County Commissioners Seek State Action on Pierceton Woods
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jordan Fouts-
Commissioner Bob Conley said they drafted the letter to “hopefully do something to make people feel and be absolutely safer in the Pierceton area.”
They agreed to write the letter at an earlier meeting after learning that state agencies primarily have jurisdiction over the youth facility.
Pierceton residents “feel that their lives are being compromised due to the juvenile offenders that are being housed at the academy,” a concern stemming “from teenagers leaving the facility and walking freely among residential properties,” the letter states. “The academy is a social services agency not a law enforcement agency. The Commissioners ... would like to have the academy evaluated and properly licensed to operate with the juveniles.”
The letter cites the shooting and attempted carjacking by a 17-year-old resident in December, and includes a two-page log of law enforcement responses to the facility since the beginning of 2012. It encourages state representatives to take the lead in resolving safety and security issues.
Also during the meeting, commissioners heard that Old 15 from East North Street to CR 1400N north of Milford will be closed permanently starting Friday. They approved the vacation Nov. 20 at the request of Trupointe Cooperative Inc., which will soon begin construction of its agriculture facility at that location.
And they approved a bid of $78,555 for a track excavator from Bobcat of Warsaw, on the recommendation of Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden. Tilden also recommended rejecting all bids received earlier this month for another piece of machinery, a compact track loader, since he said he wants to tighten up specifications when they reopen bidding next month and because all bids contained errors.
And commissioners approved a $9,500 annual software maintenance agreement at the request of County Clerk Jason McSherry. The expense may prevent even more costly problems that could arise, he told commissioners.
Commissioners also approved a road and alley vacation in Oswego, at the request of Rate of Change LLC. The vacation of a platted extension of Church at Third Street was recommended by the county Area Plan Commission Feb. 7.
And they reappointed Wes Stouder to the county Economic Development Commission. Stouder’s current term ends Thursday.[[In-content Ad]]
Commissioner Bob Conley said they drafted the letter to “hopefully do something to make people feel and be absolutely safer in the Pierceton area.”
They agreed to write the letter at an earlier meeting after learning that state agencies primarily have jurisdiction over the youth facility.
Pierceton residents “feel that their lives are being compromised due to the juvenile offenders that are being housed at the academy,” a concern stemming “from teenagers leaving the facility and walking freely among residential properties,” the letter states. “The academy is a social services agency not a law enforcement agency. The Commissioners ... would like to have the academy evaluated and properly licensed to operate with the juveniles.”
The letter cites the shooting and attempted carjacking by a 17-year-old resident in December, and includes a two-page log of law enforcement responses to the facility since the beginning of 2012. It encourages state representatives to take the lead in resolving safety and security issues.
Also during the meeting, commissioners heard that Old 15 from East North Street to CR 1400N north of Milford will be closed permanently starting Friday. They approved the vacation Nov. 20 at the request of Trupointe Cooperative Inc., which will soon begin construction of its agriculture facility at that location.
And they approved a bid of $78,555 for a track excavator from Bobcat of Warsaw, on the recommendation of Highway Superintendent Scott Tilden. Tilden also recommended rejecting all bids received earlier this month for another piece of machinery, a compact track loader, since he said he wants to tighten up specifications when they reopen bidding next month and because all bids contained errors.
And commissioners approved a $9,500 annual software maintenance agreement at the request of County Clerk Jason McSherry. The expense may prevent even more costly problems that could arise, he told commissioners.
Commissioners also approved a road and alley vacation in Oswego, at the request of Rate of Change LLC. The vacation of a platted extension of Church at Third Street was recommended by the county Area Plan Commission Feb. 7.
And they reappointed Wes Stouder to the county Economic Development Commission. Stouder’s current term ends Thursday.[[In-content Ad]]
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