The Pulaski County Council discussed Monday night, at length, the number of military vehicles in possession in the county and their use.
Sheriff Michael Gayer was asked about the county highway department’s use of dump trucks acquired from the military. Sheriff Gayer said it’s not illegal for the county highway to use those trucks after two years of acquisition.
One piece of good news that parents and students will like for the next school year at West Central schools is the book rental prices at the corporation will not increase.
The board also discussed summer school for this year and Superintendent Charles Mellon said those classes are mainly for elementary school students.
The Pulaski County Council approved, by a majority vote of 6 to 1, Sheriff Michael Gayer’s request to transfer funds to pay for the two K9s at a cost of $25,165.38.
The payment of the K9s had to be done a different way than initially proposed but Auditor Shelia Garling, the sheriff and representatives from the State Board of accounts told the council that they could take the money out of the user fee of the law enforcement continuous education fund to the continuing education fund.
The dogs are in service with one officer and K9 working the day shift and the other officer and the K9on the night shift to give 24 hours of continuing coverage.
One of the projects that the staff at the West Central School Corporation hopes to accomplish this summer is the improvements to security at the school.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said the project has been delayed due in part in not being able to retrieve the Secured School Safety Grant money to finish the project.
In honor of the upcoming retirement of West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon, an open house is planned for next week.
Help the West Central School Corporation staff and students celebrate his career as an educator on Tuesday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the West Central School Corporation Office at 117 E. Montgomery Street in Francesville.
Mellon will leave as the superintendent of West Central Schools on Monday, June 30. High School Principal Don Street will be taking over in that position on July 1. Patrick Culp, a 1995 graduate of West Central High School, will fill Street’s position as high school principal.
The maintenance staff at the West Central School Corporation will have their hands full with several projects this summer.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said a new telephone system is one of the larger, more expensive projects this summer. The old system is too antiquated to gather parts to fix so a new system will be installed. He added that the last phase of the football field lighting system will be complete this summer. Other smaller projects are also planned.
The West Central School Board will meet in regular session tonight where Superintendent Charles Mellon will attend his last regular meeting of the board as superintendent.
Mellon is retiring at the end of the month after many years in the position. High School Principal Don Street will be taking over as superintendent on July 1.
The board members will discuss annual routine items such as book rental fees for the next school year and summer school programs. A discussion on possession of firearms on school property is also on the agenda.
The board will meet tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on at the central office building in downtown Francesville.
As they have for the past eight years, members of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department hosted the annual memorial service on May 27 in front of the Sheriff’s Department in Winamac.
This ceremony is held to honor the memory of three fallen officers from the Pulaski County police force. The department recognized Sheriff Charles Henry Oglesby, Sheriff Milo “Mike” Lewis and Deputy Sheriff Shadron Kiley “Shad” Bassett who were all tragically lost in the line of duty. Family members received honorary license plates from the station.
The Pulaski County Commissioners will meet in special session tonight to discuss several items pertaining to the animal control office.
The commissioners will have time to openly talk about the Pulaski Animal Center and the animal control officer. The commissioners are attempting to decide which direction to take with each entity.
The Pulaski County Highway Department crew has been busy working on spring projects. Highway Superintendent Mark Fox said a lot of grading and culvert work has been done.
Commission President Larry Brady asked about the miles of roads that will be paved this summer and Fox said the winter really took a toll on roads this year.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has two new K9 officers and they’ve already been out in the field, according to Sheriff Michael Gayer.
The pair, Travis Clark and Ryan Austin plus their K9 partners, recently graduated from a six-week training course and are being called out on a regular basis.
“They deploy the K9s just about on every traffic stop that they’re involved in,” said Sheriff Gayer. “They’ve also been called out by other agencies around us requesting K9 support.”
The Eastern Pulaski School Board held a public hearing during their meeting Monday requesting an additional appropriation.
The school board approved a change from a fiscal year budget to a calendar year budget. A fiscal year budget has an operation from July 1 to June 30. With the change to a calendar budget, the school board won’t have funds to operate from July to December as the corporation makes the transition.
The Eastern Pulaski School Board signed a secondary contract for students to participate in The Crossing alternative school in Starke County. Superintendent Dan Foster said it’s a pay-as-you-go agreement.
“As we use it, we’ll pay for those students we’re sending,” said Foster. “We don’t have to commit a certain number and that’s simply right now because we’re in between locations. If they get the one going there in Starke County, and there’s one in White County, but there’s not one right here yet. It’s hard for us to commit because we may have a student that lives in the southern part of our district that could be 45 minutes to an hour to get up to Starke County. As things progress, that could certainly change.”
Veterans of all ages are invited to a free luncheon and informational session Friday, May 16 at Winamac VFW Post 1728 from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Northwest Community Action Agency, North Central Community Action and Pulaski County Human Services, Inc. are sponsoring the program. Information about assistance programs, transportation, employment, older American, veterans and nutrition services will be shared. The VFW Ladies Auxiliary is preparing lunch.
Some local fire departments are the recipients of grant money thanks to the Indiana Homeland Security Foundation.
Over $400,000 in grants were awarded to public safety agencies statewide for critical needs such as personal protective equipment, radios and technology equipment or training. Continue reading
The West Central School Board received information about The Crossing alternative school.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said Middle and High School Principal Don Street presented the information of the school which will involve Starke County students and possibly Eastern Pulaski and West Central schools.
The West Central School Board members approved the hire of a new middle school and high school principal during their meeting last week.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said the corporation is welcoming back a former graduate in this position.
The West Central School Board members approved several agenda items including the school board meeting dates, pay dates, and the budget calendar.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said there was a slight change in cafeteria prices for next school year.
“Just lunch is the only change,” explained Mellon. “The lunch price will increase by ten cents next year.”
West Central School Board members are getting ready for the next school year. Items on the agenda for their board meeting tonight include setting school breakfast and lunch prices, considering changes to the student handbook and discussion and possible adoption of a student accident insurance plan for 2014-2015. Board meeting and pay dates for the upcoming year will also be set, as will a budget calendar. Discussion and possible approval of classified staff contracts is also listed on the agenda. The board will also continue the discussion of insurance for the school corporation’s wind turbine when they meet this evening at 7:30 p.m. EDT in the board room at the school corporation office in downtown Francesville.
The Kankakee Valley boasts some of the best high schools in the state, according to recent rankings by a national publication. John Glenn High School in Walkerton ranks 17th on the 2014 U.S. News and World Report list. The magazine awarded the school silver medal. Students there have an opportunity to take advanced placement tests, and 36 percent do. Of the school’s 611 students, 85 percent are proficient in English and 84 percent are proficient in math. Knox Community High School earned a bronze medal from U.S. News and World Report. The publication notes 25 percent of the 606 students enrolled take AP courses and tests, 77 percent are proficient in English and 69 percent are proficient in Algebra. Continue reading
