County Council meeting notes

The County Council met Monday afternoon for their regularly scheduled meeting.

Judge William Weikert petitioned the Council to create a part-time position to train a new court reporter. The part-time position will allow an individual to work with the current court reporter who will be leaving at the end of the year. Judge Weikert stated this would allow the new individual time to learn the full-time position she will be filling. The Council approved his request and the part-time position will begin on Dec. 5.

Donna Oeding, Director of the DC Health Department, had two individuals (a nurse and clerk) resign from the Health Department. Both positions were part-time positions. Oeding would like to hire a full time nurse rather than fill the both positions on the same status. The request has been approved by the Board of Health and the County Commissioners. The County Council approved the request.

Oeding also reported they have vaccinated over 1200 adults so far this season.

Councilman Greg Kendall described the new law enforcement initiative that was discussed earlier in the day. [ilink url=”http://www.dcfreep.com/greater-jasper-consolidated-school-board-opened-ten-bids-for-phase-one-of-new-gym/”%5DStory Here[/ilink] He stated he felt the initiative was important for the county and that the council should be prepared to step forward to ensure the program is implemented if necessary.

Kendall also explained to the council that the 40 acres adjacent to the Dubois County Park has been purchased. [ilink url=”http://www.dcfreep.com/county-council-approves-half-million-dollar-purchase-of-50-acres-next-to-park/”%5DStory Here[/ilink] The remaining 10 acres with the house and several structures on it has not been purchased. He stated they are attempting to sell the property minus the amount of land necessary to build the new access road to the park before the purchase is completed.

The individual that was renting the residence from Dorothy Blessinger has vacated the property, however that individual’s  daughter has moved in and is squatting on the property. Kendall stated the county will have to work through the Sheriff’s department to have her removed from the residence.

Kendall also stated that they have received an offer for the remaining property but it is less than they would like to sell it for. He would not disclose the amount of offered for the property.

Sheriff Donny Lampert addressed the council concerning the department and Jail. He stated that the program for mental health was on track to be implemented. The department should be within its budget for the rest of the year. He also informed that the new hire was scheduled to go to the academy in December.

The Dubois County Community Corrections Center Director J.P. Weisheit addressed the council about two issues within the department. First he informed the council of a problem with the coils of a large air conditioning unit on the south corner of the community corrections building. He stated Mehringer Plumbing and Heating and Messmer Mechanical have stated that it can be patched but they will have to continually repair the coil and it will continue to leak.

Messmer Mechanical provided a bid to replace the coil and to replace the entire air conditioning unit. The Commissioners have agreed to pay for the replacement of the coil rather than the entire unit. Weisheit stated that Mehringer declined to submit a bid due to the low bid by Messmer Mechanical. The council approved Messmer’s bid for $8000 for the replacement of the coil.

Weisheit then requested that they move an individual from a part-time position to a full-time position to assist with grant writing for the community corrections program. Weisheit stated the state is becoming more stringent on the required data for the awarding of the grants. He explained that Megan Durlock has been filling the position and has done a fantastic job, but Weisheit stated the position she is filling is so important to the funding for the department that he would like her to be moved to full-time. Her position would be paid for from grants and not from county funds.

The council approved the position change.

Steve Berg from the county highway department spoke to the council about several issues with the county highway department equipment.

First he explained that a vehicle used to run errands was involved in a traffic accident near the county garage. The vehicle was a total loss and has not been replaced. It was used by the mechanic to run parts and for the office to use for errands. He requested the council approve the purchase of a vehicle for him to drive and his current vehicle replaced the destroyed vehicle. The estimated cost is $37,000.

Second he explained the six salt spreaders are deteriorating from the salt and will probably only last another season. The replacement of the six spreaders is estimated at $12,000 each.

Third, Berg explained he would like to replace the current brine truck with a used 4×4 truck with a wooden flatbed. The current vehicle is a two wheel drive 3/4 ton chassis and he is requesting a full ton truck be purchased. With the larger vehicle he would replace the brine tank with a larger capacity tank and add a plow to this vehicle to make it more versatile in the snow. This vehicle could also be used in the subdivisions rather than the larger dump trucks. Estimated cost is $40,000 for the truck and $10,000 for the plow and brine tank.

Fourth, he requested the department be allowed to junk or scrap five old frame-mounted plows that were purchased in 1966. Due to wear and tear on the plows they have become increasingly difficult to mount on the trucks. The estimated cost of the new plows would be $42,500.

Finally, Berg requested safety strobe lights for the many of the department’s vehicles used to clear snow and treat roads. The estimated cost to add the safety lights is $8,500.

The council decided to advertise for the purchase of $210,000 worth of equipment for the department.