Outraged Pulaski County Farmers Beat Out Irrigation Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Farmers in Pulaski County once again voiced their outrage to a previously-drafted ordinance prohibiting the spray of water from irrigation system end-guns onto roads. The concerned residents filled the county commissioners’ meeting room in the courthouse on Monday to express their opposition to the ordinance, which they claim is detrimental to their livelihood and singles out farmers.

The ordinance was originally drafted by the commissioners because of complaints from irritated taxpayers who had driven beneath a stream of water from irrigation systems. More than one person complained that they had been driving a motorcycle or convertible and had gotten drenched from the water spraying onto the road, and the commissioners felt that the ordinance was necessary to prevent an accident in the future.

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Ramp May Soon Be Installed Near Pulaski County EMA Garage

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

In an effort to make it easier on their vehicles, Pulaski County EMA Director Larry Hoover requested a ramp be installed in front of the museum garage in which they park their equipment.

County Maintenance Director Morry Demarco told the commissioners this week that Hoover approached him and asked about the possibility of installing the ramp, and Demarco said his department could handle the effort but would require permission from the commissioners to proceed. Demarco said a pipe would need to be installed beneath the ramp to allow water to flow through, but the installation of the ramp would allow vehicles to park in the garage without having to climb over an eight-inch curb.

Commissioner Mike Tiede asked if Demarco could use bridge planks instead of concrete to save money, and Demarco said he will check into it. He also said he will look into the possibility of dumping rock near the curb and coating it in asphalt as an easier solution.

Pulaski County Bell Tower Worsens With Each Toll Of The Bell

Posted on Author WKVI
Mortar has crumbled in the Pulaski County Courthouse bell and clock tower

Pulaski County Maintenance Director Morry Demarco told the commissioners this week that with each toll of the Pulaski County Courthouse bell, mortar crumbles from between the bricks, and he is anxious to get the bell tower fixed.

Demarco says that he’d like to get the bid awarded and have the tower fixed as soon as possible to prevent any further damage, but because of a large variance in the prices of the bids presented, the commissioners requested that he speak with the bidders to ensure they understand the scope of work.

The bid prices ranged from as low as $7000 to as high as $16,000, and Demarco said that he will speak to the bidders and have them break down their prices. He says it’s very important that the work be done right. Because of the age of the structure, the mortar must be replaced with a similar mix to prevent any damage to the delicate bricks.

Concerned Pulaski County Residents Voice Opposition to Irrigation Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

More than 50 farmers and community members attended Monday’s meeting of the Pulaski County Commissioners to voice their opposition to a drafted ordinance preventing irrigation systems from spraying on the road.

The commissioners had the ordinance drafted after receiving a number of complaints from drivers who claimed to have been sprayed heavily by irrigation systems while traveling on motorcycles or in convertibles, and Commissioner Kenneth Boswell said they were being proactive with this ordinance to prevent high-pressure sprays from causing any traffic accidents.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Authorize Drafting of Drug Testing Policy

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Pulaski County employees who are responsible for driving county-owned vehicles will soon have an added incentive to stay away from drugs and alcohol, as the commissioners this week authorized Cathy Fritz of Cathy Fritz Consulting to draft a drug testing policy to ensure the county meets federal guidelines for employees operating their vehicles.

Fritz told the commissioners she would charge $150 for a 30-page policy which conforms to the strict guidelines in place by the Department of Transportation regarding drug testing. She warned the commissioners that the county would be subject to audit to ensure they are in accordance with their guidelines, but did say that it is unlikely unless an accident were to occur.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Receive Update on Bridge 291

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Jeff Larrison of United Consulting gave the Pulaski County Commissioners an update on the Bridge 291 project.

According to Larrison, INDOT will issue credit for up to 50 percent of the county’s 20 percent match for the project, bringing back $345,000 to the county. Larrison also told the commissioners that they will have to pay some of that money to businesses that have to move because of the bridge construction, including $8400 for reestablishment of the business and up to $13,000 for moving expenses, as some businesses have heavy equipment that must be moved. The business owners will have to submit invoices to ensure the money is spent correctly.

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Pulaski County Human Services Needs A “Shot In The Arm”

Posted on Author WKVI
Jackie Frain
Jackie Frain

Pulaski County Human Services Director Jackie Frain recently approached the county commissioners humbly requesting funds to keep the organization afloat. Frain says that another budget cut is on its way in July, and they’re already struggling to stay above water. She said that her oganization has not requested money from the commissioners in eight years because they were previously able to raise funds and receive grants to cover what shortfalls they had, but with the additional budget cut on its way down, she fears the worst.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Approve Recycling Center Truck Repair

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

A $3,000 repair bill for a pickup truck was approved by the Pulaski County Commissioners this week for the county recycling center. According to Recycling Center Director Ed Clark, the Dodge truck’s motor needed rebuilt and he presented three bids for the repair.

The bids each came with three-year warranties for the motor, but the commissioners chose the lowest bid from Allen’s Automotive with the help of Offroad Power Products. The $3,160 expense was approved and will be paid from the recycling center’s equipment repair fund, pending council approval.

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Pulaski County Commissioners OK Shovel Ready Support

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Nathan Origer of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission approached the county commissioners this week to request permission to purchase a manual covering building codes and other information for the Planning Commission. According to Origer, the money is available in the Planning Commission budget, and it can be appropriated to Training and Supplies to cover the cost of the manual. However, Origer says, that appropriation would require approval from the county council.

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Pulaski Commissioners Vote to Stick With Local Testing

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

The Pulaski County Commissioners moved to stick with their decision of allowing Cathy Fritz to conduct drug testing for the county. This comes after Brandon Williams of Indiana Testing approached the commissioners to present information about their company.

According to Williams, Indiana has been working with the Pulaski County Highway Department for 25 years, handling the testing required by the Department of Transportation. Additionally, the county is under an automatically-renewing contract with Indiana Testing to conduct drug testing for the Highway Department.

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Cathy Fritz Approved to do Drug Testing in Pulaski County

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

The Pulaski County Commissioners approved a request from former police officer, Cathy Fritz, to conduct drug testing for the employees of the county. The Commissioners asked for a list of which employees will be subject to testing. The approval of her completing the drug testing is dependent on the approval of Attorney, Kevin Tankerslee.

The Commissioners also heard from a representative from WTH Technologies to discuss the GPS system. The representative will be working on getting the map live on the internet for public viewing, plus other features. The cost to the county will be $300 per month at a cost of $3,600 a year.

Pulaski County Auditor’s Office Understaffed

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Auditor’s Office may soon find itself painfully understaffed, according to Auditor Sheila Garling. Garling says that a vital deputy has announced her resignation, and she will need to find a replacement as soon as possible. Garling says it will cost $1500 for a new employee to receive training on their software systems, and on top of that, the office expects to have a difficult time getting by while that training is conducted.

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Pulaski County Recycling Center to Request Funds From Council

Posted on Author WKVI
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.

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Pulaski County Drug Testing May be Handled Locally

Posted on Author WKVI
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.

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Monterey Bridge Project Update

Posted on Author WKVI
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.

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Equipment Problems Plaque Pulaski County Recycling Transfer Station

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

More trouble has found its way to the Pulaski County Recycling Transfer Station. Recycling Center Director Ed Clark told the Pulaski County Commissioners that the transfer station’s blade has rusted out with an estimated replacement cost of $4,000. At the same time, cylinders from their equipment have begun leaking oil, and Clark says that these cylinders need repaired immediately. A company has been hired to fix the equipment, but they have received no estimate on the repair.

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Two-Month Setback in Monterey Bridge Project

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Jeff Larrison of United Consulting and Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker told the Pulaski County Commissioners this week that they expect a delay in the construction process of the Monterey Bridge Project because of a delay with the INDOT agreement. Larrison explained that INDOT has pushed bid letting for projects throughout the state back several months and as a result, the Monterey Bridge project is expected to be let for bid in September—a two-month setback from their planned letting in July.

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Pulaski County Bell Tower in Need of Repair

Posted on Author WKVI
Mortar has crumbled in the Pulaski County Courthouse bell and clock tower

Pulaski County Maintenance Director Morry Demarco told the Commissioners this week that the bell and clock tower atop the courthouse is in pretty rough shape. According to Demarco, the tower is in need of being re-tuckpointed to reapply mortar between the bricks with an estimated repair time of up to four weeks.

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United Consulting Foots the Bill for Pulaski County

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

A slight hiccup in the Monterey Bridge project has brought with it some extra cost—but not to Pulaski County. Jeff Larrison of United Consulting told the county commissioners this week that a small sliver of land along the riverbank slipped under their radar and must be acquired before the project to continue. However, because the parcel wasn’t appraised along with the other properties or included in the right-of-way engineering, an additional cost would be incurred.

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Recycling Center Receives $20,000 for Repairs

Posted on Author WKVI

The use of $20,000 for fuel, oil, and repairs was approved for the Recycling Transfer Station by the Pulaski County Commissioners this week. Ed Clark of the recycling center approached the commissioners requesting to use that amount from a grant they had received, because of the $28,000 the center had requested from the county council, they had only received $8,000—a steep cut.

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