The Marshall County Council approved an ordinance to change the job description of the full-time Pre-Trial Diversion Officer, as recommended by the personnel committee.
Prosecutor Nelson Chipman requested the position in May. The state approved a grant for the county to pay for the position. The position will be available July 1.
The Marshall County Council will be entering into budget negotiations soon and discussed the potential for full-time employee salary increases.
Historically, the council has always recommended a three percent raise each year. Councilwoman Penny Lukenbill said it’s not known where the county will sit at the time the budget discussion begins and the three percent increase may not be met.
Marshall County Health Administrator Christine Stinson will be applying for an emergency preparedness grant.
She told the Marshall County Council members this week that the grant would be in the amount of $19,070. She said part of the funding could be used to purchase and update Automated External Difibrillators.
Marshall County Maintenance Supervisor Doug Masterson is seeking additional funds to keep his budget in the black as several major issues have drained his funding.
Masterson and Commissioner Kevin Overmyer approached the Marshall County Council about the problems that totaled $61,988.
There are about 200 jobs available in Marshall County right now with even more openings with the preliminary notice of expansion of a few companies in the next couple of years.
That’s what Marshall County Economic Development Corporation Executive (MCEDC) Director and CEO Jerry Chavez outlined in his annual report to the Marshall County Council on Monday morning.
The Marshall County Council members gave their support to match funds toward a $1 million Community Crossings grant for work on the county’s roads and bridges. Even though the county is eligible for a 75/25 grant match split this year it was suggested to officials that the application include project plans in the $1.3 to $1.4 million range in order to capture that full $1 million match.
The Marshall County Council will get an update on INDOT’s Community Crossings Grant when they meet this morning. Commissioner Kurt Garner attended the meeting along with other county representatives and he will provide a report.
County Maintenance Supervisor Doug Masterson will have a request for an additional appropriation while Christine Stinson will have a request to apply for a grant. Sheriff Matt Hassel will present a job description waiver request. Continue reading
The county will receive funds for the emergency management agency director’s salary.
Marshall County EMA Director Clyde Avery asked the county council this week for permission to apply for the 2016 performance grant. Avery explained that the grant will pay for half of his salary from last year in the amount of $22,000. It’s an annual grant that the county receives every year as Avery qualifies for certain requirements during the year. The council approved the request and complimented him on his continued efforts as head of the EMA.
A reduction in funds as mandated by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) will leave the Marshall County Highway Department short in available funds this year.
The Marshall County Council was notified of the reduction at the beginning of April, but decided to hold off on approving the action until Highway Supervisor Jason Peters and Highway Administrator Laurie Baker could review their budget to determine where to make those cuts.
The Marshall County 4-H Fair Board is looking to apply for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to help pay for a new community center and Fair Board President Rob Hurford asked the county council’s permission Monday night to move forward with that project.
He explained that the community center will be a revenue generating feature on the fairgrounds to help fund operations. Hurford said the center can function as a reception hall for weddings as the plan calls for a seating capacity of 450. It can also be used for senior services, community meetings, auctions, graduation parties, and a multitude of other uses.
The Marshall County Council will meet tonight with a full agenda.
The personnel committee is expected to have updates on position descriptions for several different county entities while EMA Director Clyde Avery will present a grant request for the annual performance grant. Clerk Deb VanDeMark will request a waiver of the probationary pay for one of her staff members and several abatement requests will be on the table for council discussion.
The Marshall County Council approved action to return money to the county’s General Fund.
Auditor Julie Fox presented an ordinance to the council members Monday morning after a fund was deemed dormant. According to Fox, no transactions have taken place within the Homestead Credit Rebate fund since May of 2008.
The probationary period of pay for the newly installed Assistant Director of the Marshall County Museum was discussed by the Marshall County Council this week.
Museum Director Linda Rippy presented the request.
“The assistant director who’s working there now, Sue Irwin, has been there over three years,” explained Rippy. “In the last year, at least, she’s been doing the same duties that an assistant director would have been doing. So, we’re asking to waive that probationary period.”
The Marshall County Highway Department will need to find ways to cut additional funds from its operating budget this year.
The county council received word that the Department of Local Government Finance made the decision to reduce $23,406 from the highway department’s budget. The initial decision on how to make those cuts fell on the county council, but Councilwoman Penny Lukenbill urged the governing body to allow Highway Administrator Laurie Baker and Highway Supervisor Jason Peters to make those funding reductions as they see fit. The council will review those cuts at their May meeting after they are advertised.
Funding for the assistant director position at the Marshall County Museum was discussed by the county council this week.
Marshall County Community Corrections Director Ward Byers requested a salary ordinance amendment to bring all of the case managers within the same hourly wage.
Byers asked the Marshall County Council members to consider the pay equity request of $23.07 an hour as discussed with the personnel committee.
“This position fell behind a bit in its hourly rate of pay solely because it is not grant funded,” said Byers. “We were able to acquire that hourly rate of pay with the State of Indiana through the grant. We’re simply asking that this case manager, who is paid out of the project income fund, or user fees and not tax dollars of any kind, be brought up to the same pay rate.”
The Marshall County Council voted unanimously to support the commissioners in their quest to reestablish the Cumulative Capital Development Fund to the maximum point.
Commissioner Kurt Garner said the fund will mostly assist the highway department in annual equipment costs.
“We should be somewhere around $320,000 of the estimated $412,000 that we would have in addition,” explained Garner. “We’ll be using about three-quarters of that amount that’s coming in by shifting this equipment cost over to that.”
The Marshall County Council will entertain a plea by Commissioner Kurt Garner this morning concerning the Cumulative Capital Development Fund.
Garner stated last week that he would be before the council at this meeting to ask for a resolution in support of the reestablishment of the Cumulative Capital Development Fund. Taxes generated by this fund will help gather money to support county departments in purchasing needed equipment.
The Marshall County recorder’s plans for electronic document filing will be considered by the county commissioners this morning. Recorder Marlene Mahler is expected to ask the commissioners to approve a contract with e-recording provider Simplifile, after the county council gave its support last week. Continue reading
The Culver-Union Township Public Library has been successful in refinancing some of its debt. Continue reading
