Pulaski County Council Votes Down Proposal to Reestablish IT Department

Pulaski County Council: back row: Mike Tiede, Kathi Thompson, Brian Young; front row: Scott Hinkle, Rudy DeSabatine, Jay Sullivan (not pictured: Ken Boswell)

A motion to “reboot” Pulaski County’s IT Department failed during this week’s county council meeting. The county commissioners disbanded the IT Department back in July and later agreed to once again contract IT services out to DeGroot Technology. But that arrangement has drawn concern from some council members and IT professionals, specifically when it comes to cybersecurity and larger oversight of the county’s technology systems.

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Gas Prices Expected to Continue to Go Down

The decrease in gas prices is expected to continue. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says prices have been inching lower, following a spike during the attacks in Saudi Arabia. “The statewide average in Indiana is down about five cents a gallon in the last week,” DeHaan says. “It stands at $2.51. That’s about 50 cents lower than last year.”

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INDOT Offering Scholarships, Paid Jobs to Civil Engineering Students

Civil engineering students can get help paying for college, as well as a paid job, from the Indiana Department of Transportation. INDOT’s scholarship program gives students $3,125 per semester for up to five years for educational costs, fees, and books to learn about the heat treatment. In return, they’ll be expected to work for INDOT full-time during summer breaks and for a certain amount of time after graduation. Funding for the program comes from the federal government.

To qualify, INDOT says students must be accepted or enrolled full-time in one of the state’s certified engineering schools, such as Purdue University, Valparaiso University, or the University of Notre Dame. Applications for the 2020-2021 school year are due by December 31.

Wellman said the form was turned in a little late, however Auditor Rachel Oesterreich noted that the form was mailed on the correct date due, but the council met in the morning that day and it arrived later in the day. If the council had met during their regular time it would have been reviewed that day. The council had moved several meetings to a morning timeframe due to the pandemic.

Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Larry Wickert added that he checked with the recorder who stated the forms looked like they were properly filled out and they were on time.

After the explanation and further review of the paperwork, the council approved the CF-1 as presented with a unanimous vote and found the company to be in compliance.

Wellman said that she’s proud to say that all of the employees there in North Judson are still working, but a major trade show had to be canceled at the facility due to the coronavirus. The sign shop, OTES, is also in good order.

Information about how to apply can be found at INDOTScholarship.IN.gov.

Pulaski County Council Votes to Cut Microfilm Department, CDC Project Coordinator

Pulaski County Council members review 2020 budget proposal Monday

Two Pulaski County employees would lose their jobs and one county department would be eliminated entirely, under the county council’s current budget proposal. Council members voted four-to-three Monday to cut all funding for the Microfilm Department out of the 2020 budget, presumably eliminating Janet Onken’s position.

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Woman Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Bring Drugs into Westville Correctional Facility

A Kosciusko County woman was arrested for allegedly trying to bring drugs into the Westville Correctional Facility over the weekend. Investigators with the Indiana Department of Correction believe Rita Sellers, 46, of Silver Lake, was attempting to traffic drugs while visiting an offender on Saturday. The investigation turned up what officers suspect to be Suboxone, a prescription drug used to treat people who are dependent on opioids.

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Pulaski County Council to Continue Working on 2019 Budget Tonight

Pulaski County Council: back row: Mike Tiede, Kathi Thompson, Brian Young; front row: Scott Hinkle, Rudy DeSabatine, Jay Sullivan (not pictured: Ken Boswell)

The Pulaski County Council will continue working on the county’s 2020 budget tonight. Council members have begun suggesting significant cuts, but more specifics still need to be worked out before the budget is ready for adoption on October 14.

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Engineer Offers to Work on Updating Hamlet’s Zoning Map

The Hamlet Town Council is moving ahead with updates to the town’s zoning map. The idea was first raised during this month’s zoning board meeting, when town officials noticed that the 2005 zoning map didn’t reflect the way much of the land is actually being used, with several homes being zoned for local business. The map also leaves off the storage facility north of U.S. 30 that has been annexed into the town.

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Pulaski County Council Member Creates List of Cost Saving Ideas for Commissioners

As Pulaski County’s budget discussions continue, one county council member has come up with a list of ideas for the county commissioners to explore that might cut costs and increase revenue. Kathi Thompson presented her discussion points during Monday’s special council meeting, with all three commissioners in attendance.

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