County officially approves 2018 EDIT plan
After a series of edits set approval back a couple of times, the Putnam County Commissioners officially approved the 2018 EDIT plan this week.
The plan, unanimously approved Monday, allocates $1,029,984 in funds from the Economic Development Income Tax.
The big ticket item in the plan is the $230,218 for the jail bond. However, that amount is only about half of previous years, as the county made the final semi-annual bond payment on the jail last month.
Other EDIT expenditures include $10,500 for West Central Economic Development, $45,000 for Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development, $15,000 for the Putnam County Senior Center, $27,883.75 for the Edgelea Project annual payment, $10,000 for the Edgelea debt contingency, $5,000 to Rural Transit, $10,000 to Beyond Homeless, $10,000 to the Food Pantry, $9,000 to People Pathways, $250,000 to the Annex project and $407,382.25 to the warchest.
With the EDIT plan approved, the commissioners also approved the annual contract with Greencastle/Putnam County Economic Development Center.
In other business:
• The commissioners approved a five-year lease for $217,521.95 for a new Caterpillar excavator for the Putnam County Highway Department.
The bid, directly from Cat, beat out those by West Side Tractor for $234,000 and Gradall for $316,000.
The lease also comes with the chance to buy the machine with a baloon payment at the end of five years.
Commissioner David Berry reviewed the contract and said that besides the lowest price, Cat also offered the best warranty.
With an order placed now, the county will take possession of the new equipment in six months.
• The commissioners signed an interlocal agreement with the Town of Roachdale for County Planner Don Hatfield to do some of the town’s inspections.
The agreement still needs to be approved by the Roachdale Town Council to take effect.
• Commissioner Rick Woodall updated his fellow commissioners on the new time keeping system for county employees that was approved in December.
The new system was being installed as of Monday.
• The commissioners corrected an error made during their annual appointments in December.
At that time, they appointed Cara McGill to the Roachdale Public Library Board. However, McGill is actually the appointment of the Putnam County Council.
In her place, the commissioners appointed Brandy Muse.