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Watts, Deck honored in final county meetings
As much of the business on the agendas turn to the coming year, December meetings are also a time of wrapping up the business of the current year.
For officials concluding their terms, such meetings are also a time of wrapping up their time in office or even their time in politics.
Such was the case for a pair of Putnam County officials recently, as Max Watts concluded his time with the Putnam County commissioners and Roger Deck completed his service with the Putnam County Council.
Watts spent a short time as a commissioner, but one in which he and fellow commissioners Don Walton and David Berry made a number of key decisions.
A Republican caucus in September 2013 selected Watts as the new District 2 Commissioner to replace longtime public servant Nancy Fogle, who passed away in August of that year.
Perhaps the biggest county decision during Watts' 16-month tenure was the re-establishment of animal control in the county through a public-private partnership between county government and the Humane Society of Putnam County.
At the end of Monday's commissioners meeting, Walton and Berry expressed their appreciation for his service by presenting a certificate. The move was met with a round of applause.
Watts will be replaced on the board by Rick Woodall.
Deck's tenure on the council last eight years and concluded with Tuesday's meeting. The two-term councilman had announced previously that he believed in term limits and would not seek a third term.
Never shy in his desire to save the county and its taxpayers money, Deck was an outspoken member of the council during his eight years. Tuesday was no different, with Deck speaking up on a number of issues and even giving some advice to his fellow councilmen as they move forward without him.
Among this advice was to continue to be the accessible body of officials it has been for the last eight years, not one of the rigid, formal councils he has seen in other counties.
Deck exited to a round of handshakes from other councilmen and others at the meeting.
He will be replaced in January by Jill Bridgewater.
The actual business of the two meetings was largely looking ahead to 2015, including a proposal before both boards that could mean significant savings for juvenile probation and the Putnam Circuit Court.
Juvenile probation officer Renee Marsteller spoke to the commissioners about the potential savings on Monday. When the county needs to house a juvenile accused of a crime, it cannot do so among the adult population of the Putnam County Jail. Instead, these youths are usually taken to Muskegon River Youth Home of Indiana in Ladoga.
The normal cost is $200 per bed per night, but through a $45,000 annual contract, the county is able to reduce this cost to $119 per night.
Muskegon River's management would be willing to reduce the cost even further, to the neighborhood of $100 per night, if the county would purchase $75,000 of beds up front.
Using the beds would be no problem, based on recent years and 2014. So far, the county has spent $67,000 on juvenile detention and is likely on course to spend in the neighborhood of $75,000.
However, with the proposed rate, the $67,000 the county has spent would be more like $52,000 so far in 2014.
Any unused portion of the $75,000 could be rolled over into the following year, provided that the Department of Local Government Finance allows the county to roll over a credit.
Both Marsteller and Circuit Court Judge Matt Headley, appearing before the council on Tuesday, also emphasized that the county recoups at least a portion of the juvenile detention costs through fees to the parents of the offenders. Nearly $30,000 has been collected this year.
With the 2015 budget already approved, though, questions remain about the exact source of this money that would be going into the Circuit Court's budget. Commissioners and councilmen reacted generally favorably to the proposal.
Although questions remain, the additional appropriation of $30,000 will be advertised for the January meeting as the council explores its options.
Also looking toward 2015, the council made its appointments for the coming year, which included Earl Lancaster to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. In terms of council liaisons to boards, Larry Parker will be the commissioners liaison, attending both the morning and evening meetings; Dave Fuhrman will serve on the Emergency Management Agency, community corrections board and cemetery board; Darrel Thomas will serve with West Central Economic Development; Phil Gick will serve on the Humane Society board; and Keith Berry will serve on the Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development Board.
With Deck leaving the council, Bridgewater could take over his appointments to the E-911 board and the Putnam County Planning Commission, but these will not be determined until she has taken office and agreed to them.
In other business:
* The council gave approval to a tax abatement for Spear Corp. on its new corporate headquarters west of Roachdale. Approval was also given to a resolution making Scorpion Protective Coatings eligible for abatement on an upcoming building project. The actual abatement will be on the council's January agenda.
* Council approved an additional appropriation of $375,000 from the health insurance trust fund to county general to cover insurance premiums. Several small appropriations were also approved from the County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT) to cover retirement, Social Security and Medicare.
* The commissioners approved a proposal from the Planning Commission allowing private clubs and lodges as a special exception in Agricultural 1 (A1) districts. This exception was already allowed in A2 as well as Residential 2.
* The commissioners chose to table department head appointments until the first January meeting, allowing Woodall to have a voice in the matter as well.