Council funds sheriff's radio, vehicle purchases with ARPA dollars

RICHMOND, Ind. — Wayne County Council decided to dip into American Rescue Plan Act money for two sheriff's projects.

Sheriff Randy Retter received the go-ahead to purchase radios and vehicles during council's Wednesday night workshop. The county has about $2.78 million in ARPA dollars not committed to the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program planning process scheduled to begin early in 2023.

Council had taken the radio purchase under advisement after its July meeting. Motorola gave Retter an $80,000 bundling discount that expires Aug. 31 because he's also purchasing Motorola body cameras.

The 150 radios include 56 in-car radios and 94 mobile radios for patrol and jail officers at a cost of $436,951.

On Wednesday, Retter told council members the current, 15-year-old radios are starting to fail and are no longer serviced by the company. He originally told council he prefers Motorola radios because of the bundle discount, compatibility with the current system and encryption options for radio transmissions.

Retter also requested a funding commitment to purchase 15 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicles for $646,640. The purchase includes seven vehicles budgeted for 2022, seven budgeted for 2023 and one that replaces a vehicle destroyed by fire, which insurance should eventually cover.

The sheriff has already reserved the 15 vehicles from Kelley Chevrolet in Fort Wayne. The vehicles have not yet been manufactured.

Council had previously appropriated funds for seven Dodge Durangos from Wetzel Dodge; however, Wetzel cannot deliver those vehicles. The additional appropriation authorized Wednesday is about $366,000.

"If we don't take advantage of these now, we're going to get in a real bind next year," said council member Max Smith, who is on the county's fleet management committee.

Retter said that when the vehicles arrive, their deployment will be spread out to prevent the county down the road from having 15 vehicles that need simultaneous replacement.

Little League honor

Wayne County's commissioners Wednesday morning approved a proclamation declaring Aug. 17 Hagerstown Little League All-Stars Day in the county.

The team of 11- and 12-year-olds went undefeated to win state and Great Lakes region championships and qualify for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Hagerstown team, which will wear blue-and-orange Great Lakes uniforms, was scheduled to play an Iowa team at 3 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.

The proclamation credits the team for accomplishing what few teams before them have accomplished by becoming one of the top 10 Little League teams in the United States. It also credits them for their sportsmanship and fair play.

The county offered its support for the team and wished it good luck in the World Series.

Health department fees

Christine Stinson, executive director of the Wayne County Health Department, presented to commissioners an ordinance describing health department fees.

The only change from the current ordinance is breaking up the $400 sewer permit fee into three parts. Stinson said her staff now often completes tasks on a sewer project, then the citizen will drop the project and not pay any fees. The new fee structure requires payments for the different portions Stinson's staff completes during the permit process.

A $25 fee will be charged for the initial soil evaluation and analysis, with $275 charged for the plan review that includes a site visit and the final $100 charged when the permit is issued.

Commissioners agreed the breakdown makes sense, and they asked Stinson to make a few corrections and return Aug. 24 with the final ordinance. The plan is for the new ordinance to take effect Oct. 1.

Stinson also told commissioners that the Indiana State Department of Health has requested use of the health department facility from noon to 6 p.m. Aug. 19 to provide monkeypox vaccinations to the at-risk population. She had no other information from the state.

Bridges and culverts

Council during its workshop provided financial commitments necessary for Brandon Sanders, the county engineer, to pursue Indiana Department of Transportation Community Crossings grants.

He is applying for $50,000 to cover 50% of materials for a culvert replacement project at Smoky Row and Carlos roads. That project would also improve the turn radius for westbound Smoky Row traffic turning north onto Carlos.

The second application is for a $250,000 grant to pay 50% of a bridge replacement project on Fountain City Pike. That project is budgeted for 2023.

During their morning meeting, commissioners had approved Sanders applying for a grant to receive 80% reimbursement from INDOT for the right-of-way work involving the Fountain City Pike project.

Projects continue

In advance of the annual Autumn Oaks event, the standalone bathroom facility at the Wayne County Fairgrounds is being painted by Perseponko Painting.

Steve Higinbotham, the county's director of facilities and development, said he was surprised at how good the building now looks.

Painting also continues on the First Bank Expo Center, with that project expected to end this month. Painting will then begin on the First Bank Kuhlman Center.

Work also has now begun remodeling the coroner's office in the courthouse basement. With that work, the former coroner's cooling unit at its Centerville site is no longer needed. Commissioners declared it to have no value so Union County can disassemble and transport the cooler to its facility.

Wayne County will seek an agreement with Union County for use of that cooler space in case Wayne County's new cooler reaches its capacity.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Council funds sheriff's radio, vehicle purchases with ARPA dollars