Commissioners may accept subdivision, with conditions
The Putnam County Commissioners are willing to work out a solution for accepting a subdivision that is not yet up to required specifications.
The Parker Place Subdivision is now owned by First National Bank of Cloverdale, which is looking to give the unfinished development to the Putnam County Foundation. However, the foundation cannot accept the property unless its roads meet county development standards.
Commissioner Jim Baird told Foundation representatives George Murphey and Alan Stanley that he was not sure at first that there was hope for the project when they first presented it in November. But after visiting Parker Place, he said, there may be a way to bring the development up to standards.
Commissioner Kristina Warren said she has information showing that if a subdivision is considered a minor residential area, the road widths can be narrower than what the commissioners originally thought they need to be to meet county specifications.
As far as meeting county specs, Warren said, this development is the closest one that has been presented to the commissioners.
The commissioners agreed they can work out some guidelines to present in writing to the Community Foundation, showing what work needs to be done before the county will accept the roads. The commissioners voted tentative approval of the project as long as it meets the requirements they outline.
Murphey and Stanley said they can take that information to the Community Foundation for consideration.
In other business, the commissioners:
* Reviewed contracts for employees in the county recorder's office. By hiring employees on contract, they are not eligible for the county's medical insurance. Recorder Jeannette Summitt said those employees know before they are hired that they will not be offered medical insurance.
* Heard a presentation from data collector Nancy Dennis of the Real Estate Department concerning some new software that will handle information for property assessment. The cost of the software is $125,000, along with an annual maintenance fee of $25,000, from vendor Government Utilities Technology Service of Thorntown. The commissioners tabled the issue.
* Received information from Bill Dory of the Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development Commission concerning funding for 2008. The county grants annual funding for the GDC from its economic development income tax collection. The request for 2008 is $34,500.
* Voted to continue the appointment of several appointed county officials, including Kim Hyten as planning commission director, Ken Hutcheson as courthouse custodian, Dave Denny as annex custodian, Gerrand Ginder and Darrel Woodall as part-time custodians, Dave Costin as 911 director, Will Neibold as veteran's affairs officer, Kathy VanArsdale as microfilm director, Dave Sutherlin as highway supervisor, Radene Varvel as highway department administrative assistant, Brenda Turner as highway department secretary, Howard VanHook as county home superintendent and Shirley VanHook as county home matron, and Scott Hoff as county attorney.