The Daviess County Commissioners took their meeting to Odon’s Community Building Tuesday evening, but the cold and snowy weather kept the residents of the northern area at home.
The Commissioners approved a lease agreement with Skyway Towers and approved a contract with Malcon as cost accountants for the county’s child welfare program expenses. Charles Malinofski reported that last year that Malcon had helped the county to recover over $140,000 in state reimbursements.
Looking at potential economic development in the southeast quadrant of the I-69/US 50 interchange, the Commissioners voted to approve an inter-local agreement with the City of Washington and the Daviess County Economic Development Foundation. The County, City, and the Foundation will co-operate in providing necessary infrastructure for potential industrial and commercial development in the area.
To solve the county’s growing office and storage space shortages at the courthouse, the commissioners voted to buy the Old National Bank property on Main Street in Washington. The purchase price is $90,000. The purchase must also be approved by the County Council.
The Commissioners also voted to provide Hepatitis B vaccine to those county employees whose jobs put them at risk of coming into contact with bodily fluids of other individuals. County Health Nurse Kathy Sullender told the Commissioners that the cost of the vaccine could no longer be covered by grants. The Commissioners voted to establish a $15,500 line item to provide the necessary series of three shots to the 100 county employees deemed at highest risk.
In other business, the Commissioners authorized traffic counts on the county’s roads. Commissioner Michael Taylor said that the opening of I-69 had changed local traffic patterns. The counts will help with planning for road upgrades and maintenance.