The Press-Dispatch
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A-2 Wednesday, May 14, 2014 The Press-Dispatch yeah, it's that fast! net edition Z M www.PressDispatch.net/Subscribe The Press-Dispatch. No matter where you live. e Pike County Solid Waste Management District together with Advanced Disposal/Blackfoot Landfill invite Pike County residents to participate in the annual Spring Cleanup. Wednesday, May 28 – saturday, May 31 Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. – noon At the Blackfoot Landfill (located on State Road 64, 2.3 miles east of the Arthur Junction) nO adVanCed reGIstratIOn reQuIred Pike County Residents Only! (must show proof of residency at entrance)–No commercial, industrial, or farm waste. (Commercial waste will be charged standard landfill rates.) One pickup truck load per resident. By participating in this program the participant waives any and all claims of liability against Pike County Solid Waste Management District and Advanced Disposal/Black- foot Landfill which may arise in any manner out of the services provided pursuant to this program. Further, any participant hereby agrees to hold Pike County Solid Waste Man- agement District and Advanced Disposal/Blackfoot Landfill free and harmless from any and all liability which may arise in any manner by participation in this program. FOr Further InFOrMatIOn, COntaCt the PIke COunty sWMd at 354-2924 Or 380-1111. sPrInG CleanuP Pike County Free recycling of appliances, computers, and televisions. Free disposal of up to 4 tires. $1 charge for each tire thereafter. Free collection of household paints, batter- ies, fluorescent bulbs, chemicals and other household hazardous wastes. Free disposal of furniture and other bulky items. Scrap metal, computers, televisions, appliances and hazardous waste will be recycled! Please have separated in load for easier, faster disposal. ruMMaGe, ruMMaGe! Items that are still in good working condition will be set aside and Pike County residents can go through items as they arrive FREE of Charge. TEAM GAGE SATURDAY H MAY 17 H 10AM-4pM Silent Auction BAKe SAle MuSic By: AdAM HoucHinS MicHAel cocHren cHAd tHArp HotdogS & HAMBurgerS inflAtABleS crAftS free Will donAtion OTwell cOMMUniTY cenTeR are distributed. The begin- ning balance has to carry the county until June, when it gets another tax settle- ment. This year that bal- ance on January 1 had fallen to $2.5 million and has prov- en to not be enough to carry the county to their June tax distribution. "I think this year when we do the budgets it is going to be eye opening," said Willis. "As department heads are starting to prepare their budgets, they may need to be warned this may be a year they have to tighten their belts," said Council- man Randy Harris. "I think they feel like we already tighten their belts. But I would agree they need to be given a little direction that things are going to have to change," said Willis. "We always talk about it and it might sound like Chicken Little, but right now the sky is falling," said Harris. Councilmen agreed to send out a letter to office holders explaining the situ- ation to them. Two new State Troopers, one a native of Pike Coun- ty, begin their new careers as Indiana State Troopers. Trooper Hunter Manning, a Pike Central graduate, and Trooper Nick Hatfield were among 47 graduates of the 73rd Indiana State Police Academy, which graduated May 1 in Indianapolis. The 73rd State Police Academy began November 10, 2013, after 3,000 appli- cations were submitted and 80 people were selected to attend. Of the 80 that start- ed, 47 graduated after com- pleting 25 weeks of training that included 600 hours of classroom instruction, and nearly 300 hours of hands- on practical and scenario- based training exercises. Trooper Hunter Manning, 22, is a native of Petersburg and a 2010 graduate of Pike Central High School. He lat- er attended Vincennes Uni- versity, where he received an Associate Degree in Con- servation Law. Manning was employed as a correctional officer with the Pike County Sheriff's Department before being hired by the Indiana State Police. Manning and his fi- ancée, Lindsey McLain, re- side in Pike County. Trooper Hatfield, 30, is a native of Oaktown and a 2001 graduate of North Knox High School. He cur- rently has 60 college cred- it hours and is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Crim- inal Justice. Hatfield spent five years in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq on two different occasions be- tween 2003 and 2008. After being honorably discharged from the military, Hatfield was employed as a police of- ficer with the Sullivan Police Department from August 2008 to March 2013. After 4 ½ years, he was hired as an internal affairs police offi- cer with the Indiana Depart- ment of Corrections at Car- lisle, where he worked six- months before being hired by the Indiana State Police. Hatfield and his wife, Han- nah, reside in Knox County with their two children. Both troopers start their 14 weeks of field training with experienced troopers today. The program allows them to put the skills and knowledge they gained in the academy to work in the field. Upon successful com- pletion of the field training program, they will receive their own patrol car and be- gin solo patrol responsibil- ities. Trooper Nick Hatfield Trooper Hunter Manning Manning, Hatfield among new State Police Academy graduates Continued from page 1 H Council asks for early draw Willis injured on CR 900E Tabitha Willis suffered head and neck injuries in a one vehicle crash on CR 900 E., between CR 50 S. and CR 100 S. around noon on Tuesday. Pike County Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Boger said Willis crossed the roadway in a sharp curve "tagging several trees" before veering back into the north bound lane. She then slid 60 feet before crashing into a steep bank and rolling her Ford Explorer over one time. The ve- hicle came to rest on its wheels, according to Boger. Willis was transported by Pike County ambulance. Her vehicle was a total loss. James Capozella photo By Andy Heuring County councilmen vot- ed to table a request for $ 350,000 to build a new EMS Building by a 4-3 vote, during their Tuesday morn- ing meeting. Scott Carnegie of DLZ, an engineering firm that drew up the plans for the proposed EMS Building, told the council said he did a "page turning" with the commissioners. There was an unadvertised meeting in which the commissioners reviewed the design with Carnegie. He said during that meeting the commis- sioners came up with three alternatives to the base bid to help lower the price. Their alternatives includ- ed having a gravel parking lot, no floor coverings and eliminating a canopy on the building. Carnegie said the price of building on the origi- nal specs would come in at about $400,000. "One of the concerns we have is making sure it comes in at $ 350,000 or real close. He said it was a very ba- sic building. Carnegie said the bid sheet would have two con- tractors write in two num- bers. One, if it comes in at below $ 350,000 and one if it is above $ 350,000. He ex- plained that is the thresh- old for triggering the federal prevailing wage laws which he said could increase the cost of labor by eight to 10 percent. He said the building is about 4,800 square feet with a porch or 4,400 square feet without. Bishop asked if the bid- ders were expecting the project to be funded before they submitted a bid. "I can tell you it is abnor- mal, but not unheard of. I would suspect if they know it may or may not go, they may not put as much effort into it," said Carnegie. County commissioner Jeff Nelson told the council he has already told the EMS not to expect floor cover- ings. . . Basically I'm saying we aren't going to come and hit you with an 'additional' to make those improvements." Councilman Randy Harris asked about the status of the county's contract with the building the county is rent- ing in Arthur. "How many years do we have that con- tracted for? " Nelson said he didn't know. "In my mind we let these funds recover and then pursue something down there." "Haven't we signed a 10 -year lease? " asked Coun- cil president Greg Willis. "Val (Fleig, county at- torney) reviewed a 10 -year lease," said Councilman Joe Sutton. "I don't think so," said Nelson. "So we don't have a 10 -year lease? " asked Willis. Nelson then asked com- missioner assistant Melissa Bryant if she remembered the how long the lease was. She answered, "No." Willis then asked if the do- nations of a heating system and furniture being men- tioned when the building was proposed for the Camp- belltown area was still good. EMS Director Chris Young said he didn't know. Sutton asked what hap- pens if they appropriate $ 350,000 and the bid comes in higher than that. "I would like to see the bids. By the second of June we will see the bids," said Sutton. Councilman Max Elliott said he was concerned the bids wouldn't be as good if they didn't have funding in place. Mangin said if the bids are higher, then the council would have plenty of time to appropriate more money. Sutton argued if the coun- ty didn't get the bids they wanted, then they can fund it and readvertise it. "I think you are going to send the wrong message to the contractors," said Man- gin. Carnegie said it is possi- ble not funding the appropri- ation could have reverse psy- chology on the contractors and get them to push their subcontractors to bring their prices down. Sutton moved to table the request until after the bids are opened. "What does this gain us? " asked Mangin. "We can see what the bids are and then appropriate the right amount of money," said Sutton. "What does it hurt? " asked Harris. The vote to table the $ 350,000 request was ap- proved by a 4-3 vote with Max Elliott, Dennis Bish- op and Greg Mangin vot- ing against it and Greg Wil- lis, Randy Harris, Myreon Krohn and Joe Sutton vot- ing to table it. In other business the councilmen approved a re- quest for $46,000 to make improvements to the court- house that include sealing several windows that are leaking, replacing the con- troller of the heating and air- conditioning system, install- ing a fire door and installing storage cages in the court- house basement. Commissioners assistant Bryant explained the cag- es would be chainlink fence and have doors and locks on them for the various offices in the courthouse to be able to securely store their re- cords. If was approved by a 7-0 vote. $60,000 approved for paving in prides Creek The Park and Recreation Board requested $ 60,000 from their general fund to fund two sections of roads in the park. Dave Elgin, speak- ing for the board, said pav- ing would include the road through the camping area loop on the back side of the park, part of the main road from the showerhouse north toward Highway 356 and the Shelterhouse 2 parking lot. The additional was ap- proved by a 7-0 vote. Sheriff Jeremy Britton said he needed an addition- al appropriation to make re- pairs in the jail. He said he needs to replace both water heaters. One has been there since the jail opened almost 20 years ago. The other is a 2004 model. He said one is leaking badly and the other has malfunctioning heating elements. He said the other problem is a large 2.5 inch leaking copper pipe and that needs replaced before it fails. "If it failed we will have a flood in the basement." Britton said the total for both will be about $17,000. "This is an expense I didn't see coming," said Britton. The next council meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 10. Council tables EMS building funding request