Marshall County Highway Superintendent Jason Peters got a bit of a surprise Monday morning when he was given high praise for his work as superintendent.
Jasper County Commissioner Kendell Culp, who was also the 2020 president of the Indiana Association of County Commissioners, presented Peters with the distinction of being named Outstanding County Highway Supervisor of the Year. The award is usually given at an AICC conference in December, but it was canceled due to COVID-19. As a result, Culp presented the award to Peters during a special meeting.
Culp stated, “Jason was promoted to superintendent in 2018. Since being appointed to that position, he’s reorganized the Highway Department to allow it to operate more efficiently. A few of his accomplishments have been that he’s diligently worked with the county commissioners and county council in Marshall County to improve communications and develop a road program that is fully funded. During his tenure as superintendent, Jason has not been afraid to research and use innovative methods to improve roads and maximize the impact of revenues, he’s negotiated a contract with vendors to mill and to pave some of your county roads here in the county and then repair secondary roads at a fraction of the cost of what asphalt would cost.”
He noted Peters’ efforts in his methods of replacing highway equipment, and making improvements to the office to assist with boosting morale.
“In his nomination form that was submitted, it says, ‘Jason keeps in mind how things have been done in the past and keeps finding ways to do them better and the county has not been disappointed. We would say that his motto would be ‘we have done things well today we can do them better tomorrow.’”
Marshall County Commissioners Kevin Overmyer, Michael Burroughs and Stan Klotz congratulated Peters and recognized his efforts to improve the county. So much so that the complaints received by the highway department have decreased in the last few years from over 800 calls a year to just under 250 in 2020.
Former County Council members Penny Lukenbill and Jon Van Vactor nominated him to the award.
Peters thanked all who came to support him Monday and was appreciative of the award.
