The Pulaski County Council has decided to hold off on funding arrangements for a radio tower, amid concerns that it was purchased without the proper permission and that it may not actually be needed. When the Emergency Management Agency’s move to the West Annex was being planned last year, former maintenance director Jeff Johnston said moving the necessary radio equipment would cost about $10,000.
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As Pulaski County officials consider potential facilities upgrades, Sheriff Jeff Richwine says an inmate work release facility should remain part of the discussion.
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The Pulaski County Commissioners have hired a contractor to remove a large ash tree by the Annex Building. They officially approved a $2,000 bid from LeRoy’s Tree Service Monday. It was the only bid the county received.
Continue readingThe Pulaski County Commissioners are reconsidering the outsourcing of lawn care and snow removal at certain county properties. On Monday, they voted to turn the snow removal back over to the County Maintenance Department.
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Pulaski County officially has a new maintenance director. The county commissioners appointed Mia Salyers to the position Tuesday.
Continue readingRecycling options for Winamac residents will be discussed during this morning’s Pulaski County Commissioners meeting. The town council recently decided to discontinue recycling pickup.
Continue readingThe Pulaski County Commissioners may appoint a new maintenance director tonight. Jeff Johnston stepped down from the position last month to take another job elsewhere, as county officials continue debating the future of the courthouse.
Continue readingPulaski County is looking for a new maintenance director. Jeff Johnston stepped down from the position last Friday to take another job elsewhere, according to the county commissioners.
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Pulaski County is seeking bids for lawn care services. For the past year, the county has contracted mowing at certain county properties out to TK Lawn Services. Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the county commissioners last week that the company is willing to continue for another year at the same price.
Continue readingThe new space for the Pulaski County Coroner’s Office is almost complete. Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the county commissioners Monday that he was looking to move the morgue into the West Annex by the end of this week.
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The Save the Pulaski County Courthouse group is ready to get to work to find ways to meet the county government’s current needs without tearing down the historic building. That’s what group member Michael Beach told the county commissioners Monday. “We’re going to try to get a little bit more organized, have a little more meetings, and be a little more proactive,” he said, “but it’s not about just saying, ‘Don’t do it,’ and then we walk away. I think we can help.” Beach asked county officials to take time to do a fuller analysis before making any decisions.
Continue readingThe Pulaski County Commissioners will hear from a representative of the Save the Courthouse group tonight. The group formed after county officials unveiled a proposal last month to demolish the county’s 123-year-old courthouse and replace it with an addition to the Justice Center. At the time, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston said the plan would address security and accessibility concerns, as well as a number of other issues, at about a third of the cost of renovating and expanding the existing courthouse.
Continue readingThe Pulaski County Courthouse elevator should finally be ready for use tomorrow. “The state inspector will be here on Thursday, inspect the elevator,” Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the county council and commissioners Monday. “The elevator will be operational Thursday afternoon, I’m hoping.”
Pulaski County’s 123-year-old courthouse would be torn down and replaced by a parking lot and memorial park, under the county’s latest facilities proposal. During Monday’s joint county council and commissioners meeting, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston publicly unveiled a four-phase plan designed to address security, ADA compliance, and a number of other concerns with the county’s government buildings.
More details about proposed renovations to Pulaski County’s government offices are expected to be revealed during tonight’s joint county council and commissioners meeting. Back in October, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston unveiled a plan to improve the accessibility, security, efficiency, and usability of the county’s buildings, all within a three-year period. He said the plan would include a security checkpoint at the courthouse, full ADA compliance, and a 50-to-75-percent reduction in utility costs.
Pulaski County officials are hopeful that the courthouse’s new elevator will be ready in time for Monday’s county commissioners meeting, in spite of a last-minute hiccup. Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston says a fire alarm issue means the elevator probably won’t be in service by tomorrow, as previously announced. But the contractor says it should still be ready for Monday, according to Johnston. He adds that crews are working diligently to get it done.
A couple lawsuits against Pulaski County were briefly addressed by the county attorney, during Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting. One of them is a federal class action lawsuit alleging a lack of accessibility in the county courthouse for people with disabilities and mobility issues. Continue reading
The courthouse in Pulaski County is in need of extensive repairs.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston presented the Pulaski County Commissioners and the Pulaski County Council members with a long list of exterior and interior issues that need to be addressed soon. Johnston covered structural needs including cleaning limestone, realigning dislocated stone, replacing deteriorated stone, repairing defective concrete,
carpet cleaning and repairing and sealing the north side basement entry. The uneven sidewalks also pose as tripping hazards around the courthouse. The cracks found in the cement stairs and walls around the courthouse can gather water that causes damage during the winter with the action of freezing and thawing.
Now that operations have ceased at the Pleasant View Rest Home in Winamac, officials are working to keep the building secure.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners that slide bolts with padlocks have been installed to tighten up security. Johnston asked about itemized inventory, and Commissioner Terry Young commented that a partial list has been drafted. The commissioners, Johnston, and the remaining workers at the Pleasant View Rest Home will make a list and decide what to do with those items. The commissioners talked about holding an auction to get rid of the equipment that will not be utilized by other county offices.
Pulaski County Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners last week that the opened sealed bids for the HVAC systems for the justice center were investigated to determine the reason for a large gap in pricing. Benchmark in Kokomo and McGrath Refrigeration in Knox both submitted sealed bids.
“I looked at this pretty in-depth and I can’t find a reason for it,” said Johnston. “It seems to me that McGrath’s is the way to go. Their units are comparable. It’s also practically half the cost. It would be my recommendation to go with $74,467 for the HVAC units as opposed to $135,000.”
