The Starke County Commissioners are getting together in Executive Session this afternoon to analyze the 2010 Treasurer’s audit released this week by the State Board of Accounts.
Although the report pointed out that there were hundreds of thousands of book-keeping discrepancies, all but $21,906 has been found. When granted access to the county’s bank account statements and depository records, County Auditor, Kay Chaffins, was able to investigate the material.
Starke County Community Corrections Director, Robert Hinojosa, presented his annual calendar year report to the Starke County Commissioners this week.
Hinojosa talked about the three components of Community Corrections. Those are Home Detention, Community Service, and the Community Transition Program. He talked about the Community Transition Program.
“The offenders who have been sentenced to the Department of Corrections from Starke County all get released back with little or no services available to them so what we’ve chosen to do is provide services in the last 30 to 60 days of their sentence to transition them back,” explained Hinojosa. “We know that if they are unable to access services, they will fail, they will get rearrested, they’ll go back to the Department of Corrections and it’ll be a never ending cycle.”
The Indiana State Board of Accounts has completed the 2010 audit of the Starke County Treasurer’s Office. Starke County officials have been anxious to receive the report that will complete the most recent bookkeeping activities in the Treasurer’s Office that the Board will audit. The report is now in the hands of county officials.
Treasurer Linda Belork was removed from office by the County Commissioners after irregularities in the 2009 accounts were reported by the State Board of Accounts. The Commissioners also removed the deputies from office and named Casey Clark and Michelle Snowdon to handle the day-to-day activities in the office until the matter is straightened out.
Brian Horvath of Weaver and Boos Consultants gave a report to the Starke County Commissioners yesterday that indicates that they are getting closer to closing the old Starke County Landfill. Gas probes were installed over the summer and the Commissioners received a report this week of what information the company has gotten while monitoring the probes.
Horvath was asked what the next step is in getting the landfill closed.
Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall, and Engineer Ken Minot approached the Starke County Commissioners yesterday to give them an update on three bridge projects.
Siddall was asked if Bridge #156, which is located at Range Road and 400 North, is moving on schedule.
“With what the Commissioners want for fall harvest, we’re right on time,” replied Siddall. “Hopefully, the weather cooperates.”
The Starke County Commissioners have taken another step in providing Advanced Life Service to the County’s residents by signing a contract with IU Health Starke Hospital to be the sponsoring hospital. Also approved was a contract with a physician to be the Medical Director. That person will reportedly be Dr. Almuhannad Alfrhan.
The Starke County Commissioners met in an emergency session this morning to address unresolved issues from a 2009 audit of the County Treasurer’s Office.
The Commissioners held an Executive Session meeting and then Commission President Dan Bridegroom read a prepared statement to the press and public.
“As a result of an unresolved issue from 2009 State Board of Accounts Audit of the Starke County Treasurer’s Office, county officials have instituted additional safeguards on county bank accounts. The safeguards will enhance review procedures that may result in modest delays in the availability of funds for payment of county checks. Delays should not exceed 48 hours.”
After months of avoiding the issue, the Starke County Commissioners have publicly acknowledged a new jail is needed to relieve ongoing overcrowded conditions. That may not surprise anyone who has followed the problems at the jail over the past couple of years.
That was the opening sentence to an article in The Leader exactly 10 years ago today. In that same article, the Commissioners were proposing a joint meeting with the Council to discuss building a criminal justice center.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall and Ken Minett from Butler, Fairman, and Seufert met with the Starke County Commissioners regarding the hire of a project inspector to oversee the repairs on Bridge 156. The County has had an inspector for all bridge projects in the past, and the previous Superintendent was qualified to inspect and oversee these projects as well.
Minett told the Commissioners that hiring an inspector is paramount to the safety of the bridge, because it’s possible for contractors to leave out vital rebar, use incorrect steel, or make a small mistake that could sacrifice the integrity of the structure. Without an inspector, said Minett, the consequences are unknown and could be staggering.
The Starke County Commissioners toured the LaGrange County Jail last week. Commissioner Kathy Norem, who is the contact official for the jail, said the LaGrange facility was older than the other three they have visited. Earlier they went to the Marshall, Jasper, and Fulton County jails.
One of the advances the LaGrange County Jail did not have was video conferencing.
EMS Director Paul Mathewson approached the Starke County Commissioners Monday and requested the purchase of a vehicle for EMS use, as per their original agreement when he was hired. Mathewson says that the car would be used to come to work, go home, respond to calls, visit hospitals and other business use, and could also be used as a chase vehicle.
The Starke County Election Board appeared before the County Commissioners last week to get approval of the new boundaries for the State Senate Districts and the State House Districts as a result of the State’s redistricting process. County Clerk, Evelyn Skronski, said that two districts will represent Starke County for the House.
Paul Warnke and Ken Jones came before the Starke County Commissioners this week to report on the progress of the Koontz Lake Sewer Project.
Jones told the Commissioners that the project is ahead of schedule and street and road restoration began this week which is making the public very happy.
The restoration could not begin until NIPSCO pressure tested the power to the grinder pumps. After that was done, the cuts in the road could be restored. Continue reading
A committee set up to select a new EMS Director made their recommendation last night at the Starke County Commissioner’s meeting. Paul Mathewson was selected to take over the duties most recently held by Lisa Burger. The Commissioners unanimously approved the recommendation.
One qualification that Mathewson had was that he is a professionally trained Paramedic. He has most recently been employed by Porter Hospital in Valparaiso.
A 1998 graduate of Knox Community High School is the new Starke County I.T. Director. Joe Short was recommended to the Commissioners by a committee assembled to select a successor to Bob Smith.
The Starke County Commissioners are expected to name a new IT Director tonight to replace Bob Smith who recently announced that he is leaving the position.
Also on tonight’s agenda is the possible naming of an EMS Director. That position might be a little more difficult to fill because the selection committee has been inundated by applications. Enticed by a $50,000 salary and car, the position has seen applications from far and wide. The committee advertised for a paramedic to take the EMS job, as it’s hoped that the new Director helps in a move from a basic service to Advanced Life Support. One of the goals is to have a paramedic chase vehicle in operation by the first of the year. Several codes have to be approved by the state before the move to ALS service. It’s expected that IU Health Starke Hospital will be the sponsoring hospital.
The Starke County Commissioners toured another jail this week. They had recently visited the Marshall and Miami County jails. On Monday, they went to Rensselaer to tour the Jasper County Jail.
The tour of the 128 bed facility was conducted by Sheriff Terry Risner. The Jasper County jail is two years old and was moved from its former downtown Rensselaer location to property north of the city on State Road 231. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem described the jail tour made by the Commissioners last week as worthwhile. The Commissioners and Sheriff Oscar Cowen toured the Marshall and Miami County jails and although both used the same “footprint”, Marshall County rolled more equipment into their bond issue.
Norem wanted it known that the trip was not made because of the Jack Haut class action suit against the County, claiming deplorable conditions in the Starke County Jail.
The Starke County jail has been identified as the second oldest jail in the state and it is getting some attention by the County Commissioners. Commissioners Dan Bridegroom, Jennifer Davis and Kathy Norem toured two jails in surrounding counties to gain information on how they might configure a new jail in Starke County. The Commissioners visited the Marshall and Fulton County jails yesterday.
The Starke County Commissioners accepted the Property and Casualty and Workers Compensation Insurance policies as presented by First Source Insurance Agent, Bridget Markin yesterday. Markin said the loss ratio of 48% for the Property and Casualty was very good, but there would be an overall increase to the County of $12,017 in premiums because the company paid out $27,000 more in Workers Compensation claims than the cost of the insurance. The policies begin in July.
