A Knox gun shop plans to move to Star City, thanks to some financial help from Pulaski County. The county commissioners Monday approved a $19,500 revolving loan request from G&G Guns. “He has a purchase agreement on the former LightStream Bank building in Star City, moving the gun business from his storefront on U.S. 35 in Knox,” Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer explained. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Commissioners will once again consider repealing the county’s campaign sign regulations when they meet this morning. The commissioners and the advisory plan commission have been discussing removing the “special signs” portion of the county’s Unified Development Ordinance since April, since election board members felt there were already enough rules at the state and federal level.
The Pulaski County Courthouse elevator should finally be ready for use tomorrow. “The state inspector will be here on Thursday, inspect the elevator,” Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the county council and commissioners Monday. “The elevator will be operational Thursday afternoon, I’m hoping.”
The Pulaski County Commissioners are tweaking their meeting schedule slightly in 2019. They’ll continue to meet the first and third Mondays of each month at the courthouse, but the meeting on the third Monday will now start at 8:30 a.m., instead of 8:00.
Pulaski County’s 123-year-old courthouse would be torn down and replaced by a parking lot and memorial park, under the county’s latest facilities proposal. During Monday’s joint county council and commissioners meeting, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston publicly unveiled a four-phase plan designed to address security, ADA compliance, and a number of other concerns with the county’s government buildings.
Work continues on a body camera policy for the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Jeff Richwine told the county commissioners last week that he’s begun getting requests for body camera footage, but there are laws that limit what the department may release. “It’s a kind of a nightmare,” he said. “We’re working on getting the software that we can redact all the stuff. [County Attorney] Kevin [Tankersley] read the law, I read the law, and you’re head still kind of spins.”
More details about proposed renovations to Pulaski County’s government offices are expected to be revealed during tonight’s joint county council and commissioners meeting. Back in October, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston unveiled a plan to improve the accessibility, security, efficiency, and usability of the county’s buildings, all within a three-year period. He said the plan would include a security checkpoint at the courthouse, full ADA compliance, and a 50-to-75-percent reduction in utility costs.
The Pulaski County Commissioners are still looking for a Democrat to replace Jim Thompson on the county’s advisory plan commission. No recommendations had been received by Monday’s commissioners meeting.
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services is upgrading some of its training technology and also adding Medical Facilities Management Software. The county commissioners Monday approved the purchase of the iSimulate system at a discounted price of $8,000, at the request of EMS Director Bryan Corn.
Pulaski County’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative is seeking funding for another year. The county commissioners Monday agreed to let JDAI Coordinator Natalie Federer proceed with her regular grant application.
Another ambulance-versus-deer crash will mean a repair bill of almost $10,000 for Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services. It happened the day before Thanksgiving, according to EMS Director Bryan Corn. He told the county commissioners Monday that the ambulance was on its way to a 911 call, when it hit the deer.
Pulaski County EMS Director Bryan Corn made his resignation official during Monday’s county commissioners meeting. “I did send you guys a letter,” he explained. “I’ll go ahead, and we’ll make it public. We’ll make it official. I will be resigning my position as the EMS director. That will be effective this coming Friday, December 7.”
Financing options for a new ambulance were presented to the Pulaski County Commissioners last month. Angie Deming with Republic First National out of Rochester explained that the company specializes in lease purchase agreements. “Really, a lease purchase is no different than a loan,” she explained. “The only thing that makes this program different than a loan is that a loan is going to have a fixed term; regardless of what happens here at the county, you’re required to make the payment. However, with the lease purchase plan, it has a clause that’s called a non-appropriation clause in it.”
Two Pulaski County officials will discuss their upcoming departures with the county commissioners tonight. EMS Director Bryan Corn is scheduled to discuss his resignation. He announced his intention to resign last month, but his resignation hasn’t formally been accepted by the commissioners yet. Meanwhile, outgoing Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn will discuss some end of term items.
The Pulaski County Highway Department is seeking bids for paving work, as well as a new dump truck. Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff told the county commissioners last week that he wants to have cost estimates ready for the next round of Community Crossings grants. The state program covers up to 75 percent of the cost of qualifying road work.
Disposing of items at the Pulaski County Recycling and Transfer Station will soon cost a bit more. The county commissioners approved an updated fee schedule last week, at the request of the facility’s manager Brad Bonnell.
Pulaski County has renewed some court technology agreements for 2019. Last week, the commissioners approved and signed the annual equipment and database maintenance agreements with CSI, at the request of Lynn Wilder with the Clerk’s Office. “It is $10,886 for the maintenance agreement on the equipment, which includes the servers, the scanners, and such, and the database agreement is $1,520,” she explained. “This is the same as what we’ve had previously. It’s just a renewal.”
Pulaski County is seeking a new plan commission member. Jim Thompson, who currently serves as plan commission president, is not seeking reappointment when his term expires in January. It will be up to the county commissioners to choose a replacement, preferably a Democrat.
Pulaski County is getting rid of some unused equipment. Last week, the county commissioners agreed to let Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff sell two Unimog utility vehicles at auction on December 8.
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.”
