Pulaski County officials are researching the possibility of outsourcing the county’s payroll and time clocks. Auditor Laura Wheeler told the county commissioners last week that the county currently pays $25,000 a year for its 11 time clocks.
Pulaski County Commissioners Agree to Let Judge Shurn Keep Cell Phone Number, Email Address
Pulaski Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn will be allowed to keep his county-issued email address and cell phone number once he retires at the end of the year. The county commissioners approved the arrangement Monday, on the condition that Shurn cover all the associated costs in the future. Commissioner Kenny Becker said the county’s IT director will have to work on separating Shurn’s phone and email from the county’s billing.
Pulaski County Commissioners Approve Quote for Replacement of Justice Center Fire Alarm System
The replacement of the fire alarm system in the Pulaski County Justice Center will cost a bit less than originally thought. The county council had agreed to budget $39,000 for the project, based on the initial quote that Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston received.
Pulaski County EMS to Explore Ambulance Lease Options
The Pulaski County Commissioners have decided not to put more money into an ambulance that’s set to be replaced next year. EMS Director Bryan Corn told the commissioners Monday that the department’s oldest ambulance, a 2008 Ford which has had numerous problems over the years, is once again out of service.
Pulaski County Courthouse Elevator to be Ready for Use by End of October
The Pulaski County Courthouse elevator will be ready for use by the end of the month. “The construction will be absolutely complete by the 15th and then two weeks for the inspection,” Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston told the county commissioners Monday. That means that starting in November, the county council and commissioners meetings will be back in the courthouse.
Pulaski County Commissioners Approve Ban on Commercial Wind Turbines
Commercial wind turbines are now banned in Pulaski County. The county commissioners Monday approved an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance that prohibits commercial wind energy convergence systems within the county’s zoning jurisdiction.
Pulaski County Commissioners to Vote on Commercial Wind Turbine Ban Tonight
The Pulaski County Commissioners will decide tonight whether to ban commercial wind turbines. The updated wind turbine regulations head back to the commissioners tonight, after the county’s advisory plan commission agreed last week to some language adjustments the commissioners had recommended. Under the updated proposal, landowners would still be allowed to build noncommercial and micro wind energy convergence systems in certain areas.
Pulaski County Plan Commission Recommends Repealing County’s Campaign Sign Rules
Pulaski County’s regulations on campaign signs are a step closer to officially being repealed. On Monday, the plan commission voted to recommend removing the “special signs” portion of the Unified Development Ordinance. Members generally agreed to the change back in April, but hadn’t taken a formal vote.
Pulaski County Building, Health Departments Seeking Support for Rental Property Inspection Program
Pulaski County officials continue working on implementing a rental property inspection program, but exactly how to do that was a topic of discussion during Monday’s plan commission meeting. Director of Environmental Health Terri Hansen told members that she and Building Inspector Doug Hoover are repeatedly called to the same rental units, due to complaints about their condition. “It’s really sad when you see the kids, you guys,” she said. “They don’t want to live like that. It’s terrible. Makes you sick.”
Pulaski County Plan Commission Accepts Suggested Changes to Proposed Wind Turbine Ban
Pulaski County’s proposed wind turbine ban took another step forward Monday. The advisory plan commission voted to accept the list of suggested amendments that the county commissioners sent back in response to its initial recommendation.
Pulaski County Building Inspector Requests Funding for Full-Time Assistant
Pulaski County Building Inspector Doug Hoover is urging the county council to upgrade his assistant to full-time status. “We’ve got a person that deals with money, does everything with the computer, has got real estate license, got many different things, and you know what? The janitor that pushes a broom makes one dollar more than she does,” Hoover told council members during last week’s public hearing on the 2019 budget. “I’m not very pleased with that.”
Proposed Wind Turbine Ban Heads Back to Pulaski County Plan Commission Tonight
Pulaski County’s proposed wind turbine ban may move a step closer to reality tonight. The advisory plan commission will consider the county commissioners’ list of suggested changes to its recommendation to ban wind energy convergence systems.
Winamac Aero Modelers Field Insurance Discussed by Pulaski County Commissioners
Pulaski County is working to resolve some insurance issues with the Winamac Aero Modelers Field. Gene Timm discussed the issue with the county commissioners last week. “That organization had asked to see if the county could carry the liability and then they would reimburse the county,” he said. “That won’t work. They’ve got to have their own because that’s their function.”
Winamac Ambulance Garage Expansion Plans Getting Back on Track
Pulaski County’s ambulances may finally be getting more space in the near future. During last month’s budget discussions, the county council directed EMS Director Bryan Corn to start working on expansion plans for the Winamac ambulance garage.
Pulaski County Commissioners Appoint Temporary Veterans Service Officer
The Pulaski County Commissioners have decided to appoint a temporary veterans service officer. Commissioner Kenny Becker suggested Monday that someone be put in place to fill in for Ed Fleury. “He’s had an operation,” Becker explained. “He’s going through some therapy. I think we need a temporary.”
Pulaski County Commissioners to Meet this Morning
The Pulaski County Commissioners will discuss a WorkOne/INDOT contract with Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff during this morning’s meeting. They’ll also discuss insurance policies with Gene Timm. EMS Director Bryan Corn and Sheriff Jeff Richwine will give their regular updates.
Pulaski County Council, Commissioners Approve Vehicle Purchase for Prosecutor’s Office
The Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office is getting a new investigator vehicle. Prosecutor Dan Murphy plans to get a 2019 Dodge Charger from Braun. “We’ll have about a $12,000 discount buying it through that program that the State Police use for vehicles,” Murphy told the county council Monday. Once the discount, trade-in, and the addition of a police package are taken into account, the final cost is around $26,400.
Pulaski County EMS Staff Put on County Salary Matrix, Despite Opposition
Some members of Pulaski County’s EMS staff are getting significant pay raises, following a salary matrix update approved by the county council Monday. That was in spite of some harsh criticism from EMS Director Bryan Corn. “Before you vote, I just want to ask you guys, each and every one of you, do you guys fully understand and are you guys fully okay with what’s going to happen when you do this?” he asked council members.
State May Be Looking to Crack Down on Courthouse Security, Judge Tells Pulaski Council
If Pulaski County doesn’t take action to secure its court system, the state may decide to step in. That’s what Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn told the county council Monday. “The Supreme Court promulgates what we call administrative rules,” he explained. “Security’s always been in the administrative rules. And they had a committee that suggested ‘should’ in some of the stuff. And the board which controls all of the judges sent to the Supreme Court the rule I gave you, which was created by the committee, again, with revisions, and it said ‘It shall,’ not ‘should.’”
Pulaski County Commissioners Agree to Replacement of Justice Center Fire Alarm System in 2019
The Pulaski County Justice Center will get a new fire alarm system next year. Last week, the county commissioners agreed to let Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston proceed with the project. He told them that the county council has agreed to earmark $39,000 in the 2019 budget, but he’s still trying to get another quote to possibly bring that cost down.
