A bug to start November

 I found this impressive insect on my window last week. I wonder how many other insects she had to eat to reach that size.

The Commissioners met Monday for their annual November meeting. After approving a couple of buried cable permits, they approved spending about $19,000  to install audio-visual equipment in the meeting room, pending Council approval. They learned that they will not be able to use CARES Act funding for this because that funding is no longer being allowed for IT equipment.

Next they opened a public hearing for a 35 mph speed limit on a section of 1100 North in Keener Township. No one on either Zoom or in person had a comment, and the commissioners approved the new speed limit. 

Community Corrections wants a barrier to separate the building from the parking lot. They can have two free 2'x2'x6' stone or concrete barriers but they need to be picked up in Winamac. The County Highway Department said that they could do that. The  Commissioners approved spending a bit less than $8000 for a new fire alarm system for Community Corrections.

The County continues to see many positive COVID cases, 80 in the last four days. The CARES Act now wants counties to use their funding on payroll as a priority. Jasper County has submitted enough items to bring the County's balance down to zero once they are all approved. 

Animal Control was given permission to replace one of two part-time vacancies. They were also given an OK to a transfer of a K-9 unit from the Sheriff's Department. One of the vacancies on the Animal Control Board was filled. The director of Animal Control asked about the possibility of moving the Animal Shelter to the former youth center on Sparling; Mr Culp said that he did not think it would make a good neighbor for the Health Department.

Work on defining a TIF district for the expansion of the DeMotte sewer and water has started and I think I heard that there will be a Redevelopment Commission meeting on Friday. The source of the leak at the Court House has been identified as a back-up from a downspout onto a flat roof section.

The Sheriff's Department has a full-time dispatcher who wants to move to part-time. The Commissioners approved replacing the full-time position. The solar panels have not yet been connected to the grid but may be this week.

There was a long discussion on how much to compensate for work-time missed due to COVID. The Commissioners decided limit the compensation to 160 hours. The Prosecutor was given permission to replace a position. The meeting was continued until the 16th if necessary.

I attended the meeting via Zoom and was surprised to see between 20 and 25 other on Zoom during the meeting.

I wanted to Zoom the Drainage Board meeting because the first item on the agenda was "Love’s Travel Plaza Wastewater DeMotte – Drainage Plan". However, I was given the Zoom link for the December meeting, not the November meeting. I also wanted to attended the Rensselaer Park Board meeting on Monday evening because it was being held in the new press box at the Blacker Fields. However, last week I found that I had lost my sense of smell so I arranged a COVID test with CVS. It came back positive. Other than losing my sense of smell (which has come back a little) and being tired, I had no symptoms. No fever, no congestion, no trouble breathing. 

Below are a couple pictures from last week showing the work on the basketball court at Brookside Park.

It has been raining leaves for the past few days. The leaf vacuum has been busy sucking up leaves. 

County election results are here.