County fire departments to receive $2,000 each

During their Monday evening meeting, Putnam County Commissioners Gene Beck, Kristina Warren and Jim Baird approved giving 11 county fire departments $2,000 each to purchase chain saws and equipment to help the highway department clean up roads following disasters such as the June flood.

Representatives from all the departments were at the meeting. Greencastle Fire Chief Bill Newgent spoke for the group, thanking the Commissioners for considering the purchases.

"We all appreciate you letting us talk about this," said Newgent.

Commissioner Beck asked that the group try to purchase the equipment locally or get a local company to bid on the equipment.

"Maybe we can get a better deal that way," he said.

The money for the special project will come from the Solid Waste District Fund. Putnam County collects tipping fees for the Special Waste Land Fill at Russellville. This is an additional fund to the Hazardous Waste Land Fill Fund.

In other business, the commissioners opened bids for repairs to the courthouse roof. Bids were received from Ensor Electric, H. G. Metals, Century Steel, Smither Roofing, Sentry Roofing, Criss & Hutcheson and Fredericks. Bids were taken under advisement.

Steve Meno with Fifth Third Security gave a proposal to commissioners regarding reducing the jail bond. Built in 1994, the original loan rate was 4.8 percent. It is now 3.71 percent. By refinancing, Meno said the county could save up to $168,000 by paying off the loan early or save $140,000 by lowering their payments.

Commissioners tabled the proposal until their next meeting

Norm Richardson with Rural Transit gave the council a Memorandum of Agreement regarding bringing their service to Putnam County. Commissioners stated they would make a decision about signing it at the next meeting.

Putnam County Veterans Affairs representative Will Niebold reported on his visit with Commissioner Jim Baird to Camp Atterbury earlier this year. The two viewed troop training and talked to troops while there.

"I don't know if many people realize that Camp Atterbury is a main processing center for National Guard and Reserves. Troops pass through there coming and going overseas," said Niebold.

The Employer Support Group that is funded by the Department of Defense invited the men.

Niebold asked the commissioners to sign an agreement supporting the Re-employment Act.

"This states that anyone in the county who leaves a job to serve in the National Guard or other unit will return to the job they left. It is a Federal law and this is just a statement of support," explained Niebold.

The next meeting of the County Commission is Tuesday, September 2 at 9 a.m. at the County Annex.