The Pulaski County Commissioners continued their discussions on purchasing an ambulance during their meeting Tuesday.
Continue readingPulaski County Commissioners Award Bid for New Ambulance
Pulaski County Commissioners to Get Updates on COVID-19, Justice Center Projects
The Pulaski County Commissioners will get an update on the county’s COVID-19 response tonight. They’ll also get an update on the Justice Center Project, and EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo will discuss an ambulance grant.
Continue readingPulaski Council Allows another Returning Full-Time EMS Employee to Keep Seniority
Another Pulaski County EMS paramedic will be allowed keep her seniority from a previous full-time tenure, but whether that becomes an official part of the county’s policies remains to be seen. EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo told the county council last week that the paramedic dropped down to part-time for about a month but now wants to go back to full-time.
Continue readingPulaski County Eases New Restrictions on Ambulance Transfers, Authorizes Non-EMT EMS Drivers
Pulaski County is easing its new restrictions on ambulance transfers, following discussions with hospital officials. Earlier this month, the county commissioners voted to reduce the transfer radius from 100 to 65 miles, to extend the life of the county’s ambulances. But that raised concern from doctors, since that puts the major trauma centers out of reach.
Continue readingPulaski Commissioners to Discuss EMS Driver Position, Get Project Updates Today
The Pulaski County Commissioners will consider a job description for an EMS driver this morning. EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo has been exploring a number of options to keep ambulances running amid a shortage of paramedics and EMTs.
Continue readingPulaski EMS Reduces Hospital Transfer Radius, Raising Concern from Doctors
Pulaski County EMS is no longer taking hospital transfers to Fort Wayne or Indianapolis. The county commissioners voted last week to reduce the transfer radius from 100 miles to 65.
Continue readingPulaski Council Finalizes EMS Pay Raise, Allows Returning Full-Time Employee to Keep Seniority
A longtime Pulaski County EMS employee is being recognized for her years of service. Stephanie Foust was presented with a plaque by EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo during Monday’s county council meeting. “I’d like to publicly thank you for 10 years of service with Pulaski County EMS,” DeLorenzo said, “and I hope I have 10 more.”
Continue readingPulaski Council Votes Down Change to Seniority Calculations, EMS Wage Restructuring Delayed
Pulaski County EMS staff may have to wait a bit longer for a pay raise, after county officials failed to put the proposed salary matrix amendments into writing by Monday’s county council meeting. Last month, the council voted to take up EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo’s proposed wage restructuring.
Continue readingPulaski Commissioners Looking to Move Forward with Paramedic Training Reimbursement
The Pulaski County Commissioners are still interested in reimbursing EMS employees for paramedic training, but not in waiving ambulance bills for county employees and volunteer firefighters. Those were part of a list of strategies suggested by EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo to address staffing shortages.
Continue readingPulaski Commissioners to Continue Discussing Proposed EMS Changes Today
The Pulaski County Commissioners will continue discussing several proposed changes at the EMS Department this morning. EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo has suggested reinstating on-call pay, reimbursing employees for the cost of paramedic training, and waiving ambulance fees for county employees and volunteer firefighters.
Continue readingPulaski County Council Agrees to Consider EMS Wage Restructuring Proposal
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services is looking at a wage restructuring to help with staff retention. EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo told the county council Monday that two out of every three days, there’s only one paramedic-staffed ambulance in service at a time.
Continue readingPulaski Council, Commissioners to Discuss Arens Field, Maintenance Restructuring Tonight
Pulaski County officials will continue discussing the future of Arens Field tonight. The county commissioners recently agreed to hire Daryn Wilder as airport manager, even though some county officials had expressed interest in privatizing the airport. Board of Aviation Commissioners President Jeremy Wegner is expected to weigh in on Bluebird Ag’s interest in buying or leasing the airport during tonight’s joint county council and commissioners meeting.
Continue readingPulaski County EMS Exploring Ways to Fill Shifts during Staffing Shortage
Pulaski County EMS may allow non-certified staff to work on its ambulances. That’s one of a few ideas EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo presented to the county commissioners Monday to address the department’s staffing shortages.
Continue readingPulaski County EMS Staffing Challenges Continue
Pulaski County may have to offer its EMS staff more money or reduce to a basic service. Those were the options EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo gave the county council earlier this month. He said he hasn’t been able to fill two open full-time positions, as anyone who expresses interest finds a better-paying job elsewhere. If the county can’t have a paramedic on duty at all times, he said it may have to go to a basic service, which several council members opposed.
Continue readingPulaski County BZA Approves another Special Exception for Mammoth Solar Project
A proposed solar farm has passed another approval round with the Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals. Board members approved a special exception request for the Mammoth Solar project Monday. It adds almost 4,700 acres to the project’s footprint.
Continue readingPulaski County Council to Consider Budget Corrections Tonight
The Pulaski County Council will consider action tonight to correct a couple of oversights in the 2021 budget. During the budget process, council members decided to move funding for local fire departments out of the county’s General Fund and into the public safety income tax fund. Auditor Laura Wheeler told the council last month that while she took the $31,500 out of County General, she forgot to add it to public safety.
Continue readingPulaski Commissioners to Get Updates on COVID-19 Response, Renovation Projects
The Pulaski County Commissioners will get updates on the county’s COVID-19 response, along with its upcoming renovation projects this morning. A public hearing will be held for the county’s application for COVID-19 Response Program funding, and Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer is expected to give updates from the incident management team.
Continue readingPulaski Commissioners Approve Morgue Usage Fee As COVID-19 Keeps Coroner’s Office Busy
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, state and local officials are making sure they have access to morgue space. Pulaski County Coroner Jon Frain told the county council and commissioners Monday that the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and neighboring counties have asked if they could rent space in Pulaski County’s morgue, if necessary.
Continue readingPulaski Council to Consider Coroner’s Office Pay and Benefit Adjustments Tonight
The Pulaski County Council will consider a few changes to the Coroner’s Office tonight. Coroner Jon Frain is asking to get the same health insurance and retirement benefits as the county’s other elected officials. As a first step, the county commissioners voted last month to recommend that the council make the coroner a full-time position.
Continue readingPulaski County Commissioners to Discuss Revolving Loan Request Tonight
The Pulaski County Commissioners are expected to consider a revolving loan request tonight. Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer is expected to discuss a revolving loan and a partial mortgage release. EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo will have updates, and Kyle Conrad with Novotny Insurance will give a renewal review.
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