Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield told the town council members last week that he’s received three applications for firefighters.
The fire department has suffered from a dwindling roster of firefighters and Wakefield has been soliciting for applications from Culver or Union Township residents for the past year hoping to gather interest in training to be a firefighter.
Marshall County Highway Supervisor Jason Peters told the commissioners his concerns about the placement of steel posts in the right-of-way area on properties.
Peters said some of the posts are about one to two feet from the county road which creates concern.
A South Bend man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly battered two people at a residence in the 8,000 block of 5th Road in Bremen.
Marshall County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived at the scene and reportedly found that 39-year-old Justin M. Shonkwiler battered two people at the residence. Police say the homeowner shot a round from a handgun in order to scare Shonkwiler. The gun was allegedly aimed away from the suspect and others. Shonkwiler was not at the residence during the investigation.
The Marshall County Commissioners reorganized during their first meeting of 2018 Tuesday morning. Kevin Overmyer was reappointed as commission president while Kurt Garner was reappointed as Vice President.
Highway Supervisor Jason Peters presented a proposed policy to the commissioners regarding mailbox damage during plowing. Peters noted that the policy allows the highway department to repair or replace a mailbox if it is damaged as a result of direct contact of a highway department truck or equipment. However, if the mailbox or wooden post was broken due to the force of snow, it is “most likely” the highway department will not replace it.
Some projects within the Town of Culver’s Stellar Communities Designation program will expand thanks to additional Community Development Block Grant funding.
Culver Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe read a report into the record from Town Manager Jonathan Leist during last week’s meeting. Leist indicated that the Stellar Committee agreed to expand the Cavalier Sports Park project along with the Culver Beach Lodge renovation efforts and Lake Max programming and accessibility. It was the decision of the committee on Dec. 19 to expand on the current projects rather than begin planning for an entirely new venture.
Detectives with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department are asking for information regarding two separate burglary incidents on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Police say an unknown person or persons forced entry into an outbuilding in the 4,000 block of Beech Road. The suspect took numerous tools, electronics and a large, portable heater, according to the report.
The Marshall County Commissioners approved department head appointments during a special meeting Friday morning.
Commissioners Mike Delp, Kurt Garner and Kevin Overmyer reappointed Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Doug Masterson, Jail Maintenance Supervisor Gary Masterson, Marshall County Historical Society Museum Director Linda Rippy, EMA Director Clyde Avery, IT Director Michael Marshall, Veteran’s Service Officer Pam Schweizer-Betz, and Building Inspector Chuck DeWitt. As previously reported, Jason Peters was reappointed as highway supervisor, but the county engineer/director position has yet to be filled.
Officials with the Town of Culver and Marshall County Habitat for Humanity are looking for a qualified individual to help build his or her own home in Culver.
Application information can be found the Town of Culver’s website at www.townofculver.org for a building project at an available site at the Sand Hill Farms workforce housing development project off of West Jefferson Street in Culver. The project is anticipated to begin in late 2018 or early 2019.
The Marshall County Commissioners have not yet hired a person to fill the vacancy of Highway Administrator Laurie Baker. Baker’s retirement begins at the end of the business day today.
The Culver Town Council members discussed grant funds that were appropriated during the year at their meeting this week.
Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim commented that the town was fortunate to receive several grants in 2017 that weren’t recognized in the budget. She recommended that the list be available to inform the public of all funds awarded and spent, and on the record for the Department of Local Government Finance.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet in special session today.
The commissioners will review the final claims of 2017 today and make department head appointments. Time is also allowed for the approval of the previous meeting minutes and public comment.
A Plymouth woman is charged with receiving Supplemental Security Income Benefit Program (SSI) benefits in a fraudulent manner.
According to court documents, Social Security Administration Special Agent Brett M. Yonkus from the Office of the Inspector General in Indianapolis alleges Hester Dills, 55, applied for SSI on Nov. 23, 2005 and revealed she was married and living with her husband and children. Yonkus stated in an Affidavit of Probable Cause that she was denied benefits at that time. She reportedly applied for benefits again on Dec. 6, 2011 and stated that she was not married in her application, but still residing at the same address on Washington Street in Plymouth, according to the report. She was granted benefits from 2011 to 2017 totaling $45,284.
Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a hit-and-run driver in a Wednesday evening crash.
According to police, 21-year-old Hope Fish, of Plymouth, was traveling south on State Road 17 around 6:30 p.m. and slowed to turn onto 12th Road near Lake LaTonka. A car following Fish failed to yield and ran into Fish’s vehicle on the rear driver’s side. Police say the vehicle then fled the scene.
The Culver Town Council members took action Tuesday night to make sure budget funds will be balanced at the end of the year.
A resolution to transfer funds within departments and department funds was unanimously approved.
An ordinance to encumber funds for 2017 was also considered. A lot of the money to be encumbered is for paving.
Phase one in restoration efforts at the Rees Theater in downtown Plymouth is now complete.
Rees Project Committee Co-Chairman Randy Danielson said VANADCO workers finished installing LED lights on the marquee just in time for Christmas. The marquee was fully lit for Christmas and they will be on during New Year’s Eve. This was the last of the repairs to the masonry façade which included the rehabilitation of the playbill cases.
The Culver Town Council members approved the second reading of the proposed traffic ordinance when they met Tuesday night.
The traffic ordinance designates a congested motor vehicle traffic and pedestrian area on Lakeshore Drive and signage will be placed between 508 Lakeshore east to 824 Lakeshore Drive. The ordinance also creates a no parking zone for 50 feet from the intersection on both sides of the street on Batabano and South Plymouth Street.
The John Glenn School Board members approved stipends for a member of the custodial staff and bus drivers when they met last week.
According to Recording Secretary Lisa Sleek, the custodial director has been out on sick leave since June. The employee filling in was given a $7,000 stipend for performing duties above and beyond his normal duties.
The school board approved a stipend for bus drivers to charge buses when they are at their residences. A $100 engine block stipend was approved to keep up with costs associated with running the buses.
The Culver Town Council members will meet in regular session tonight.
The council members will act on additional readings of the traffic ordinance and the salary ordinance.
The traffic ordinance designates a congested motor vehicle traffic and pedestrian area on Lakeshore Drive and signage will be placed between 508 Lakeshore east to 824 Lakeshore Drive. The ordinance also creates a no parking zone for 50 feet from the intersection on both sides of the street on Batabano and South Plymouth Street.
The Marshall County Health Board is still one board member short even after the commissioners’ appointment of one seat at the recommendation of Marshall County Health Department Administrator Christine Stinson as recently approved by the health board members.
The John Glenn School Board members took action to approve the purchase of computers for students during their Tuesday night meeting.
The students in grades three through six at North Liberty Elementary School and Urey Middle School in Walkerton will receive new Chromebooks. The current devices needed to be replaced.
