County Warms to New Hires
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Thursday, December 15, 2016 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com 75 cents County warms to new hires By NATHAN RUBBELKE months without that position, The Commercial Review and then someone comes avail - Tempers flared at a feisty Jay able, then all of sudden, that posi - County Council meeting Wednes - tion has to be filled.” day evening during discussion of Council He said if the department head Truck drivers a proposed “hiring chill” with an came forward about the open elected county official accusing lifts ‘chill’ position, he’d want to know why council of micromanaging the position needs to be filled departments run by elected offi - during fiery after being open so long. will get raises cials. “I don’t want to micromanage By NATHAN RUBBELKE ommendations made late last In the end, the hiring chill was people but that is not right,” said meeting The Commercial Review month by Jay County Person - scrapped by council. Champ County highway depart - nel Committee. Discussion on the issue began His comments drew rebuke ment truck drivers and sur - when Jay County Commissioner The approved recommen - from Jay Circuit Court clerk veyor department heavy dations lift truck drivers and Doug Inman approached council Ellen Coats. are currently at least six depart - equipment operators will get heavy equipment operators for guidance on how the county’s “I’m sure you’re probably refer - a raise next year. Two retire - personnel committee, of which ments with openings and wanted into a higher job classifica - ring to my office,” said Coats, ment center employees tion and will increase their Inman is a member, should han - council’s opinion on how the per - who is term-limited and leaving sonnel committee should handle won’t. wages to $15.68 per hour. dle the hiring chill included as office at the end of the year. That’s the decision Jay one of the two dozen recommen - that issue. Council member Ted They currently make $13.59 Champ responded by saying he County Council made per hour. dations submitted from the coun - Champ spoke in favor of the hir - was referring to all county Wednesday, approving rec - See Raises page 2 ty budget committee and ing chill. offices. approved by council earlier this “Unless the information I’m Coats addressed open positions year. receiving is wrong and I do not in her office and said she has The chill would require depart - believe it is wrong, is that some of hired employees that haven’t ment heads to meet with the per - these positions are staying open worked out for a various reasons. During her remarks, she “It’s harassment. It’s my sonnel committee when they have for a long time until certain peo - She addressed a recent opening accused council of micromanag - office. You guys don’t even come openings in their department for ple become available and then we in her office and said the employ - ing departments. in and know how we work,” she approval to fill the empty spot. want to fill that position then,” ee was let go because of incompe - “It’s our departments, we were said. Inman had mentioned there Champ said. “So if we went six tence. elected,” said Coats. See Warms page 2 Rebels are now leaving Aleppo By LOUISA LOVELUCK The Washington Post BEIRUT — Ambulances with wounded civilians rolled out of the last rebel- held districts in Syria’s embattled Aleppo today, beginning a possible major evacuation effort after earlier failures to ferry out frightened resi - dents and defeated fight - ers. But the deal had already been thwarted twice in just 24 hours, underscor - ing the complex politics dominating Syria’s war and the deep stakes over strategic Aleppo — which appeared poised to now fall under full control of Syrian government forces. Convoys of ambulances and buses were assembled in the rebel zones, but it remained unclear when Indiana University Communications/James Brosher the large-scale departures could commence. Syrian Snowy campus state TV showed images A light layer of snow blankets the landscape Wednesday morning in the area near the Indiana University Student of ambulances carrying Building (background) on the west side of the Bloomington campus in this photo by Dunkirk native James Brosher. The away wounded civilians former Commercial Review intern works for the university’s communications department. in what could be the first phase of the evacuations. Syrian forces and their allies have pushed rebel fighters into a sliver of enclaves after nearly a month of relentless South Adams makes counter attacks to reclaim control By JACK RONALD playground, but board members ing the initial Biggs offer, that While preparing to sell one of the strategic city. Win - The Commercial Review Tuesday leaned toward the proposal was defeated by a 4-3 piece of property, the board also ning back full control of Biggs Indiana Properties LLC Adams County offer. vote, with board members approved a purchase agreement Aleppo would be a huge of Decatur has until 5 p.m. Fri - The high offer — $500,000 — Arlene Amstutz, Amy Orr, John to acquire two acres of land prize for the government day to respond to a counteroffer came from Casey’s Marketing Mann and Landon Patterson in adjacent to the “school block” of Syrian President from the South Adams School Co., which operates convenience opposition. from Tim and Michele LeFever Bashar Assad, but a stag - Board on the purchase price of stores throughout the Midwest. Litwiller then proposed mak - for $21,000. gering blow to the opposi - former school property at U.S. 27 Biggs made an offer of $375,000 ing a counter offer to Biggs seek - The board was unanimous in tion groups that have and Indiana 218 in Berne. accompanied by a $75,000 com - ing $475,000. That won approval approving the scope and budget fought his regime for Biggs and an Iowa-based con - mitment from the Berne Com - on a 6-1 vote with board member of the high school renovation more than five years. venience store company had munity Development Corpora - Julie Mansfield dissenting. No project and expects to review The buses arrived as both submitted offers on the tion for a total of $450,000. plans for how Biggs might devel - proposals from design-build part of a historic exit deal land, which was the former site Though superintendent Scott op the property have been made firms on Feb. 1. for rebels and civilians. of an elementary school and Litwiller recommended accept - public. See Counter page 5 Brokered by Russia and Turkey, the agreement could see the largest evac - uation of Syria’s conflict. But any flare-up in fight - Republicans call for a tax increase ing could once again By BRIAN SLODYSKO Indiana’s roads and squeamish when it comes increase during the session “I think we all recog - cause the plan to unravel. Associated Press bridges have been rated in to acting because the con - that begins in January. nize that we don’t have “The buses are there, INDIANAPOLIS — Key the bottom third of U.S. sistent takeaway has been Republican state Sen. enough revenue to even the ambulances are there, Republican leaders said states, officials say. Law - that taxes or fees need to be Luke Kenley, the Senate’s sustain our maintenance 100 staff are there. The Wednesday that Indiana makers have batted around raised to pay for the chief budget writer, says program,” said Kenley operation is still ongo - lawmakers must increase ideas, hired consultants improvements. lawmakers need to “face up who suggested a gasoline ing,” said Ingy Sedky, a taxes if they’re going to and studied the issue for Now even those who have to the fact” that more tax increase or adding spokeswoman for the move forward on plans to several years. But many in resisted the idea are signal - money is needed. Last ses - tolls on the state’s high - International Committee improve the state’s infra - the Legislature’s Republi - ing that they are ready to sion he opposed a tax ways. of the Red Cross. structure. can majority have been move forward with an increase. See Increase page 5 See Leaving page 6 Weather In review Holiday Happenings Portland’s weather station 25 with a chance of light snow Jay County High School Today measured an overnight low in the afternoon. Snow, freezing student council will offer free 5 to 7 p.m. — Decoration temperature of 2 degrees. Wind rain and sleet are expected after gift wrapping during basket - crafts and Santa visit at Jay chills dropped below negative- midnight Friday with winds ball games tonight and Satur - County Public Library 10. Wednesday’s high topped gusting to 20 miles per hour. As day. Those interested can drop Friday out at 21. much as an inch of accumula - their gifts off at the beginning 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Bryant Tonight’s low will be 8, with tion is possible. of either game and pick them Wesleyan Church Live Nativi - wind chills dropping as low as For an extended forecast, see up when the game is over. ty negative-5. Friday’s high will be page 2. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local Thursday, December 15, 2016 Warms ... Continued from page 1 During discussion, council one. It was for you all to do your •Approved additional appro - •Approved the 2017 salary Champ asked why Coats does - president Mike Leonhard said fiduciary responsibility to priations from the general fund ordinance. n’t fill the position before she elected officials should have make sure that the taxpayers' in the amount of $5,000 for com - •Granted approval for numer - leaves office, in an effort to help the responsibility to hire dollar is being spent appropri - pensation and $20,000 for utilities ous departments to transfer the newly elected clerk.