Pulaski County’s General Election results were officially certified by the county election board last week. Lynn Wilder with the Clerk’s Office says the process is mainly a formality, since the necessary paperwork had already been submitted to the state. As part of the certification process, Wilder says the board members signed a printout of the election results, which then has to be kept in the county’s records for a certain period of time.
Knox school employees are getting a pay raise. Earlier this month, the school board approved a base salary increase for teachers. Last week, board members did the same for the rest of the staff.
An updated hazardous material emergency response plan was approved by the Pulaski County Commissioners last week. Emergency Management Agency Director Sheri Gaillard said the plan is almost the same as last year’s version. “The only additions to it or changes to it were training dates for hazardous material,” she explained, “and the Winamac fire chief and the Francesville fire chief were changed.”
Pulaski County Republicans have a vacancy to fill, following the death of County Clerk Christi Hoffa. Hoffa passed away Tuesday night on her 38th birthday, after a battle with leukemia.
A Winamac couple’s gift to local emergency responders will help save lives for years to come. Pulaski County EMS Director Bryan Corn says he’ll be able to purchase two automated CPR devices, thanks to the $30,000 the department got from the Henry and Alice Mooi revocable trust.
Knox Middle School will be getting a new “maker space,” thanks to a $25,000 grant from the 1st Source Foundation. 1st Source representatives formally presented a check to Principal Jake Skelly during Tuesday’s school board meeting.
Oregon-Davis High School students will be able to take Aviation or AP Art classes next school year. The school board finalized the 2019-2020 Course Description Guide Monday. The new aviation courses will be based at Plymouth Municipal Airport and will be available to high students throughout the local area through the North Central Area Vocational Cooperative.
The manufacturer moving into the old Anvil & Saw property on Pulaski County Road 200 South is on track to get a $200,000 loan from the county. The county commissioners conditionally approved a revolving loan request Monday from IBC Thermoplastics.
Oregon-Davis teachers will see an increase in their retirement benefits and changes to the sick day policy, as part of the 2018-2019 Master Teacher Agreement approved by the school board Monday. The school corporation is increasing its annual contribution to qualifying teachers’ 401a plans from $400 to $500, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman.
The Knox School Board will consider the 2019-2020 school calendar tonight.
Unemployment is up in Starke County. The county saw a 4.1-percent unemployment rate in October, according to the latest report from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. That’s up from 3.6 percent in September and 3.7 percent in October of 2017.
A Knox man was arrested early Monday morning, after he allegedly failed to pull over for Marshall County Police. Officers say that just after 2:00 a.m., they got a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 3500 block of Olive Road in Marshall County.
Hamlet officials are starting to revise their plans for Railroad Street upgrades. The town council previously decided to wait until January to apply for a Community Crossings matching grant, amid concerns about how to fairly reduce the scope of the project once the initial bids were opened.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is looking to finalize a couple of contracts. An agreement with Motorola for new body cameras, portable radios, and other equipment was approved by the county commissioners earlier this month. Auditor Laura Wheeler told the county council last week that she needs to know where exactly the money is coming from, before the paperwork may be finalized.
The Pulaski County Commissioners will get updates from several department heads when they meet this morning. Outgoing EMS Director Bryan Corn is expected to give his monthly report. He and the commissioners will likely continue their discussion of possibly renting or leasing an ambulance.
Teacher contracts will be up for approval when the Oregon-Davis School Board meets tonight. Members will vote on the 2018-2019 Master Teacher Agreement, according to the advance meeting agenda.
Higher-than-expected phone bills are causing some challenges for Pulaski County.
Auditor Laura Wheeler told the county council Tuesday that the bill for office phones has come in $20,000 over the county’s phone budget for the year. “They’ve gone over for the last two years,” she said. “I think IT is looking into getting something changed on that, so it drops.”
Hamlet’s new utility workers are settling into their jobs. Water Operator Jason Cox told the town council Wednesday that he’s diving into the town’s water system. “For the most part, it’s a pretty simple system,” he said. “Everything seems to be, for the most part, operating pretty smoothly.”
