The Pulaski County Council members will need more information from the state to see if any severance pay can be issued to the employees at Pleasant View Rest Home.
The council members discussed the issue briefly Monday night.
The county home is expected to close on March 31, and the commissioners had discussed the possibility of severance pay last week. County Attorney Kevin Tankersley previously said the county can’t give bonuses. The money isn’t theirs to spend in that kind of fashion. Tankersley also said the county can’t pay for work that isn’t done.
A new Pulaski County Council member was chosen by a Republican Party Caucus last week.
Republican Chairman Blair Todd told WKVI News that former Pulaski County Commissioner Michael “Big Mike” Tiede was selected in a second round of voting to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Mick Tiede.
Mick Tiede stepped down from his Pulaski County Council seat in order to retain his part-time job in the Pulaski County Assessor’s office. State and local statutes do not allow a county employee to hold a county council seat.
A Republican caucus will be held next week to fill a vacancy on the Pulaski County Council.
Pulaski County Republican Chairman Blair Todd told WKVI News that the three precinct committeeman in Cass, White Post and Salem Townships will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. ET at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac to select a candidate in District 4.
The Pulaski County Council added a line item in the surveyor’s budget in order to finance attorney services and engineering costs.
In a joint session with the commissioners, it was explained that the attorney is doing extra litigation work that would need additional compensation to complete. Tim Murray is the attorney for the surveyor’s office.
Pulaski County Attorney Kevin Tankersley explained a unique contract situation to the county council this week and requested an additional appropriation to cover the contract.
Four County Counseling informed the commissioners in the last part of 2014 that the county owes the company for ten years of miscalculated funds. The contract is mandated by the state. Even though Tankersley pointed out to their attorney the fact that the county signed an agreement with Four County Counseling for a specific annual amount for the past ten years, the company claims that the county owes them $16,117.38.
A committee will look into wages and salaries in the coming weeks in Pulaski County.
EMS Director Nikki Lowry begged the Pulaski County Council for help as she cannot keep staff in her department. She said she is in desperate need for paramedics, but the county’s wages and benefits don’t entice potential applicants to work with the county. According to Lowry, first-year staff members don’t get any extra time off.
The Pulaski County Council last night did not act on the change in personnel at the county highway department.
Council President Jay Sullivan looked over the paperwork and commented that the personnel change did not include a change in the money budgeted for the two positions. He believed that the only reason the council would need to act was if there was an additional appropriation or transfer because salaries would change. Two employees changed job descriptions.
The commissioners voted in January to appoint a person as general foreman. That is the usual action of the highway superintendent. Terry Ruff was placed into that position while Travis Holiday was dropped to a foreman position.
The Pulaski County Commissioners and the Pulaski County Council will meet in joint session tonight.
One item the joint board is expected to discuss is the change in the salary ordinance in the highway department. When the commissioners met on Jan. 19, the members voted 2-1 to appoint a person in the position that is second in command at the department. The highway superintendent normally makes that appointment, but Commissioner Bud Krohn, Jr., who spearheaded the move, called it a political change. He presented the change for a vote. Terry Young also voted in favor of the change while Commission President Larry Brady was the dissenting vote.
The Pulaski County Council this week discussed an ordinance that pertains to allowing sheriff’s deputies to be issued a firearm, retired ID card and retired badge after serving honorably for a minimum of 20 years.
In this case, Paul Grandstaff retired in December after serving over 20 years with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, including two terms as sheriff, and he has requested the retention of his shotgun that he first received when arriving on staff at the department.
The Pulaski County Council reorganized for the year where Jay Sullivan was retained as president of the fiscal body while Roger Querry was appointed as vice president. The council also welcomed newly elected member Linda Powers.
Sheriff Jeff Richwine told the council that three new deputies have been hired and he requested $6,000 to be transferred so a part-time officer can cover their absence while they’re at the academy. Two officers will be sent to the academy in March and one officer will go after the first two come back. When the officers complete their training, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department should be fully staffed with eight deputies. The transfer was unanimously approved.
Pulaski County Prosecutor Daniel Murphy approached the county council this week to ask the council members to accept his full-time employment and wages as he begins his four-year term in the office. That request was unanimously approved.
Crystal Sanders was appointed as deputy prosecutor.
He also asked for a transfer of $6,000 to satisfy the installation of money to the pre-trial diversion line item in the budget. The prosecutor requested that the money be moved from the pre-trial diversion user fees.
The Pulaski County Council members last night approved three months of funding for the Pleasant View Rest Home.
The council previously approved, by majority vote, to not include funding for the county home in the 2015 budget. However, by law, they have to keep the county home open for 90 days so the residents have time to find alternate housing. The council approved an additional appropriation in the amount of $52,596 to honor wages and operations until the Pleasant View Rest Home is closed for good on March 31.
Officials are moving forward with the closure of the Pleasant View Rest Home in Pulaski County.
Board President Bob White told WKVI News that attorney Jere Humphrey has called county home officials to help with the paperwork to assist in placing the residents at a different facility or find other arrangements. Humphrey was appointed by the commissioners to help with the actions necessary to close the county home.
The county council at their meeting in December approved the defunding of the county home by a majority vote at their meeting on Dec. 8. Because funding for the county home was not included in the 2015 budget, the county commissioners approved the official close of the facility by a vote of 2-1 on Dec. 23.
The residents or their representatives will be sent a letter and they will have two weeks to notify the attorney of their plan. Once the attorney receives the information of where the residents will be moving, the residents then have 90 days to move from the Pleasant View Rest Home. The facility is expected to be closed on March 31.
White thanked superintendent Deb Girton and the staff for their hard work in taking care of the residents. He also recognized the board members for their efforts.
The Pulaski County Commissioners will meet in special session today to address issues in closing the Pleasant View Rest Home.
By a majority vote, the Pulaski County Council voted to defund the county home in October and that decision was reaffirmed earlier this month by a majority vote.
County Attorney Kevin Tankersley informed the Pulaski County Commissioners last week that there is a lot to go through to close the facility. He met with an attorney in Plymouth last week to see if that attorney would take over the responsibility of overseeing the process as he thought that would be a better practice.
The Pulaski County Council this week approved a request from Circuit Judge Michael Shurn to buy a new high-volume shredder for his office. Shurn told the council he found a self-feeding 28-gallon model for $1,883.31. Continue reading →
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Dept. Cpl. Paul Grandstaff
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is fully staffed again, with one notable exception. Cpl. Paul Grandstaff has tendered his retirement after 26 years with the department. Sheriff Mike Gayer says he’s on leave through the end of the year using up accumulated vacation and comp days. Continue reading →
Ron Powers has attended his final regularly-scheduled meeting as a member of the Pulaski County Council. He’s retiring at the end of the month after two four-year terms, as is Pulaski County Sheriff Mike Gayer. Tensions between the two have frequently spilled over into meetings. Monday night Gayer set that aside. Continue reading →
The Pulaski County Council is moving forward with plans to close Pleasant View Rest Home. Councilman Doug Roth’s motion for a one-time additional appropriation of $204,846 to keep the home open through 2015 in order to transition toward closure did not pass.
“There’s a big difference between the legal way and the right way. I have no doubt we’ll do it the legal way, but I’m going to say right now we haven’t done it the right way from the start,” Roth said. Continue reading →
At least one member of the Pulaski County Council feels the decision to slash funding for Pleasant View Rest Home from the 2015 budget was made in haste. Councilwoman Alex Haschel did not attend the Oct. 13 meeting when that vote was cast. It passed 3-2 with Councilmen Mick Tiede, Roger Querry and Tom Roth in favor of not funding the home and Ron Powers and Doug Roth opposed. Council President Jay Sullivan only votes in the event of a tie. Haschel announced plans during the Nov. 11 council meeting to bring a motion tonight to rescind the prior council action and restore funding for the home. Should that motion pass, the procedural protocol is unclear, as the county’s budget has already been submitted to the state. Continue reading →
Pulaski County Matron Carrie Aaron brought several transfers for the county council members to consider to help with paying the part-time officers to help with the shortage at the sheriff’s department.
At last week’s commissioner’s meeting, Aaron and Detective/Sergeant Jason Woodruff requested a one-time adjustment to the handbook policy to pay those officers with holiday pay with the exception of 24 hours for each employee, which was approved. All PTO will be paid down to 50 hours. Two officers from White County and an officer from the Logansport Police Department will be working as part-time officers. An additional officer will be hired on a part-time basis. They are being trained.
