The Hometown Treasure May 2011 | Page 56

May 2011 Phone: [phone] • Fax [phone] • The Hometown Treasure Page 56 County Council Update by Jac Price, Council Vice President On April 11, 2011 the LaGrange County Council which have been submitted for grants in the 2011 met in regular session to conduct the financial business project year which are still pending. of LaGrange County. It was reported that the full scale emergency Donna Hunter, Soil & Water Director, appeared exercise held on April 9th was successful. It did in to request a change in personnel. The Soil and Water fact go very well, as well as it pointed out some areas board has had a full time employee leave who was a that needed to be improved. The exercise indicated full time employee making $8.00 per hour. They would that we, as a county, have a problem with departments like to replace this person with a part time person at within the county being able to communicate with $8.50 per hour. This will cause a reduction in wages. each other. These short comings will be worked on in The council agreed to this change and will consider a the coming months. salary ordinance at the May meeting. The council was presented with the transfers, Committee reports were given and it was reported additional appropriations, legal claims and minutes that LaGrange County was represented at the Annual from the previous meeting. These were approved by the Region III A meeting by Gary Heller of the County council. There was also a salary ordinance presented Commissioners, Dean Domer of Wolcottville Town, and to establish a part wage for two part-time employees in Jac Price for the County Council. The annual report the Assessors office to assist in getting back data entry was presented for both the Region III A Economic issues up to date. This salary ordinance was approved. Development Authority and the Northeast Indiana There was a letter from the LaGrange County Housing Partnership. Some towns as well as the Community Foundation presented with a fund county received $635,000 in Community Focus Fund balance report. The report indicated that the Hospital Grants in 2010 as well as $50,000 to the LaGrange Trust Fund has an amount of $22,243 available for County Economic Development Corporation for distribution. The council authorized the Auditor to a planning grant. In addition, the town of Topeka request this distribution to the county. This will be received $1,230,150 in the form of an EDA (Economic put into the Hospital Trust Fund income account. Development Authority) federal grant for the West Lake This can be used to help with the counties portion of Street Project. There are also a number of projects the EMS expenses. The LaGrange County Council was adjourned and the Joint LaGrange County Commissioner and LaGrange County Council meeting was convened. The purpose of the joint meeting was to receive a report from County Highway Supt. Jeff Brill regarding the equipment and asphalt issues he has and to present Willard Kauffman Real Estate Fiduciary a 5 year plan. Mr. Brill proposed that the county highway 2134 Elkhart Rd. purchase one truck in 2011, this appropriation is in Goshen, Indiana 46526 his present budget. He also proposed the liquidation Office: [phone] Mobile: [phone] of certain pieces of equipment which are used two to Toll Free: [phone] three months a year and in place of replacing them, Email: [email protected] Each office independently owned and operated. we rent equipment when it is needed. In the next four years he is proposing the replacement of two trucks each year so as to bring the fleet up to current condition. He PCs For Youth Annual also reported that this year we will be about $300,000 Fundraising Banquet short in funds for asphalt for the summer road work. PCs for Youth, an organization that provides free He requested that we consider using money from the computers to area youth that have none in their house, EDIT fund to supplement this need. It was requested is holding it’s annual fundraising dinner banquet on for the EDIT committee to meet and consider a formal August 9 at 5 pm. Tickets are available now. Also, area request. This will be done soon. The highway problem business are being called upon to sponsor the banquet is caused by the fact that the highway dollars being sent to help defray the cost of the dinner. back to the county from the state has been on a general The proceeds from this banquet will be used decline over the past years and the outlook does not to purchase software and computer parts for their look good that this will change. The end result is that computers-for-education mission. Questions may be we at the county level are going to have to find ways locally to pick up this shortfall. d ?&V7FVBF???f?76f?'??WF???&r?