Pulaski County Council to Consider Hiring Outside Help with Adjusting Tax Structure

The Pulaski County Council is not likely to address issues with its local income tax structure in time to have an impact on the 2019 budget. A sudden drop in revenues from the “LIT Levy Freeze” tax was brought to the county council’s attention in September of 2017. In the months that followed, there were some discussions about working with an accounting firm to address the issues, but little progress was made.

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Pulaski County Council May Look at Property Taxes to Resolve Budget Shortfalls

The Pulaski County Council is working to make sure the maintenance department has enough money to pay its part-time employees through the end of the year. Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston reminded council members Monday that they’d cut money for part-time pay when they put together this year’s budget. “You guys, at that time, told me to come back halfway through the year and request enough to cover the rest of the year,” he explained. “It’s for $30,016 for Part-Time Help.”

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Pulaski Council Votes to Correct Improper Payment Made to Highway Department Employees

Confusion about checks paid to two Pulaski County Highway Department employees led to a heated debate during last week’s county council meeting. The first had to do with $2,500 paid to Secretary Jessica Rausch for her duties as asset management coordinator. Last month, council members agreed to transfer that amount into the department’s asset management services line item. Auditor Laura Wheeler then apparently paid the money to Rausch as part of her paycheck. She asked council members last week to adjust the salary ordinance accordingly.

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Pulaski Commissioners Schedule Hearing for Upcoming Deed Sale, Make Appointments

Pulaski County Commissioners: Mike McClure, Jerry Locke, Kenny Becker

The Pulaski County Commissioners are planning to auction some county-owned land. They’re looking to hold a commissioners deed sale on August 1, but before that, they’ll hold a public hearing to set a minimum price and officially schedule the auction. The public hearing will take place Monday, June 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the Pulaski County Highway Garage, before the commissioners’ joint meeting with the county council.

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Pulaski County Council Decides Not to Proceed with Additional Funding for Human Services

Pulaski County Human Services will not be getting a funding boost from the county. Executive Director Jacki Frain asked the county council last week for another $10,000, after the organization was only budgeted to get $30,000 in county funding this year. While that’s the same amount that Human Services got last year, Frain said it’s about $15,000 less than what it traditionally got in the past.

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Work Session Scheduled to Help Resolve Pulaski County’s Salary Matrix Issues

Pulaski County officials hope to put an end to the confusion surrounding the county’s salary matrix, during a joint work session next week. The idea was raised during Monday’s county council and commissioners meetings. Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff and Sheriff Jeff Richwine again asked for guidance on a couple ongoing salary issues, but the council’s matrix committee still hadn’t met yet to discuss them. Council member Scott Hinkle suggested that the discussion take place with the full council and board of commissioners, instead.

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Pulaski Council Updated on Courthouse Elevator Replacement, Lawn Care and Snow Removal Costs

Preparations continue for the replacement of the Pulaski County Courthouse elevator. Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston told the county council Monday the project is going well. “All the material has been ordered,” he said. “The demolition is going to actually begin the end of this month, the last week of this month.”

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Pulaski Council Considers Raises for Sheriff’s Office, CDC, As Salary Matrix Confusion Continues

Employees in the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office and Community Development Commission may soon be getting raises, as the county council tries to resolve issues with the county’s salary matrix. One problem has to do with Sheriff Jeff Richwine’s salary. He told council members Monday that state statute requires his salary to be at least half that of the county prosecutor, but it’s now below that threshold since the prosecutor got a raise last year.

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Pulaski County Council Considers Additional Appropriations for Court-Appointed Attorney Costs

The cost of providing court-appointed personal injury lawyers is adding up for Pulaski County. The county council Monday approved an additional appropriation of $15,000 for Pauper Council in Superior Court and $30,000 for Pauper Counsel in Circuit Court. But before those appropriations were even finalized, council members got requests for even more money.

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Pulaski County Recycling Center Seeks Grant Money for Repairs

Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Ed Clark of the Pulaski County Recycling Center approached the county commissioners yesterday, seeking approval of a $20,000 grant for the recycling center. The grant, which is actually the second installment of a $40,000 grant that is received each year, can be transferred to the recycling center at the discretion of the commissioners and the recycling center manager. The other half goes to fuel, tire repairs and other expenses. Clark said that there are several problems that the recycling center needs to fix, and the $20,000 would go to repairing these issues.

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