Improvements will soon be coming to Pulaski County’s government offices. During Monday’s county council meeting, Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston announced a plan to improve accessibility, security, efficiency, and usability. “The plan itself is only in the infant stages of development, and there’s a lot of work to do before the completed plan can be presented in its entirety,” he said. Continue reading
Pulaski County Council Approves 2019 Budget, Salary Matrix But Leaves Several Issues Unresolved
The Pulaski County Council almost forgot to adopt the 2019 budget Monday. The approval finally came after more than four hours of occasionally contentious discussions but relatively little action on several budget-related items.
Pulaski County Council to Adopt 2019 Budget, Consider Tax Abatement Request
The Pulaski County Council is scheduled to adopt the county’s 2019 budget tonight, but a number of issues still have to be addressed. Assessor Holly VanDerAa has been calling for a tax increase to make up a shortfall in the county’s Reassessment budget. She says the change would reduce the need for various costs to be paid out of the county’s General Fund.
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 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.
Proposed Changes to Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputies’ Retirement Plan Presented to County Council
The Pulaski County Council got a closer look earlier this month at proposed changes to the sheriff’s deputies’ retirement plan. Actuary Stan Brown with OneAmerica explained that the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is one of about a dozen in the state that still use a 20-year maximum service plan. “So what that means is only 20 years count for any deputy’s benefit,” he explained. “If you have someone work beyond 20 years, those years don’t count in determining the monthly retirement benefit.”
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 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.”
Pulaski County Council Plans Salary Matrix Overhaul
Pulaski County’s salary matrix will soon get an overhaul. That was the promise council member Scott Hinkle gave after department heads voiced concerns during last week’s public hearing on the 2019 budget.
Pulaski County to Hold Off on Community Crossings Application Until January
The Pulaski County Highway Department apparently won’t be applying for Community Crossings funds this month.
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 Council Continues Discussing Tax Hike to Balance Reassessment Budget
A tax increase would still be needed to balance Pulaski County’s Reassessment budget, but it may not have to be as large as originally thought. Assessor Holly VanDerAa discussed several budget concerns during the county council’s public hearing on the 2019 budget Wednesday.
Pulaski County Council to Discuss Assessor’s Budget, During Tonight’s Public Budget Hearing
How to balance the Pulaski County Assessor’s budget is expected to be a topic of discussion when the county council holds its public budget hearing tonight. Assessor Holly VanDerAa has been asking council members to think about raising the reassessment tax, to help keep up with rising costs. But they had decided to wait for an analysis of the county’s finances that’s currently under consideration.
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.
Decision on Tax Abatement for former Anvil & Saw Property Delayed until October
Plans are moving ahead for a light manufacturing business to move into the old Anvil & Saw property on Pulaski County Road 200 South. But Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer told the county council Monday that the business isn’t ready to formally request a tax abatement just yet.
Monterey Library Bond Resolution Approved by Pulaski County Council
The Monterey-Tippecanoe Township Public Library will be able to issue bonds for building improvements, following the approval of the Pulaski County Council Monday. Ryan Fetters with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates said the bond issue won’t raise property taxes beyond their 2017 levels, although there will be a slight increase from the current rate.
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.
Pulaski Council to Consider Salary Update, Monterey Library Bond Resolution Tonight
The Pulaski County Council will consider a salary matrix amendment when it meets tonight. Auditor Laura Wheeler first proposed the changes back in July, following the adoption of a set of written “Matrix Rules” the month before. However, council members had questions about whether the EMS Department should be added into the matrix, and if so, how to do it.
