County appointments largely unchanged for coming year

Sunday, December 23, 2018

All current Putnam County employees directly appointed by the Putnam County Commissioners will remain the same to begin 2019.

Meanwhile, one position that has been open for a few months will remain that way as the commissioners decide on the future of the department.

At their second December meeting last week, the commissioners voted to retain all appointed department heads and other appointed employees.

The department heads remaining in place for 2019 include Planning Commission Director Don Hatfield, Highway Supervisor Mike Ricketts, 911 Director Dave Costin, Emergency Management Director Tom Helmer, Maintenance Supervisor Tom Gilson, Veterans’ Officer Jerry Williamson, GIS Director Robbie Cudnik and Courthouse Head Custodian Brian Smith.

Additionally, courthouse custodian Mike Phillips and part-time custodian Virginia Kersey were retained, as were highway administrative assistant Robyn Hughes, highway secretary Brenda Turner and weights and measures inspector David Wilborn.

County Attorney Jim Ensley was also reappointed to his post.

One position that remains unfilled is that of microfilm director.

The microfilm department has been the subject of discussion in recent months since the resignation of former director Cheryl York in the fall.

With the increased digitization of records, the need has become less and less for a microfilm department, though it has not gone away entirely, nor will it in the foreseeable future.

However, looking at county needs, the commissioners are considering outsourcing the county’s microfilm work in hopes of cost savings that could help hire an information technology employee for the county.

Another new hire on the commissioners’ agenda is a new security officer assigned to the Putnam County Courthouse.

The retirement of Danny Wallace from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department had opened up that spot earlier this year and the county has been able to keep things covered.

However, Commissioner David Berry pointed out the need for someone, and a new hire will be made out of the commissioners’ budget.

Commissioners are hopeful to make a hire for the new part-time position in January.

In other business:

• The commissioners signed the annual county contract with Purdue Extension Putnam County.

The county will pay $100,430 for Extension in 2019, a slight increase over 2018.

The funding was actually approved during county council budget hearings, but not made official until the commissioners signed the contract.

• The commissioner also made a number of committee appointments that were set to expire Jan. 1, including: Jayne Bray and Joe Ferguson–Alcoholic Beverage Commission; Rex Eaton–Putnam County Regional Airport Authority Board; Jon Rice and Steve Fenwick–Cemetery Board; Carolyn Newton, Steve Jackson and Page Cotton–Convention and Visitor Bureau Board; Michael Lambert–Floyd Township Fire Protection District Board; Dr. Warren Macy–Board of Health; Dennis O’Hair–Putnam County Hospital Board; Lora Scott–Board of Zoning Appeals; Nancy Wells–Planning Commission; David Parent–Walnut Creek Fire Protection District Board; Bryan Allen–West Central Solid Waste Board; Ken Eitel–West Central Economic Development Board; Phillip Fry–Roachdale Fire Protection District Board; and Roy Haddon and Tom Helmer–911 Advisory Committee.

911 Advisory Committee members Jerry Ensor, Todd Shedron and David Nelson were not reappointed due to a lack of attendance at the meetings. The commissioners will be seeking applicants for these positions. One of the positions must be from Commissioner District 1 and another from District 2, while the third is at-large.

• The commissioners also kept their own board appointments the same for 2019, with Don Walton serving on West Central Economic Development and West Central Solid Waste; Rick Woodall on the Operation Life, Health Department and Greencastle-Putnam County Development Center boards; and Berry serving on the Planning Commission, Redevelopment Commission, 911 Board and Emergency Management Agency Board.

• Finally, some final changes to the new Putnam County employee handbook were discussed. The commissioners hope to adopt the new handbook on Monday, Dec. 31.

They will meet in a special year-end session at 9 a.m. that day for the approval of final claims for 2018, as well as the handbook issue.

An executive session will follow at 10 a.m.

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