New emergency number available

County Commissioners Gene Beck, Kristina Warren and Jim Baird were told about a new emergency announcement bulletin board number that is available to the public at Monday's meeting

City and county emergencies like snow and weather advisories will be available. Non-emergency calls to 911 will be directly transferred to the new number 765-655-2048.

By dialing star-2, callers can hear the advisories.

"This will help cut down on the amount of traffic that ties up the emergency lines," said County Planning Director Kim Hyten.

The public can also go to the county Web site at www.co.putnam.in.us to see if there is a snow emergency.

"The new EOC Auto Attendant is in use now and the public can direct dial the bulletin board to find about boil water advisories or weather issues," said Hyten.

In other business, commissioners opened highway annual bids and tabled them until their next meeting on Dec. 15.

Putnam County Economic Development Director Bill Dory introduced Michael East from Endeavor Communications to the board. Dory has requested that East be appointed to the Region 7 Workforce Board that includes Clay, Owen, Sullivan, Putnam, Vigo, Vermillion and Parke counties.

Putnam County commissioners are charged with appointing two county representatives to the board.

Commissioner Gene Beck questioned where East resided. He is a resident of Avon in Hendricks County.

"Shouldn't it be a resident from Putnam County? asked Beck.

Dory replied that there were no restrictions on personal residency only that the person be an executive for a Putnam County business. He also said it was difficult to find people to attend the meetings as they were held in Terre Haute.

Commissioner Jim Baird asked East if he had experience with workforce issues. East commented that he had met with some members of the Workforce Board and asked for information from them.

East came to Endeavor in January 2006 from a Telephone Cooperative in Oregon.

Dory asked the board to make a decision immediately so East could attend the next Region 7 Workforce Board meeting, but Beck replied that they would not make a decision today since they had not had an opportunity to discuss East's qualifications. Whoever is named to the board will serve on it until June 30, 2011.

Commissioners also approved the 2009 Holiday and pay schedules for county employees.

County Auditor Stephanie Campbell commented that next year will be a 27-pay year. Most years have 26 pays.

"Employees will get the same amount of pay but it will be spread out over 27 pay periods instead of 26," said Campbell.

The next meeting of the Putnam County Commissioners is Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Courthouse Annex.