Sheriff to purchase new radios

The Jay County Sheriff’s Office is planning some equipment purchases as the year winds down.
Sheriff Ray Newton told the commissioners he plans to buy two in-car radios before the year closes. The radios, which will cost $4,486.42 total, will be paid for out of the sheriff’s 2010 budget.
Newton said that once these two are purchased, all of the sheriff’s vehicles will be equipped with radios capable of handling a switch to narrowband radio frequencies in the coming years.
The commissioners made Newton purchasing agent to buy the radios.
Newton also told the commissioners that he is planning to purchase a new copier for the department. A representative from the office will bring prices to the commissioners at the next meeting since Newton will be out of town.
Newton informed the commissioners than 911 director Bill Baldwin will also approach them next month about purchasing $5,000 worth of 911 equipment to allow for point-to-point locating, which allows agencies to talk directly with one another.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
•Signed a memorandum stating that trucks from Fort Recovery Industries can use county road 300 East between Ind. 26 and county road 100 North.
Company officials approached the commissioners last week to ask to use the road as a truck route for deliveries between their Fort Recovery location and the forthcoming Portland expansion. The commissioners held off on a decision while county counsel reviewed a no-trucks ordinance.
Attorney Bill Hinkle informed the commissioners that after review of the ordinance it did not ban single rear-axle trucks, which is what Fort Recovery Industries will use. The commissioners signed a memorandum allowing the truck route and will forward a copy to the company.
•Signed a farm lease for 260 acres of land at the Jay County Retirement Center with Brad Dues. The lease will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2012.
•Signed an emergency claim for highway superintendent Ken Wellman for $10,321.54 to pay for half the cost of a tractor being used for bush cutting. The county borrowed $20,000 from First Merchants Bank earlier in the year to make the purchase and agreed to pay half this year and the other half in the beginning of 2011.[[In-content Ad]]