Commissioners make annual appointments

Frank Denzler
Rushville Republican

November 24, 2009 07:40 pm

— Rush County Commissioners Tom Barnes, Marvin Cole and Ken Masters met Monday and continued to wrap up year-end business by making a number of appointments to various boards.
Leigh Morning will continue to handle the county’s legal matters in 2010.
Jerry Sitton will continue to serve as Rush County’s highway superintendent.
Steve Land will retain his title of Rush County Veteran Services Officer.
County EMA coordinator Mike Ooley was also re-appointed.
Other appointments included Alcoholic Beverage board, Dewey Grocox; Ron Jarman will again be a part of the county E911 board; Barnes will continue to represent the county on the fiber board and the county employee insurance board; Linda Levi will serve a two-year term on the RMH board; Bill Todd will continue to represent the commissioners on the ECDC board; Cole will continue his service to the covered bridge commission and as the APC appointee.
Rushville Mayor Merv Bostic was re-appointed to serve on the Eastern Indiana Regional Wage Board and commissioner Ken Masters will continue as the county representative for ICAP.
Gilliam Janitorial received the contract for cleaning the county courthouse.
In other matters, acting on a request from APC director Bill Todd, the commissioners approved extending contracts to David Rogier as a consultant for the APC and BZA and to attorney Gilda Caviness to provide legal services to the APC and BZA.
Rush County Sheriff Jeff Sherwood informed the county leaders that as a result of recent drug sweeps and those taken into custody during the previous weekend the population at the Rush County Jail has remained high. Currently the jail houses 48 individuals, 15 of which are females.
“The current female population is the highest total that I have seen since I have been sheriff or with the department,” Sherwood said.
The sheriff continued by saying that his department has purchased two vehicles and again this year the decision was made to use a local dealership.
In other matters, the county signed a contract with the Henry County Youth Center in New Castle to house Rush County juveniles during 2010 when the need arises. The contract will allow for 180 days at a cost of $130 per day. Once the 180 day threshold has been exceeded, the county will pay $160 for any additional days.
Once again Milroy EMS was a topic of discussion. According to Barnes, he and his fellow commissioners recently met with the medical transport group. He said that at a January meeting the commissioners will decide the fate of the rural medical transport organization from the county’s standpoint.
“Milroy EMS is not operating by their own bylaws. They need to clean up their act before they can move forward. Come January we will make a final decision regarding the ambulance. In the mean time, RMH Ambulance will be dispatched to the area. They will be covered,” Barnes said.

Frank Denzler can be contacted at (765) 932-2222 ext. 106 or via e-mail at frank.denzler@rushvillerepublican.com. To add a comment to this story visit our Web site at www.rushvillerepublican.com.