The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members will meet tonight where the 2018 intergovernmental agreement between Marshall County and the City of Plymouth for planning services will be discussed. If that agreement is approved, Plan Director Ralph Booker will present the 2018 planning services agreement.
The board members will also consider the 2018 animal control services agreement.
The Marshall County Council members will meet today where Commissioner Kurt Garner will discuss the highway administrator position. Laurie Baker is retiring at the end of the year and the commissioners have accepted applications for her position. He will talk more about that with the council members this morning.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed the transfer of two parcels of land to the Town of Argos.
Six Marshall County Community Correction clients recently completed Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT).
The group was recognized in a ceremony in Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 with Judge Robert O. Bowen presiding on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The members of the John Glenn Education Foundation are looking for funds to help supply grants to teachers.
The first round of grants was awarded in September. Teachers can apply for foundation grants for their out-of-the-box ideas to enhance the learning experience for students. Grants will also be awarded for enhanced training, teaching techniques or new styles of learning.
Four people were arrested on drug charges Tuesday afternoon in La Paz.
According to police, Indiana State Police Troopers from the Bremen Post were called to check on a suspicious blue Dodge pickup at the Speedway station on U.S. 6 just east of old U.S. 31. Police say four people were inside the vehicle. The Plymouth K9 unit was dispatched to the scene and reportedly indicated the presence of drugs. Methamphetamine, needles and other drug paraphernalia were allegedly found during a probable cause search of the vehicle.
Marshall County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested five people after executing an arrest warrant Wednesday night.
According to police, an officer arrived at an apartment in the 500 block of W. Jefferson Street and found the suspect inside along with four other people. Officers reportedly found heroin inside the apartment along with methamphetamine and syringes. All five people were taken into custody.
Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Clyde Avery told the county commissioners this week that he was successful in obtaining two grants.
“We did receive the grant agreement that has been signed and returned to the state so we’re waiting for their signatures and then we’ll have fully executed agreements for both the EMPG competitive grant, which is a $5,000 grant we’re going to use to conduct the table top exercise next year,” said Avery. “We also received the $3,000 grant that we will be using to provide ICS 300 and ICS 400 classes for the county.”
John Glenn School Board President Jeff Johnson told fellow board members Tuesday night there is legislation that could be considered in 2018 that would push back the start date of the school year for all schools. In the beginning, legislation involved mandating the the start date on the Tuesday after Labor Day. Johnson said there is talk now that the mandated start would be the third week in August.
“We want to try as much as we can to keep this under local control so that we can set, according to our community, and our parents and children, when school should start and when it should end,” said Johnson.
A hearing to consider a motion to return restitution in the case of former Marshall County Highway Superintendent Neal Haeck has been continued until Thursday, Jan. 4.
Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman told MAX 98.3 FM News that Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 Judge Robert O. Bowen was unable to be in court on Thursday for the 9 a.m. hearing so it was continued. Prosecutor Chipman said it’s preferred that Judge Bowen preside over this hearing.
Marshall County will join an Indianapolis firm in pursuing a multi-district, federal litigation against the opioid manufacturers and distributors of highly addictive prescription medications.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed the issue in detail in an executive session in November. During their regular business meeting on Monday morning, Commissioner Mike Delp asked about fees to be collected by the firm Cohen and Malad. The firm handling the case would collect 33.3% in attorney fees and any expenses incurred in the event of a recovery. The expenses will be shared with all clients in the litigation process.
The Marshall County Commissioners went a different route when discussing the floor maintenance contract Monday morning.
The commissioners received several bids for floor cleaning as the work is usually done on a contractural basis. Maintenance Director Doug Masterson is under contract now for $850 a month, or $10,200 a year, which is above his full-time position with the county.
Commissioner Mike Delp asked Consultant Kent Irwin of Waggoner, Irwin and Scheele about the practice of a county employee doing work for the county as an independent contractor and receive 1099 wages to perform similar duties.
The John Glenn School Board members discussed the purchase of 220 iPads for kindergarten, first and second grade students Tuesday night.
Technology Director Andrew Stegemiller explained that the current computers were purchased in 2012 and cannot be updated anymore. He said the computers were reliable and will get a good trade-in price. They need to be traded in soon to keep that pricing.
The Marshall County Commissioners held a public hearing Monday morning concerning an ordinance amendment that makes changes to side yard fences in certain zones.
The ordinance changes the side yard fence height to “six feet in height and must be of uniform, color and style construction materials.” The ordinance amendment pertains to L-1, T-1, C-1, C-2, and industrial districts. Agricultural districts are excluded.
A concept of branding by this production company for Marshall County was presented to the commissioners Monday morning.
Lou Pierce from the Big Idea Company out of Mishawaka presented the findings of members of Branding Marshall County in three meetings held in Bremen, Culver and at Ancilla College. He said Marshall County needs to stand out in a relevant way to promote what Marshall County has to offer.
The John Glenn School Board members commended the Urey Middle School Spell Bowl team Tuesday night for their 5th Division 3 State Championship in the past 12 years.
A Plymouth man was arrested Monday night after police say he attempted to enter several cars on Michigan Street.
According to a report from the Plymouth Police Department, officers were called to the area of Michigan Street and Goshen Road after complaints were received about a man causing a traffic hazard. The man was reportedly attempting to enter several vehicles. Police say an off-duty Marshall County Sheriff’ Department officer arrived at the scene and told Plymouth officers that the man approached his car as well.
A Plymouth woman was taken into custody on Friday afternoon after allegedly providing with police with false information.
During an unrelated investigation, a Plymouth police officer spoke to the woman at the Economy Inn and she allegedly gave the officer false information. When the officer went to verify information, she reportedly attempted to run from the officer on foot. She was detained and she continued to resist the officer, according to the report.
Firefighters from several area fire departments battled a house fire in Plymouth Monday night.
According to the Plymouth Fire Department’s Facebook page, crews arrived at the scene around 6:43 p.m. and there they found a home on Pearl Street fully engulfed in flames. Crews were there for about eight hours battling the blaze. Strong winds hindered efforts as the fire spread quickly throughout the home.
The Plymouth Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Bremen, Argos, and La Paz Fire Departments and Plymouth EMS.
The Marshall County Commissioners will wait to make a decision on whether or not restitution will be paid to former Highway Superintendent Neal Haeck.
Haeck was accused of stealing money from the sale of scrap metal while acting in his position held in the county in 2012 and 2013. Haeck maintained his innocence from the time he was accused of the action in 2014, but he was found guilty on one count of theft during a two-day trial in March of 2016. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,358.41, which was paid in full to the county, plus court costs and fines. Continue reading
