signatures in strong opposition to this taxpayer-funded boondoggle.

🔍 Why We Oppose the 8th St. Greenway Project:
🚨 Eminent Domain Abuse: Property owners are being threatened with losing land they’ve lived on and paid taxes on for generations. We are not against progress—we are against stealing land to fund pet projects for the politically connected.

💸 Conflicts of Interest: Multiple elected and appointed officials—especially members of the Likens family—sit on planning boards and own property directly along the proposed Greenway route. These properties would increase in value, and yet no Conflict-of-Interest disclosures were filed during the 2021–2022 or by 2025 planning process. (1 Parks Board Member filed)

🏞️ Anchor Parks Before a Full Plan: The Madison County Parks Board voted in July 2025 to move forward with two "anchor parks" at a cost of $1.2 million each. But there is no realistic plan or budget to fund the remaining 5.5–8 mile trail. This is not responsible governance—this is a speculative gamble with our tax dollars.

💰 Misuse of ARPA Funds: These federal pandemic relief funds were meant to support those hardest hit by COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown. Instead, they are being used to bankroll trail systems and land speculation by insiders. This is a betrayal of public trust.

📍 Trail Starts and Ends Near Politically Connected Properties:

• Begins near Dianna Likens’ residence
• and Nancy Anderson (Parks Board).
• Ends near Perkinsville Cemetery, surrounded by land owned by former County Commissioner Darlene Likens and her husband.

There is no public record of the Likens families offering to donate land—instead, the county would likely pay them to complete the project.
Parks Board Member

• Pecuniary Interest - Ben Orcutt on the Parks Board would also financially benefit from the completion of a bike trail. He owns the only Bike Shop in Anderson, Indiana. His shop sales high end bikes costing thousands of dollars.

The ARPA Funds were not meant to help others get richer while those who suffered great loss during the Pandemic still suffer.

🧍‍♀️ Real People. Real Opposition.
When over 40 property owners showed up to a community meeting in Lapel, the message was clear: They don’t want this trail running through their properties. That should have been enough to pause the project. Instead, County officials are moving forward anyway.

We’ve spoken directly with officials, businesspeople, and bureaucrats at events like the 4H Fair—many of whom support the project without understanding the full scope, or worse, benefit directly from it. We are not ok with their actions towards other residents in Madison County, IN.

✍️ Take a Stand with Us
Madison County residents are done being ignored. We are not just voices online—we are your neighbors, veterans, farmers, parents, and small business owners who believe in fairness, transparency, and protecting property rights.

🖊️ Sign the petition.

📣 Share with your neighbors.

📅 Show up when it counts.

We will not be silent while our community is carved up

for special interests.

👉 [SIGN NOW] https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-8th-street-greenway-project-in-madison-county-in-2025