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Government & School Board

Courthouse security situation remains unresolved

The security situation at the Huntington County Courthouse will remain unresolved after the Huntington County Council rejected a proposal created by the Courthouse Security Committee at the council's meeting on Monday, June 27.

The proposal would have included upgrades such as having only one public entrance with part-time guards and a security checkpoint, among other items.

"The committee has tried to provide security as cheaply as possible," said Judge Jeffrey Heffelfinger of the Huntington Superior Court.

INDOT grant to help fix Broadway bridge

The cost of the Broadway bridge over the Little River will be much cheaper for Huntington County, after the county was awarded a $780,000 grant by the Indiana Department of Transportation for the project, Troy Hostetler, superintendent of the county highway department, told the Huntington County Commissioners on Monday, June 27.

The project will replace the bridge's deck, and is expected to cost around $1 million to complete. A private bridge inspection company commissioned by the county a few years ago expected the deck to wear out in 2015, the company said in its report.

Markle panel to meet today

The Markle Redevelopment Commission will hold a special meeting today, Monday, June 27, at 7 p.m. at the Markle Fire Station, 150 W. Sparks St., Markle.

Members are slated to discuss a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposal. Other items may also be brought up.

 

Drainage board sets special session on June 30, but cancels July 7 regular meeting

Due to the upcoming holiday week, the Huntington County Drainage Board has canceled its July 7 meeting.

A special meeting will be held on Thursday, June 30, at 8:30 a.m., in the GAR Room, located on the second floor of the Huntington County Courthouse.

For more information, contact the Huntington County Surveyor's office at 358-4856.

 

Council to discuss inmates’ medical bill payments

The Huntington County Council will meet today, Monday, June 27, at 7 p.m. in the G.A.R. Room on the second floor of the Huntington County Courthouse.

Sheriff Terry Stoffel is scheduled to appear before the council to discuss payment of medical bills for inmates as well as the cost of proposed courthouse security measures.

In addition, Treasurer Brenda Hamilton and Emergency Management Agency Director Brandon Taylor are slated to discuss hiring additional staff members in their offices.

Grable will fill in as HNHS principal until Jeremy Gulley’s return from Afghanistan

The Huntington County Community School Corporation Board has named Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Charles Grable as interim principal at Huntington North High School from July 31 until the return of Principal Jeremy Gulley from Afghanistan.

Current HNHS interim principal Steve Doepker was appointed July 1, 2010. His contract end date is June 30, 2011.

Superintendent Tracey Shafer recommended that the board extend Doepker's contract through Gulley's return, or at least through a month if someone else would be established as interim principal.

Trio of Warren officials file for re-election

The Warren clerk-treasurer and two Warren Town Council members have declared their intentions to seek re-election this fall.

Marilyn Morrison has filed in the Huntington County Clerk's office as a candidate for clerk-treasurer, an office she currently holds. In addition, Julia Glessner and Ronald G. "Big Ron" Boxell filed as candidates for the town council. Both are current members of the council.

David Roy Green has filed as a candidate for the Roanoke Town Council.

Warren to clear brush, trees from electric lines

A project to clear brush and trees from around primary electric lines in Warren will begin on July 5.

The Warren Municipal Electric Utility has contracted with Asplundh Tree Expert Co. to do the work, which includes trimming an estimated 170 trees and bushes and removing seven large trees.

The tree trimming company is required to obtain the owner's permission before doing work on private property.

The project will take about three months to complete. The work is done approximately every 10 years to improve service and prevent power outages.

Roanoke council okays resurfacing 5 streets

The town of Roanoke will resurface five streets this summer as the Roanoke Town Council approved a $94,725 quote from Wayne Asphalt at its meeting on Tuesday, June 21.

The resurfacing pro-jects are separate from the state-mandated sewer upgrade project, of which Commercial Street is the last major piece. The Commercial Street project was supposed to be complete this year, but Roanoke was given a time extension after the Posey Hill sewer project went grossly over budget.

County’s unemployment figures stabilizing

The unemployment report for May 2011, released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, shows Huntington County's figures stabilizing, the director of Huntington County United Economic Development (HCUED) says.

Although the jobless figure shows a slight increase, now 8.5 percent compared to 8.4 percent in April 2011, the report also shows that 125 Huntington County residents have found new job opportunities since the previous reporting period.

County cracking down on abandoned properties

Huntington County is cracking down on an abandoned property just outside of Huntington, as the Huntington County Commissioners approved an Order of Enforcement on a home at 1432N-300W at the commissioners' meeting on Monday, June 20.

Shad Paul, Huntington County building inspector, has previously issued 10 unsafe building violations on the property. He said that the home is a foreclosed property, and recently has been broken into and stripped of metals and other items that can be sold.

Democrats adding several more candidates to their side of ballot

Huntington County Democrats have added several candidates to their side of the ballot for this fall's general election in Huntington, and candidates for offices in Roanoke are beginning to trickle in.

As of yet, however, there are no official candidates for elections in Markle, Mt. Etna or Warren.

Andrews, the only small community in the county to hold partisan elections, filled its ballot for the fall during the spring primary.

Zanesville council says private property sinkholes not its problem

The Zanesville Town Council informed two concerned citizens that there is nothing the town can do legally to correct sinkhole or drainage problems on private property.

Council President Patsy Brock had researched the issue for the citizens, and said she found that no towns in the state correct such problems on property not owned by the town.

"No one goes on personal property to repair anything," Brock said. "It's not fair to take taxpayer money to come in and fix something on your property."

County assessor’s office mailing notices of new value assessments

The Huntington County Assessor's Office is now mailing out notices of new property value assessments, Assessor Terri Boone has announced.

The assessment notice is being sent to all property owners. It lists assessed values of land and structures, which are the basis for 2011 property tax bills that will be paid in 2012.

Increases in assessments may have been caused by an increase in the base rate for farmland, which went from $1,290 an acre in 2010 to $1,500 in 2011; new construction or completion of construction since March 2, 2010; and trending, Boone says.

Huntington water rates going up 37 percent

Huntington water customers - residential and business alike - will see a 37.6 percent increase in water rates this summer.

The across-the-board rate hike was approved Tuesday, June 14, by the Huntington Common Council on a 4-1 vote.
Councilmen Joe Blomeke, Brooks Fetters, Jason Fields and Jack Slusser voted in favor of the increase, while Steve McIntyre cast the negative vote. Council members Erv Ebersole and Keith Eller were absent.