County travel warning remains until 6 a.m. Wednesday

Putnam County Jail inmates work to clear snow from the Putnam County Courthouse steps Tuesday afternoon. Commissioners are hopeful the courthouse and other county offices can be reopened Wednesday morning. (Banner Graphic/JOYCE ORLANDO)

After meeting Tuesday afternoon, county officials have extended the Level 1 travel warning for Putnam County until at least 6 a.m. Wednesday.

With many county roads still unplowed and temperatures not rising too quickly, the Putnam County Commissioners will keep the warning in effect until it can be revisited on Wednesday.

The decision was reached following an afternoon meeting between emergency management, sheriff's department, highway department and 911 dispatch officials, among others.

A Level 1 declaration dictates that travel may be restricted to emergency personnel only.

With the county highway department planning to begin plowing secondary county roads on Wednesday morning and the commissioners planning to reopen county offices, the matter of the travel advisory will be revisited at that time.

"A lot these roads are still impassible," EMA Director Tom Helmer said. "If you don't need to go out, stay home."

In line with the ongoing struggles with the roads, all Putnam County school districts will again be closed on Wednesday.

Besides the county declaring a travel emergency, outside assistance and recognition has either been provided or is on the way.

The Indiana National Guard was called to Putnam County and has assisted with a number of local rescue efforts.

Additionally, county officials have submitted the proper forms to the State of Indiana to have Putnam County declared a state of disaster emergency by Gov. Mike Pence.

While it may have been troubling for residents to see the governor declare disaster emergencies for 29 other counties on Monday, Putnam County's initial exclusion from the list was a matter of timing more than anything.

Putnam County 911 Director and EMA Assistant Director Dave Costin said there is a financial threshold that must be met for such a declaration.

More than anything, though, conditions were bad enough that the necessary signatures could not be obtained.

"To be honest, we couldn't get to a county commissioner to have him sign it," Costin said.

Local officials are now confident that Putnam County will be in the next round of declarations from Gov. Pence.