The Marshall County Council members are in support of an increase to the Cumulative Bridge Fund.
The proposed increase is for $.0524 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The average taxpayer would see an increase of $26.20. County officials are anticipating a deficit in that fund in 2019 which causes concern about funds to rebuild bridges for public safety.
The Marshall County Council will meet today where Commissioner Kurt Garner will discuss a rate increase in the Cumulative Bridge Fund.
The proposed increase is for $.0524 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The average taxpayer would see an increase of $26.20. County officials are anticipating a deficit in that fund in 2019 which causes concern about funds to rebuild bridges for public safety. A public hearing on the matter is set for Monday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m.
Marshall County officials will not need to make any cuts to this year’s budget.
Marshall County Auditor Julie Fox informed the county council members last week that she received the budget order from the state and there were no cuts to be made.
The opioid crisis continues to be a concern in all communities including Marshall County.
Marshall County Health Administrator Christine Stinson told the Marshall County Council members last week that the number of overdose deaths in the county is alarming.
The Marshall County Health Department is the recipient of a $2,500 mini grant from the Indiana State Association of County and City Health Officials.
According to Marshall County Health Department Administrator Christine Stinson, the grant funds would be used as a voucher program to test known IV drug users for Hepatitis C as she feels that is a population that needs more health study.
A lot of snow has fallen on holidays and the weekends this winter and officials are starting to watch funds in overtime budgets.
Marshall County Highway Supervisor Jason Peters told the Marshall County Council members this week that he may ask for an additional appropriation later this year to cover the fund through paving season.
The Community Crossings funding for the Beech Road project in Marshall County is now available. Highway Supervisor Jason Peters told the county council Monday morning that the state’s portion will be $216,060 with the county’s match of $87,712.05. The invoice hasn’t been submitted yet but the project is ready for payment.
The Marshall County Council members considered an additional appropriation for a fingerprinting machine for the probation department.
The search continues for a county engineer.
The Marshall County Commissioners are looking for a candidate who is a licensed engineer who could help add expertise to the qualified staff already at the county highway. Commissioner Kurt Garner explained to the county council on Monday morning that they received three applications with two of the applicants possessing an engineer’s license. They offered a candidate with a license, 12 years of highway experience and the ability to assist the county with matrix technology to help the county’s focus on prioritizing maintenance on roads, but that candidate turned down an offer from the county. According to Commissioners Garner and Mike Delp, who even offered part of their salaries to add to the proposed pay rate, the candidate wasn’t sure he wanted to take the risk of having an divided council and commission vote on the position and the loss in pay.
The Marshall County Council members will meet today where Highway Superintendent Jason Peters will discuss a probationary waiver of pay and Community Crossings fund.
Marshall County Museum Director Linda Rippy will provide a quarterly report to the council and Sheriff Matt Hassel will discuss the commissary budget.
The Marshall County Council members approved a transfer of money to the Rainy Day Fund last week.
Auditor Julie Fox said the council is able to transfer 10 percent of the total of all county budgets from the General Fund to the Rainy Day Fund. She noted that the 2018 budget is just under $25 million and she felt comfortable with the transfer of an amount between $1 million and $1.5 million. Continue reading
Marshall County Planning Commission President Stan Klotz was before the Marshall County Council members this week asking to have consultant Waggoner, Irwin and Scheele to put together a job description for a part-time code enforcement officer.
The company’s representatives would finalize the description and recommend a salary range for the position for approval by the county council. The planning commission members recently unanimously approved the proposal to the company for development.
The Marshall County Council members voted to appropriate money toward the Beech Road paving project as a Community Crossings project.
E&B Paving worked on resurfacing Beech Road from U.S. 6 to 3B Road last year. The project was included in the 2017 projects to be done in 2018, but the project was complete in 2017 as Highway Supervisor Jason Peters preferred that work to be done as soon as possible.
Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel approached the county council members Monday morning with a grant request to apply for Naloxone rescue kits.
“There’s no match or salaries attached to the grant,” explained Hassel. “Simply we agree to submit a report to the Indiana Department of Health when we use the test kits. This would enable the staff at the jail and my patrol deputies to be able to administer Narcan if we have an opiate overdose.”
The Marshall County Council members discussed the purchase of an iTouch Biometric Fingerprint system for the probation department.
Sheriff Matt Hassel presented the request to the Marshall County Commissioners in December who supported the effort. He presented the same information to the county council Monday morning.
The Marshall County Council members discussed a salary range for the Marshall County Engineer/Director position this week.
While the position has yet to be filled, a salary ordinance amendment was put before the council for consideration Monday morning. The range of pay is $62,837-$76,800. The highway administrative manager position will be defunded so the balance of that salary can be transferred to whatever the salary will be for the highway engineer/director position. An additional appropriation will be sought to fulfill the required salary when a person is hired.
The Marshall County Council approved action on Monday morning to pledge funds toward the Marshall County 4-H Fair Board Association’s OCRA grant proposal for a multi-purpose building at the fairgrounds in Argos.
Angel Balsley explained that the project was not awarded the OCRA grant request in the fall for the $500,000 grant request but the application will be submitted again in an additional grant round in February. She approached the council members Monday morning with a funding request to help the fair board obtain the grant.
The Marshall County Council members will reorganize when they meet for the first time this year today.
After the reorganization, Sheriff Matt Hassel will present a grant request for Naloxone rescue kits and Judge Dean Colvin will join Sheriff Hassel in a request for the purchase of an iTouch Biometric Fingerprint System for the probation department. Continue reading
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 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.
