County council handles requests

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

It was fiscal business as usual for the Putnam County Council during its monthly meeting Tuesday as several financial requests from county agencies received approval.

Council members Larry Parker, Jay Fogle, Darrel Thomas, Keith Berry, Roger Deck and Don Walton took the following action:

  • Approved an amended salary ordinance to transfer $1,500 from the seized drug money account to the salary of Chief Deputy Virgil Lanning to reimburse him for his canine partner.

  • Approved the transfer of $42,080 in Department of Correction funds to the jail fund to pay part-time employees.

  • Appropriated $499,000 in Major Moves money from the state received last fall. The money will be used by the highway department on county roads where needed to improve the road surface.

  • Learned that the iron Houck Bridge 139 north of Greencastle has been closed to traffic. The bridge inspection team recommended today to close the structure immediately due to safety. It would cost about $500,000 to repair the bridge now, but the structure is up for a federal aid project to replace it. That project, however, is a few years away financially for the county.

  • Granted tentative approval for a part-time case worker to become a part-time probation officer, as requested by Teresa Parrish of the probation office. Formal approval of the request will be requested in May when an amended salary ordinance is presented. The additional $1,000 in pay will come from the Substance Abuse Treatment Program fees, not from the county's General Fund.

  • Approved an additional appropriation of $56,606 for the aviation commission to pay its first installment on the Thomas farm purchase.

  • Approved $10,000 for the plat office to upgrade the county maps to assist with the county comprehensive plan. It will also include 5,000 copies for the plat office to sell.

  • Gave final approval to the county P.I.E. Coalition for its 2007 funding of $25,000.

  • Discussed how the county's Economic Development Income Tax can be allocated by the county council. The council agreed it needs to check on how additional revenue that will be collected to replace the inventory tax should be allocated, and if a plan for using the funds needs to be approved.

    The council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the courthouse annex.

    The meeting is open to the public.

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