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.
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.
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.
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 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.
The Marshall County Commissioners considered two ordinances on second and third reading when they met Monday morning.
Planning Director Ralph Booker presented an ordinance amendment approved and recommended by the Marshall County Planning Commission that 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.
The Marshall County Commissioners ratified an action taken to expedite the process in hiring a county engineer/director for the highway position.
The county council last week approved an amended job description for the position. Since the advertisement for the position under the old job description already took place, a new advertisement needed to be done that spells out the new responsibilities.
The Marshall County Commissioners considered the intergovernmental agreement between Planning Director Ralph Booker and the City of Plymouth when they met Monday morning.
For years, the county has had an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Plymouth. The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety recently agreed to a contract where the county would be paid a certain amount for six months in 2018 and Booker paid another amount for the same six months in 2018 for services rendered. Booker is anticipating retirement from his county position in June of 2018 and following that the entire amount would go to Booker as he tentatively plans to stay with the city as the plan director. The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members approved that agreement.
Offenders who do not go through the booking process at the Marshall County Jail may soon be fingerprinted in the office of the probation department.
Sheriff Matt Hassel brought the recommendation before the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning. He said he has been talking with the court about installing a new iTouch Biometrics fingerprinting machine in the probation office.
The Marshall County Commissioners will discuss the intergovernmental agreement with Planning Director Ralph Booker and the City of Plymouth when they meet this morning. The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members approved the agreement and contract with Booker during their meeting on Monday, Dec. 11. A lengthy discussion concerning a code enforcement employee was held during the Marshall County Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 11.
Marshall County Commissioner Kurt Garner presented the county council members Monday morning with a proposed job description change pertaining to the highway administrator’s position.
Garner explained it is the thought to change the highway administrator’s position to a county engineer/director position. The highway administrator’s position will become vacant at the end of the year with the retirement of Laurie Baker on Dec. 29. Garner said the addition of an engineer to the highway department would be beneficial.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed an E-gov contract with IT Director Michael Marshall last week.
Marshall presented the contract at a previous meeting which calls for a contract with E-gov out of Indianapolis for web hosting and web design. He said they have the skills necessary to produce a user-friendly county website and give it a fresh look. Marshall said he would still be responsible for content.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed the transfer of two parcels of land to the Town of Argos.
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.”
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 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 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
