State could help pay county's GIS cost

Friday, April 5, 2013

For months (if not years) the Putnam County Commissioners have been hearing from software companies about adding a geographic information system in the county to assist in the planning, plat and 911 departments.

For the same length of time, the commissioners' answer has been roughly the same: That would be great, but where do we find the money?

In a letter to the Putnam County Commissioners presented at Monday's meeting, Indiana Geographic Information Officer Jim Sparks proposed that the State of Indiana could pay 50 percent of bringing GIS to Putnam County.

The county already has a data exchange agreement with the state but does not currently have complete GIS parcel agreement to share with the state. Putnam is one of only two counties still without such digital information.

In this case, it would appear the early bird does not always catch the worm. Under proposals already made to the county by various vendors, this state assistance could be worth $45,000 to $46,000.

As for the remaining portion of the GIS costs, Sparks' letter further states his opinion that the project could be paid for from the county's hazardous waste disposal tax.

The hazardous waste fund, available in Putnam County because of the hazardous waste landfill near Russellville, has been a subject of ongoing debate at the county and state level. The State Board of Accounts has been very strict about the use of said funds.

County Attorney Jim Ensley told the Banner Graphic that while he does not necessarily agree with Sparks' conclusions about the hazardous waste funds for this project, the letter could guard the county against any future objection from the SBA.

"A letter from a state official has more power than any legal opinion I could write," Ensley said.

WTH Technology, one of the vendors hoping for the county's GIS business, did much of the work in getting the state involved in this matter. While there is no guarantee that a bid by WTH will ultimately be chosen, it at least opens up the possibility that the county will even be purchasing GIS software.

In other business:

* The Putnam County Sheriff's Department will be selling one of its higher mileage cars to the Stilesville Police Department for $1. The vehicle has reached the end of its useful life for the county, but could still be of use in the small town in western Hendricks County.

The sheriff's department has a mutual aid agreement with Stiles-ville to assist with problems near the county line in the area.

* The commissioners appointed Eddie Samsel as a south district representative to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

* Six appointments were made to the county's new animal control board: Lynn Bohmer of the Humane Society, Sheriff Steve Fenwick, Greencastle Police Chief Tom Sutherlin, Fillmore Town Board member Curt Leonard, Bainbridge Town Board member Chuck McElwee and Roachdale Town Board member Zach Bowers.

The county is still awaiting word from the Cloverdale and Russellville town councils on representatives to the board.

County Councilman Phil Gick, who has been active on the county's ad hoc committee on the matter, will temporarily serve as the chairman.

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  • It's shameful that Putnam is one of only two counties in the state without a GIS. We got rid of the County Home, the Humane Shelter, the Away-Home Shelter, and the roads are deplorable. Where is all the tax money going?

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Fri, Apr 5, 2013, at 8:16 AM
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