EMS crew quarters in need of remodel

Thursday, November 18, 2021

A year after the office side of Putnam County EMS headquarters was completely overhauled, the living quarters side of the building is in need of upgrades as well.

In explaining the proposed project to the Putnam County Commissioners on Monday, Chief Kelly Russ emphasized that the needs are not as extensive as they were in the office, where mold was widespread.

However, she doesn’t want to see it get worse.

“We’re going to have to do something over there before it becomes a bigger problem like the other side,” Russ said.

Problems include a small mold issue in the laundry room and supply room, ripped-up carpet, cracked tile, taped carpet on the staircase so it doesn’t become a trip hazard and exposed pressboard on countertops.

She explained that some of these matters make it impossible to disinfect and sanitize that side of the building, a problem at any point in EMS, but particularly in the era of COVID-19.

Russ has received estimates on the work that range in price from $55,000 to $180,000. She explained that the highest estimate includes larger structural changes that the others do not.

No action was taken on Monday, but the matter will continue to be considered by county officials.

Russ also spoke of another ongoing headache, the newest ambulance the department purchased earlier this year.

The vehicle has undergone a series of repairs since the department took possession of it, most notably an overheating problem.

While the repairs have all been under warranty, the fact that it’s continually out of commission is the larger issue.

The van has only 12,000 miles on it, with Russ quipping that most of that has been driving back and forth to Ford dealerships for repairs.

In other business, the Commissioners:

• Explored options for a different vehicle for the Putnam County Building and Planning Department.

The department’s 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe, originally transferred from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, is still running but has been having some mechanical problems.

The vehicle is used for building inspections.

A Ford Explorer, also transferred from the Sheriff’s Office, has been sitting mostly idle at the EMS office. Russ said some equipment probably needed to be removed from the Explorer, but did not object to the vehicle transferring departments.

In the midst of the discussion, Heritage Lake Property Manager Ken Rozelle, who is also a reserve sheriff’s deputy, noted that the Floyd Township Fire Department also has an old PCSO Tahoe that is not used and it is looking to sell.

Since the vehicle was transferred to the fire department, Rozelle did not think it appropriate that it be sold for a profit. He wondered, instead, if the Tahoe in question might fill the need.

However, County Attorney Jim Ensley said the fire department has the right to sell the vehicle if it so chooses. Commissioner President Rick Woodall added that the Explorer is preferable to the Tahoe for building inspectors because it gets better gas mileage.

In the end, Vice President Tom Helmer made the motion to transfer the Explorer to the Planning Department while keeping the Tahoe for a part-time/backup vehicle. Woodall and David Berry joined him in a unanimous vote.

• Also heard from Zeiner that the Greencastle Board of Zoning Appeals is now awaiting further county action before it approves a petition on County Road 280 South.

The request, for a use variance by contractor Scott Williams, was originally delayed when it was discovered that 280 South was not actually platted as a county road.

While the Commissioners set that action in motion earlier this month, the city BZA — which oversees the zoning matter because it falls within the two-mile fringe of Greencastle — is awaiting a survey by the county until it moves forward.

For county officials, the question is whether such a survey would fall under the budget of the Highway Department or the Surveyor’s Office.

Additionally, there are currently long waits in getting any kind of surveying work done.

No action was taken.

• Reviewed a proposal from Secure Tech Systems for a new panic button system at the courthouse.

The current system has been in place since the late 1990s. While it still works, the manufacturer no longer makes parts for the system after almost a quarter century.

Secure Tech is proposing a new system with expanded capabilities for a one-time fee of $18,750. Additional charges would include a two-year warranty for $950 that could be renewed at the end of the term.

After an exhaustive discussion, Helmer made a motion to approve the proposal, but the matter died for lack of a second. Berry and Woodall both said they wanted more time to consider the matter.

Should the Commissioners choose to move forward, there is plenty of money in the Cumulative Courthouse Fund to cover the expenditure.

• Approved the annual contractual agreement with Purdue Extension.

The 2022 contract is for $105,850, which Extension Director Mark Evans explained was a three-percent increase. There was no increase last year.

Money had already been appropriated for the contract.

The three commissioners and Ensley were joined at the meeting by Auditor Kristina Berish.

The next meeting of the Putnam County Commissioners will be at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 6 on the first floor of the Putnam County Courthouse.

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  • Wow what a money pit!

    -- Posted by Homegrown765 on Thu, Nov 18, 2021, at 8:51 PM
  • Seriously!

    This is total BS !

    They do NOTHING, to assist others except themselves. My family was recently in a horrible accident and they Refused to take them to an ‘Appropriate’ facility, medic informed my family they were unable to leave the County. Ridiculous. They were flown to the ‘Appropriate’ Trauma center an hour later, thank goodness PCH knew they needed to be sent. I wouldn’t called PCEMS. For Anything!

    STAR will be my go-to.

    People, wake up. Remember they are sucking all the County funds. They need Shut-down.

    -- Posted by marigold28 on Fri, Nov 19, 2021, at 11:05 AM
  • How about some money to replace that embarrassing little flag pole !

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Sun, Nov 21, 2021, at 8:02 AM
  • Thank you PCEMS for all you do for our county. You have been a true blessing to Putnam County. marigold28, it is possible the medic knew your family needed more attention than their ambulance could give and needed to be air- lifted instead of a slower ground ride. I don’t know but I do feel that the medics know more than we give them credit for.

    -- Posted by Nit on Sun, Nov 21, 2021, at 1:10 PM
  • I agree with NIT. The new management at ems is correcting many issues from the past. It does cost more but I believe they have the community as a whole, in much better shape now. Thanks Kelly and Anthony. I can't imagine covid with only 2 ambulance crews working. Commissioners made a good decision to take it over.

    -- Posted by H_lake34 on Sun, Nov 21, 2021, at 2:30 PM
  • Most people never understand emergency services. All they know is pickup phone call 911. It takes planning and trying to keep up with all the new reg's.

    Ol was going out of business when commissioners decided to step in. There was several things OL management did to try to keep doors open.

    Some repairs were not made. The people of Putnam Co. should be thankful for what they.

    -- Posted by Togafarm on Mon, Nov 22, 2021, at 10:01 AM
  • We are worried about a flag pole? The NLCSP and their congregants will not be happy that someone cares about a flag pole

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Nov 22, 2021, at 11:59 PM
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