Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede
Ed Clark of the Pulaski County Recycling Center has announced his intent to approach the county council to request funding for repairs on the transfer station. According to Clark, a number of emergency repairs were recently performed at the transfer station, including repairs on cylinders that had been leaking oil since October.
Commissioner Ken Boswell told Clark that because they had known the equipment was in need of repair since October, regular maintenance should have been performed and the equipment should have been repaired prior to becoming an emergency situation.
Students at the West Central School Corporation will be engaged in testing this month. Superintendent Charles Mellon talks about what tests will be administered.
“We have a full slate of ISTEP and I think we have acuity testing also in March,” said Mellon. “We also have the IREAD test which will be most interesting this year. This is the year that if you’re not reading a grade level by the end of the third grade, then you have to retake the test after some remediation and if you still do not pass it after the second test, you then have to take the same third grade IREAD test the following year. So, your instruction is then a year behind.”
The IREAD results are expected back to the corporation in April.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Ralph T. Cummins, Wendy Hoppe, and Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac
Bad news for the Starke County Fireworks: the town of North Judson will be unable to provide monetary support for the event. According to Henry, the board contacted the State Board of Accounts and were told there are a significant number of conditions that must be met, including the adoption of a town ordinance indicating what any fundraisers would support. Ultimately, the board decided that they will be unable to provide the support.
A new banner will fly above the Highland Cemetery in North Judson, informing passersby that the cleanup of decorations should be completed by April 15 in order for the mowing crew to mow the cemetery without the risk of damaging any decorations. Previously, the town would only put advertisements in local media such as newspapers and radio, but the banner will help inform the public of the deadline to remove decorations.
The individual to handle the mowing of the cemetery is still unknown, as the man who previously handled the mowing has told the board that he will be unable to keep the same cost as last year to handle the mowing due to rising fuel costs. As a result, the town board must receive sealed bids for the mowing and decide to whom to award the bid.
A Plymouth man was arrested after Knox City Police conducted a search warrant at the Super Value Inn in Knox.
Officers obtained information yesterday morning that 41-year-old Johnny Whitt, Jr. was purchasing items used to make methamphetamine at a local store. Later that morning, officers conducted a traffic stop where Whitt was found to be in possession of items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. They learned that Whitt had been staying at the Super Value Inn and requested a search warrant at that location which was granted.
Starke County Commissioners: Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom and Jennifer Davis
Starke County Auditor Kay Chaffins has asked Starke County Highway Department Superintendent Steve Siddall for an accounting of all scrap metal items sold at the garage. She said her records showed there hasn’t been an accounting of these sales since 2008.
She passed out a December article from New Albany, Indiana at this week’s Starke County Commissioners meeting that stated the State Board of Accounts had released its investigation into the Floyd County Highway Department which concluded that over $11,000 in receipts were not accounted for from 2006 until the end of 2011. The report also concluded that more than $5,000 was deposited into a private account by the department’s head.
Starke County Interim Treasurer, Kasey Clark, told Starke County officials this week that a number of banks have been contacted and lined up to take tax payments.
“We have seven locations including the Bank of Indiana in Hamlet, the Bank of Monterey in Monterey and the Bank of Monterey in North Judson, the Bank of Indiana in North Judson, 1st Source Bank in Knox, the First Farmers Bank of Knox, and the DeMotte State Bank. Everyone will be able to drop off their payments there and be sure to leave a self-addressed stamped envelope. We will mail them a receipt. This will help process the payments quicker and won’t hold them up in the Treasurer’s office.” said Kasey.
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede
Retired State Trooper Cathy Fritz approached the Pulaski County Commissioners this week with a proposal to handle the county’s drug testing. Currently, the CDL-licensed drivers are required by the state of to be tested for drug use, and Fritz says she is willing to handle this testing at a lower cost than the county’s current provider, Indiana Testing.
With the price of gas slowly increasing, there could be a chance that desperate people could be siphoning fuel out of your gas tank. Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said there have been isolated siphoning incidents in the area.
“I know, in particular, a mobile saw mill had several hundred gallons of diesel fuel stolen from their tank over a weekend and that was probably a direct consequence of the rising gas prices,” said Sheriff Gayer.
Fearful it may not be safe to operate, Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall has locked the boom truck. The truck, a 1998 model, is due for inspection.
Siddall discussed the cost of inspection with the County Commissioners this week.
“Just to get the boom truck up and running will cost the county $13,542.38 for an inspection,” said Siddall.
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Ralph T. Cummins, Wendy Hoppe, and Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac
North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry told WKVI that three sealed bids to handle the town’s trash service were opened at the recent town board meeting. Key Waste – Indiana Partnership, Veoloia, and Richard’s Disposal submitted bids, with Key Waste’s bid being the lowest at $77,310 for the year. Henry says the town attorney will review the bids, and upon her approval, the bid will be awarded at the next town meeting on March 19th.
Pulaski County is right on the heels of Starke County in approving an agreement with the state to share its GIS information in return for $2000 to fund the GIS agreement with WTH Technology. According to Starke County IT Director Joe Short, the GIS information to be shared with the state contains no personal information, only geographic data.
The cost of the GIS agreement is only $1500, leaving $500 left over to be spent on the GIS system however the counties see fit. Currently, 86 counties throughout Indiana participate in the program, and Starke and Pulaski Counties are now a part of the program.
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa reported to the School Board this week that he attended a presentation by the Fostering Accuracy Involvement and Responsibility (FAIR) non-profit organization.
West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon told the Board that the State will no longer provide a list of textbooks for adoption for schools. He explains that decision.
“It just turned over to a local decision,” said Mr. Mellon. “They’re not going to be having teachers come together to evaluate books and what fits the core standards. You’re supposed to be doing that at the local level. It’s a transfer of responsibility and along with that, that takes away the waiver where if you wanted to use a book that wasn’t on the list, you always had to apply for a waiver and state the reasons why this was something that fit your curriculum. The only thing they left in there was the fees. You can still charge twenty-five percent of the cost of the book for each of the first six years and then it’s back to fifteen percent if you continue using that book.”
Two Monon residents were arrested after a traffic stop on U.S. 421 and County Road 300 South.
Pulaski County police say they asked Tammy Mason to exit her vehicle and she was unsteady on her feet. She had to brace herself on the vehicle to walk and talk to police. She agreed to participate in several sobriety tests which she reportedly failed. She also reportedly submitted to a Portable Breath Test which registered .194 BAC. She was arrested on preliminary charges of Operating While Intoxicated with a BAC of .15% or greater, and Operating While Intoxicated-Endangering, both misdemeanor charges.
A Francesville man was arrested on Saturday, March 3rd, after he drove a car into a house
Police were called to the accident site and the caller said the driver was trying to walk away from the vehicle. Police found the vehicle to have heavy front-end damage and rear damage. The windshield had a spider web crack which indicated the driver was not restrained and hit the windshield. The house also sustained damage.
Amanda Meyer, Outreach Specialist for the Office of the Indiana Attorney General will present a program on fraud prevention at a workshop in Knox March 15th. The 12:30 p.m. meeting will be held at the Community Services of Starke County Building located at 311 E. Culver Road in Knox.
State Representative Douglas Gutwein (R-Francesville) has co-authored a resolution that urges the Indiana General Assembly to fly the POW/MIA flag in both the House and Senate chambers. The resolution passed unanimously in the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The black and white POW/MIA flag is a symbol of efforts to fully resolve the fates of Americans held prisoner or missing in action. The design features a silhouette of a soldier before an implied prison camp and the words “you are not forgotten” underneath.
In his presentation, Gutwein recalled the story of Chief Warrant Officer George Andrew (Andy) Howes, a helicopter pilot from Starke County stationed in South Vietnam in 1970. After a mission over mountainous terrain and dense jungles, Howes and the other personnel on board did not return. With the advancements of technology, Howes’ partial remains were identified by DNA samples taken from his siblings.
Ted Hayes accepts the Freedom of the Road Award from Ernie Brewer
WKVI Radio was recently presented the prestigious “Freedom of the Road” award by ABATE of Indiana. The presentation was made at the WKVI studio with local ABATE officer, Ernie Brewer, presenting the plaque to Ted Hayes.
In accepting the award, Ted commented on how proud he was that the station was involved with such a worthwhile group, and pledged to help promote the club’s activities in the future.
Tiffany Townsend, EMS Director Paul Mathewson and Jennifer Kelly
EMS Director Paul Mathewson introduced two new paramedics to the county commissioners this week: Jennifer Kelly, a paramedic from Laporte County, and Tiffany Townsend, an ALS-certified paramedic whose skills will come in heavy use with the new certification.
Mathewson told the commissioners that the necessity of ALS is not determined until the paramedics arrive on the scene of a call and, based on symptoms and other indicators, pronounce the subject to have a need of Advanced Life Support. Mathewson said that these indicators can range from skin color to profuse sweating.
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede
Another slight hiccup in the Monterey Bridge project was brought before the Pulaski County Commissioners yesterday, as Jeff Larrison from United Consulting announced a small slip of land would cost the county $329 more than previously expected.
The commissioners previously agreed to offer the landowners $900 for a small, previously overlooked sliver of land near the riverbank, but the landowners have countered with a request for $1229. Larrison explained that the increased cost comes from the landowners’ desire to sell the entire parcel of land, rather than a significant chunk.
