Council Approves Additional Appropriations, Hirings
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
Federally mandated bridge projects caused County Highway Superintendent Dennis Pletcher to ask for additional appropriations at Thursday night's county council meeting.
Pletcher said bridge inspections and replacement are federally mandated and the projects are funded 80 percent by the federal government while local entities are responsible for the other 20 percent.
The next bridge project is scheduled along Country Club Road near CR 400S.Pletcher asked for an additional $100,000 for bridge replacement and $30,500 for bridge inspections. Both were approved by the council.
"They come to us and tell us we have to do something and they don't have any recommendations on how we pay for it," said County Councilman Bob Sanders.
Pletcher said the appropriations can be made without adversely affecting the budget.
Councilman Larry Teghtmeyer asked how the budget held up over the winter.
"We're in pretty good shape with the budget for winter," said Pletcher. "We were out about a half dozen more times because of the ice. But we also used less salt and sand."
The board approved several hirings throughout different departments.
County Administrator Ron Robinson was given permission to hire two part-time maintenance people.
Marsha McSherry, the county auditor, was also given county approval to hire a full-time person in her office.
The auditor's office is currently operating with two less full-time employees than it had since 2007.
The council approved three transfers totaling $3,522.11 from reimbursement insurance to repairs and maintenance for two collisions that involved sheriff's department vehicles.
The board also approved a conflict of interest statement from Brad Newcomer.
Newcomer is on the Nappanee Library Board but his company Newcomer and Sons also does work for the library. The council approved Newcomer staying on the board.
Council President Harold Jones and Councilman John Kinsey were both absent from Thursday night's meeting.
