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| ?County Commissioners receive repair estimates for courthouse clock tower and Domestic Violence Center |
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| Wednesday, 13 August 2008 00:00 |
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?? The Washington County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at their new location (the County Building Conference Room located on Martinsburg Road) with all members present. The minutes of previous meetings, all claims, and payroll were approved unanimously. Judge Robert Bennett provided the Commissioners with estimates from three different historic preservation building contractors for work to be done on the county courthouse. According to Bennett, the masonry and mortar on the clock tower leak water with heavy rains and has already done some interior damage to rooms in the 120 year old landmark. Bennett presented the Commissioners with estimates from three different companies, each recommending a different procedure to repair the problem. The Commissioners decided to further research the issue and make a decision in time for the repairs to be done before the fall/winter rainy season. In addition to dealing with repair to the courthouse, the Commissioners voted unanimously to accept a bid from Cottongim to repair the leaking roof at the Domestic Violence Center. The estimate for the work was approximately $11,700. Randy Lindauer and Mike Medlock of Washington County Memorial Hospital informed the Commissioners that the budget for EMS services will go up 5 per cent next year. Medlock told the Commissioners that the ambulances have already made 1533 runs this year thus far. According to Medlock, that is a significant increase over the same time period last year. Steve Anderson, representing the Washington County Township Assessors, asked for and received permission from the Commissioners to have a plaque hung in the county courthouse honoring former Assessor Eugene Trueblood. The Commissioners were informed that the Health Department has several old, but still functioning computers that could be made available for sale. The Commissioners suggested that a memo be circulated among the various county funded agencies and offices in an effort to determine if the computers could be of use to them prior to offering the computers to the public by sealed bid auction. Commissioner Mike Goering gave the Board an update on the truck bypass project. According to Goering the archeological dig is ahead of schedule and the process of acquiring parcels of land is well underway. The Board voted unanimously to sign a cost sharing contract with the State of Indiana for the cost of the dig. The State of Indiana is expected to reimburse the county for 70 per cent of the cost of the dig. Washington County Assessor, Jason Cockerill reminded the Board that provisions in HB 1001 change significantly the use of township assessors. According to Cockerill, the legislation calls for all assessors to be certified as either Level I or Level II. The Commissioners voted unanimously to reimburse current township assessor for expenses in earning the required certification until January 1, 2009. The Commissioners also voted unanimously to appoint Ron Ewing to the Washington County Tourism Commission. Goering gave an animated report on the August 4 County Council meeting. County Attorney, Tom Scifres recommended that the Commissioners develop a policy for seeking and accepting bids under the amount of $25,000. Over that amount and the State of Indiana has a policy in place for how the bid process is to take place. Scifres agreed to report back to the Board with his recommendations for the policy. With no further business to conduct, the Commissioners voted to adjourn until their next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 24, at 3pm. |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:42 |