July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Dump truck funds OK'd
Jay County Council approved more than $115,000 Wednesday for the purchase of a dump truck trimmed during hearings for the 2010 budget.
Having already ordered the new dump truck, highway superintendent Ken Wellman realized that the council had cut the money he marked for truck replacement while it was slashing budgets in the fall. The total cost for the truck, equipment and assembly is $115,261.
"It is something I overlooked in the budget process," Wellman said, taking responsibility for the oversight. "It was my fault totally. I wasn't paying close enough attention."
Wellman said the new truck is "fundamental" to operations on a daily basis and said with the wear and tear the trucks endure throughout the year, that he advised against running trucks full time after the normal 11-year rotation.
"We retire it into our reserve fleet," Wellman said of trucks over the 11-year mark, which then take on lighter duty. Some trucks, he added are more than 20 years old. "We have a very old fleet."
County auditor Nancy Culy reminded the council that the highway department is not funded through property taxes. Wellman said that even with the truck purchase, he anticipates that he can post an end-of-year surplus.
Councilman Dan Orr questioned $5,000 in the total amount that is used for assembly and installation of equipment for the truck.
Wellman said a retired department employee and current employee team up to do the installations when the truck arrives and that by doing it locally, the department saves around $3,000 from the cost of having it done by the manufacturer.
Orr asked if it was possible for current staff to do the install between their other duties as opposed to contracting the retiree for the $5,000. Wellman answered that the retired employee has been doing the installs for years and that his other workers would need experience before being able to handle it alone, although it could be a possibility for future years.
In other business, the council:
•Retained the same officers from 2009: Gerald Kirby, president, and Marilyn Coleman, vice president. Council members also decided to retain the same county departments they oversaw last year.
•Approved an appropriation of $18,224 for a paperless system to aid the prosecutor's and clerk's offices in child support collections. The state will reimburse two-thirds of the cost for the setup.
•Approved an appropriation of $800 for Operation Pullover.
•Were informed that three assessor's office employees obtained a certification requiring an annual pay raise of $500 per employee. The council said the assessor will need to see the commissioners to establish a line item before the council can approve an appropriation.
•Decided to leave half of the 2009 surplus from county funds in the county general fund instead of moving those funds to the rainy day fund. The amount being left is $154,972.76.[[In-content Ad]]
Having already ordered the new dump truck, highway superintendent Ken Wellman realized that the council had cut the money he marked for truck replacement while it was slashing budgets in the fall. The total cost for the truck, equipment and assembly is $115,261.
"It is something I overlooked in the budget process," Wellman said, taking responsibility for the oversight. "It was my fault totally. I wasn't paying close enough attention."
Wellman said the new truck is "fundamental" to operations on a daily basis and said with the wear and tear the trucks endure throughout the year, that he advised against running trucks full time after the normal 11-year rotation.
"We retire it into our reserve fleet," Wellman said of trucks over the 11-year mark, which then take on lighter duty. Some trucks, he added are more than 20 years old. "We have a very old fleet."
County auditor Nancy Culy reminded the council that the highway department is not funded through property taxes. Wellman said that even with the truck purchase, he anticipates that he can post an end-of-year surplus.
Councilman Dan Orr questioned $5,000 in the total amount that is used for assembly and installation of equipment for the truck.
Wellman said a retired department employee and current employee team up to do the installations when the truck arrives and that by doing it locally, the department saves around $3,000 from the cost of having it done by the manufacturer.
Orr asked if it was possible for current staff to do the install between their other duties as opposed to contracting the retiree for the $5,000. Wellman answered that the retired employee has been doing the installs for years and that his other workers would need experience before being able to handle it alone, although it could be a possibility for future years.
In other business, the council:
•Retained the same officers from 2009: Gerald Kirby, president, and Marilyn Coleman, vice president. Council members also decided to retain the same county departments they oversaw last year.
•Approved an appropriation of $18,224 for a paperless system to aid the prosecutor's and clerk's offices in child support collections. The state will reimburse two-thirds of the cost for the setup.
•Approved an appropriation of $800 for Operation Pullover.
•Were informed that three assessor's office employees obtained a certification requiring an annual pay raise of $500 per employee. The council said the assessor will need to see the commissioners to establish a line item before the council can approve an appropriation.
•Decided to leave half of the 2009 surplus from county funds in the county general fund instead of moving those funds to the rainy day fund. The amount being left is $154,972.76.[[In-content Ad]]
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