County May Hire Emergency Management Director

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer-

Since Sept. 11, 2001, many new policies and changes have occurred in government at all levels.

With those changes, county administrator Ron Robinson told the county commissioners Tuesday, it has come to a point where a new county position is needed - the position of an emergency management director. The new position, he said, will keep the county on track with all the new rules and regulations as well as work with area businesses on issues related to them.

Robinson said he knows the county doesn't like to increase government but it has come to a point where this is a necessity. Many of the federal grant monies the county seeks now require counties to have an emergency management director to receive the funding because the dollars are usually connected to homeland security.

The county commissioners approved the position but the county council also must approve the position.

"It's another mandate," said northern district county commissioner Brad Jackson.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved county clerk Sharon Christner to apply for a grant from the state for voting machines.

• Approved the reappointment of Gerald "Jake" Bitner and John "Jack" Kelley to the county property tax assessment board of appeals.

• Approved a road maintenance agreement between Warsaw and the county for snow and ice control.

• Approved a bid from Don's Excavating for snowplowing in a Syracuse subdivision at $60 per hour. The snowplowing will be a test case this year for the county to see if they want to hire out contractors for snowplowing in subdivisions in the future.

Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Ladson said in the last five years, the county has accepted 19 subdivisions or portions of subdivisons for county maintenance, four more are expected within the next year or so and one has been annexed out.

• Approved the contract for Mike Miner, county attorney, for 2003.

• Heard from Robinson that J.D. Geiger is resigning as the county weights and measures inspector effective Dec. 31.

• Approved an interlocal agreement with Warsaw for 911 services.

• Approved an easement agreement for the city of Warsaw which will let them put a sewer line down on the east and north property lines of the Work Release Center, East Center Street, in exchange for one free sanitary sewer tap.

• Approved the reappointment of Gordon Vanator to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

• Approved an agreement with the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District for the county auditor, Sue Ann Mitchell, to be the district's controller.

• Approved the vacation and relocation of the platted right of way of EMS T1 Lane, on the north side of Tippecanoe Lake, in Lewallen Park, to where the existing road is. The request was made by John and Sally Eastman, Tippecanoe Township.

The county commissioners are Avis Gunter, Brad Jackson and Ron Truex. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse every other Tuesday. [[In-content Ad]]

Since Sept. 11, 2001, many new policies and changes have occurred in government at all levels.

With those changes, county administrator Ron Robinson told the county commissioners Tuesday, it has come to a point where a new county position is needed - the position of an emergency management director. The new position, he said, will keep the county on track with all the new rules and regulations as well as work with area businesses on issues related to them.

Robinson said he knows the county doesn't like to increase government but it has come to a point where this is a necessity. Many of the federal grant monies the county seeks now require counties to have an emergency management director to receive the funding because the dollars are usually connected to homeland security.

The county commissioners approved the position but the county council also must approve the position.

"It's another mandate," said northern district county commissioner Brad Jackson.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved county clerk Sharon Christner to apply for a grant from the state for voting machines.

• Approved the reappointment of Gerald "Jake" Bitner and John "Jack" Kelley to the county property tax assessment board of appeals.

• Approved a road maintenance agreement between Warsaw and the county for snow and ice control.

• Approved a bid from Don's Excavating for snowplowing in a Syracuse subdivision at $60 per hour. The snowplowing will be a test case this year for the county to see if they want to hire out contractors for snowplowing in subdivisions in the future.

Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Ladson said in the last five years, the county has accepted 19 subdivisions or portions of subdivisons for county maintenance, four more are expected within the next year or so and one has been annexed out.

• Approved the contract for Mike Miner, county attorney, for 2003.

• Heard from Robinson that J.D. Geiger is resigning as the county weights and measures inspector effective Dec. 31.

• Approved an interlocal agreement with Warsaw for 911 services.

• Approved an easement agreement for the city of Warsaw which will let them put a sewer line down on the east and north property lines of the Work Release Center, East Center Street, in exchange for one free sanitary sewer tap.

• Approved the reappointment of Gordon Vanator to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

• Approved an agreement with the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District for the county auditor, Sue Ann Mitchell, to be the district's controller.

• Approved the vacation and relocation of the platted right of way of EMS T1 Lane, on the north side of Tippecanoe Lake, in Lewallen Park, to where the existing road is. The request was made by John and Sally Eastman, Tippecanoe Township.

The county commissioners are Avis Gunter, Brad Jackson and Ron Truex. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse every other Tuesday. [[In-content Ad]]

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