Pulaski County Sheriff Jeff Richwine is seeking pay raises for some of his employees. During last week’s county council meeting, he asked if part-time dispatcher Susan Hemphill could be bumped up to a higher pay level. “She was a full-time dispatcher, left, and then came back as a part-time person,” Richwine explained. Continue reading
Pualski County Maintenance Supervisor Seeks More Money for Part-Time Help, Building Repair
2018 may have just started, but some Pulaski County officials are already preparing for shortfalls in this year’s budgets. Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston told the county council last week there isn’t enough money for part-time help. “I guess the numbers were taken off of last year, when I only had two part-time people, and I’ve got four,” he said. “So I’ve only got enough for two of my part-time people. In order to pay them the rest of this year, that additional is $42,360.”
Pulaski County Council Makes Commission Appointments, Elects Officers
The Pulaski County Council’s leadership will stay the same for another year. Jay Sullivan was reelected council president for 2018, while Mike Tiede was reelected vice-president.
Pulaski County Health Department Faces Funding Challenges
Funding challenges are causing concerns for the Pulaski County Health Department. “In doing our year-end reports for our health board meeting, it’s come to our attention that we only received about $40,000 in settlement this year,” Department Office Manager Terri Hansen told the county council Monday. “We usually get at least double that.”
Confusion Remains Over Pulaski County Salary Matrix
Pulaski County officials continue to be unsure about what they’re supposed to pay certain county employees.
Pulaski County Income Tax Revenue Concerns Continue
Declining income tax revenues continue to cause concerns for Pulaski County officials.
Pulaski Council to Consider Additional Appropriations for Bridge Work, Indian Trails Cooperative
A week into 2018, the Pulaski County Council is already considering its first additional appropriation and transfer requests tonight.
Winamac to Revive Economic Development Commission to Help Evaluate Tax Abatement Requests
Pulaski County continues to review its tax abatement procedures. Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer gave an update to the county commissioners last week. Continue reading
Pulaski County Highway Department’s Head Mechanic Agrees to Tool Rental Fee, Instead of Pay Raise
Pulaski County appears to have reached a deal with its Highway Department’s head mechanic. He technically won’t be getting the pay raise he asked for, but he has agreed to an arrangement in which the county pays to rent his tools.
Pulaski County EMS Considering Ways to Address Ambulance, Staffing Issues
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services is reconsidering the need for three full-time ambulances. Interim EMS Director Kyle McTiegue told the county council and commissioners last week that going to three ambulances has not resulted in increased revenues or transfer business, as originally hoped. Continue reading
Pulaski County Officials Suggest Moving Circuit Court to Justice Center Basement, Judge Opposed
Pulaski Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn continues to push for increased security at the courthouse. He told the county council and commissioners last week that violent outbursts in and around the courtroom, as well as other county offices, are becoming more and more frequent. Continue reading
Pulaski County Officials Weigh Options, After Head Highway Department Mechanic Demands Raise
Pulaski County officials are trying to figure out how to keep the county’s salary matrix intact, while also ensuring the smooth operations of the Highway Department.
Pulaski County Contributes $30,000 for Indian Trails Career Cooperative’s Pursuit of Matching Grant
Pulaski County has decided to chip in $30,000 to help the Indian Trails Career Cooperative upgrade its equipment and train teachers. Indian Trails requested $100,000 from each of the five counties it serves to apply for a Skill UP grant from the state. Any money committed locally would be matched three-to-one, if Indian Trails is selected.
Pulaski County Courthouse Elevator Construction Pushed Back to March
The replacement of the elevator at the Pulaski County Courthouse has been delayed slightly. “Because we got no bids on the elevator project, we had to push the date back for construction,” Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Johnston told the county council and commissioners Monday. “With pushing it back to March, we were able to get three interested parties.”
Metal Fab Engineering Granted Tax Abatement for Equipment Upgrades
The Pulaski County Council has finalized a tax abatement for Metal Fab Engineering. Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer told council members Monday that the request would help the company buy new automation equipment and Squickmons plasma cutters. That’s expected to lead to the creation of about 10 new jobs.
Then for some exterior metal we needed a nice ultra-marine blue and so chose the Ral 5002 powder coating from Trident Powders and it has worked amazingly well so we are very pleased with that.
One unusual thing about this request, according to Origer, is that the equipment has already been installed. “There is a mechanism that we have employed in the past that will allow for us to move forward with a resolution for a tax abatement,” he explained, “if we first approve a resolution waiving the non-compliance and saying, ‘Yes, technically you shouldn’t have it in before you submitted the paperwork, but we want to work with you and we are going to allow that.'” Both of the necessary resolutions were approved by the county council Monday.
Continue readingOpen House Planned for Pulaski County CASA Program
Pulaski County residents have the chance to learn how they can help guide abused and neglected kids through the court system. Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn told the county council and commissioners Monday that an open house is planned, to celebrate the county’s newly-independent Court Appointed Special Advocates program. Continue reading
Pulaski County Council to Consider Potential Metal Fab Tax Abatement, Vocational Training Funding
The possibility of a tax abatement for Metal Fab Engineering will be considered by the Pulaski County Council tonight. Council members will decide whether to confirm the business’s designation as an economic recovery area. That would allow the company to request a tax abatement. Members of the public will have a chance to weigh in tonight, before a decision is made.
Pulaski County Comp Time Policy May Be Reviewed by Personnel Committee
Updates to Pulaski County’s comp time policy may have to wait until the county’s personnel committee has a chance to review it. The county commissioners have been considering increasing the amount of comp time that can be carried over from year to year from 20 to 40 hours. Part of the reason is to make it easier for employees to use it for needed medical procedures.
Declining Population Could Cost Pulaski County Millions in Lost Income Tax Revenue
Pulaski County stands to lose several million dollars in income tax revenues over the coming decades, due to declining population. That’s according to Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer. He presented some rough estimates to the county council last week. Continue reading
Pulaski County to Outsource EMS Billing
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services will no longer handle billing in-house. The county commissioners voted Monday to hire a company called Ambulance Billing Services to do it, at the recommendation of Interim EMS Director Kyle McTiegue. Continue reading
