06/09/11 Mike Lintner reported in the Marshall County Commissioners meeting Monday that the Marshall/Starke Development Center has cut two of its programs because of lack of funding. The programs cut were the Healthy Families program and an outreach program for graduating high school students entering the workforce. Lintner commented he believes government funding is now stabilizing.
“We’re not getting any more, but (the state) is saying that we won’t get any less,” said Lintner.
Sixty percent of the MSDC’s funding comes from the government, and mostly all of it stays in the community, Lintner continued.
“(The funding) is not just going into a black hole and then it’s gone—it goes into our community,” said Lintner.
Lintner was in for his bi-annual update with the County Commissioners. The County give Marshall Starke about $100,000 annualy for services provided to residents in the county. They also allow them to purchase fuel through the county at a savings of approximately $.50 a gallon. Lintner was there to assure the commissioner that they truly need the continued financial support.
Other items discussed in the Commissioners meeting included:
• EMA director Clyde Avery discussed his application for a ACAMS grant for new security enhancements for the Marshall County Courthouse including cameras and locks. He mentioned that extra paperwork was needed to install equipment because the courthouse is a historical landmark. Avery also received the 2010 EMPG grant to supplement his salary and benefits in the amount of $23,089.76.
• Rich Ulrich, in maintenance, requested to hire a full-time maintenance employee in the Marshall County Building to eliminate the need for the current part-time position and to cut back on overtime. The commissioners gave unanimous approval to allow Ulrich to fill the full-time position, and required that he also seek the final approval from the council at its next meeting.
• Michael Marshall, from the IT department, submitted a request to purchase a new phone system from New Paris Telephone Company, connecting the Court House and the Marshall County Building and updating all the phones. Marshall requested a recommendation from the commissioners to go to the council and ask for funding in the amount of $75,000. The commissioners made the recommendation, and suggested that the money come from either the rainy day fund or the general fund.
• Angelo Lema, of ACME Atms, requested to place an ATM in the clerk’s office, for consumer’s use in paying bills and fees. Lema noted that he would charge a $2.50 fee per transaction, and that the information about fees would be prominently displayed. Commissioner Greg Compton expressed concerns about the legality of the ATM, but the motion was ultimately passed 2-1 that the ATM be installed on a trial basis.
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