Goodbye 2023

Meetings

I spent some time out of town visiting family for several days around Christmas and missed the last City Council meeting of the year. 

The agenda did not look very exciting. It was the last meeting for Mayor Stephen Wood and for Councilman George Cover. Mr. Cover was given Sagamore of the Wabash achievement award for his 36 years on the Council and his many years teaching. He started the Washington DC trip for 8th graders.

I expected to miss the Commissioner's meeting held on the 28th because I was not scheduled to be back in Rensselaer but I was able to catch most of it on Zoom. As I joined the meeting the Commissioners were approving some buried cable requests. They appointed Kayla DeYoung to the Jasper County Library Board. The Sheriff then requested a replacement for a custodian who is retiring. He had a name and the Commissioners approved his suggestion. He asked for permission, which was granted, to replace a corrections officer. He noted that the pool of candidates has improved since last year and he said he was impressed with the younger people he has recently hired. He needed a contract signed to upgrade computers at the jail and the Commissioners approved the contract pending legal review. Finally, he wanted to encumber funds to replace a vehicle. Normally the vehicle being replaced is either given to another County department or sold at auction. The Commissioners okayed his request to trade it to a dealer for a newer used vehicle.

The Commissioners passed two resolutions needed to obtain a line of credit for reconstructing the R.E. Davis Ditch and made an appointment to the Airport Authority Board. Next they heard a presentation from a person associated with Adventure Cycling who is working to establish a bike route from Gary to Indianapolis that will pass through Jasper County. Unfortunately he could not share his screen to show maps but the Commissioners had a copy of what he was proposing. He mentioned that there are several routes in Indiana with about 500 miles. He said the Commissioners had approved a route in March of 2020 that took the trail through the County via US 231 and SR 16. As planning has progressed, they have realized that is a poor route and want now to put it on County roads. I could not see exactly what the route looked like, but it includes only one mile of gravel road and that is where it leaves Jasper and enters White County. The Commissioners approved the changes. 

The Commissioners next heard from the contractor who had helped waterproof the Courthouse basement. He had a bid to fix the roof of the Prosecutor's annex using a spray-on product. It would have a 20 year warranty and would increase the insulation of the building. His estimated cost was $80,610, which was cheaper than the bid that had been received earlier. The Commissioners gave this bid a preliminary approval, with a final approval waiting for the finished contract. Because of temperature requirements for applying this roofing, it will not be done until April or May.

Commissioner Walstra agreed to serve another term on the KIRPC Board and he was appointed. The Commissioners signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health Department and a contract with Purdue for Extension, which is done annually.

Animal Shelter had two requests. They wanted approval to purchase new software that will shorten time to process new animals and also a second phone line. Currently there is only one line serving several phones, so there are complaints about problems getting calls through. Both were approved.  

The Coroner needed to update a document and to encumber some funds. Commissioner DeYoung reported on a proposal he had received to wash the Courthouse windows and also mentioned a quote to update the kitchen at Community Corrections. Both were put on the agenda for the January meeting. It was almost time for public comments but I had to get ready to drive back to Rensselaer so I left the meeting and shut down my computer.

Notes



Jasper County EMS has moved to its new location north of the Fairgrounds.  Their old location on Walnut Street is now empty.

Demolition of the old Soesbe Building has been completed and all the excavators and other equipment are gone. There are lots of puddles of water from the recent rain.

On Thursday evening the Fire Department received an award for using the jaws of life to extract the driver of a school bus several months ago. The award ceremoney was open to the public but I did not go because I was still catching up after a lot of travel. (I like being other places, but do not like the process of getting there.)

This is probably the last post of 2023.