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Government & School Board

Absentee voting to start next Monday

Absentee voting in this fall's municipal elections will begin next Monday, Oct. 24, in the Huntington County Courthouse.

Elections will be held only for offices in the city of Huntington and the towns of Andrews, Markle and Roanoke.
There are no county, state or federal offices on the ballot in this election cycle. There are also no elections in Warren this fall.

Teachers, school board file dueling lawsuits

Negotiations over a new contract for teachers in the Huntington County Community Schools have led to dueling lawsuits.

The Indiana State Teachers Association, through the Huntington Classroom Teachers Association, has filed suit in Huntington Circuit Court, claiming that the teachers are entitled to a wage increase.

In response, the Huntington County Community School Corporation has filed a complaint with the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board, claiming bad faith bargaining and violation of new state laws governing pay for teachers.

Plan Commission gives first nod for rezoning

The Heritage of Huntington received an initial approval on Wednesday, Oct. 12, for the rezoning of property to allow an expansion of the facility.

The United Methodist Memorial Home, the parent company of The Heritage of Huntington, had requested that property adjacent to the facility be rezoned from agricultural to general business.

The Huntington County Plan Commission gave the request a favorable recommendation.

It will now go before the Huntington County Commissioners for a final decision.

 

Shafer: ‘No factual basis’ for football game allegations

The Huntington County Community School Corporation has formally concluded its investigation into allegations of racism and other misconduct stemming from an Aug. 26 football game between Huntington North High School and Fort Wayne North Side High School, Superintendent Tracey Shafer told members of the HCCSC board of trustees on Monday, Oct. 10.

Warren council faces expensive decision to remedy well’s decreased water flow

The Warren Town Council must decide what to do about a decrease in water flowing from one of the town's wells.

Utility Manager Curt Day told council members during their Oct. 10 meeting that Well No. 2 at the water plant shows a decrease in pumping capacity.

A decision must be made as to whether to repair and clean the well, which was drilled in 1965, or to drill a new well.

Day stated that the well has been worked on several times over the past few years and cannot be lowered any farther.

RBF member explains plans for topped trees in Roanoke

Jim Warner, of the Roanoke Beautification Foundation, attended the Oct. 4 Roanoke Town Council meeting in order to explain plans for trees recently topped on Main Street.

An arborist will be brought in to offer advice on what to do with remaining areas, he said. The arborist will meet with Warner, Town Superintendent Paul Swain, local business owner Pete Eshelman, Town Council President Troy Karshner and any other council members that are available.

Banks invites young adults to apply for intern spots

State Sen. Jim Banks (R-Columbia City) invites college upperclassmen and recent graduates to apply for a full-time Senate internship for the spring semester.

Applications are available online at www.senaterepublicans.in.gov/internship.htm. A resume, two reference letters, college transcripts and a writing sample are required submissions. The application deadline is Oct. 31.

Rezoning request on agenda

The Huntington County Plan Commission has just one item on the agenda for its meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

The session will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the GAR Room on the second floor of the Huntington County Courthouse. It is open to the public.

The United Methodist Memorial Home has requested that the zoning for a property at 1198W-500N, near The Heritage of Huntington, be rezoned from agricultural to general business.

 

Huntington County Safety Council sets meeting

The Huntington County Safety Council will hold their monthly luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at Huntington University's Habecker Dining Commons.

The program will be "Safety in the Workplace" and will include videos to be utilized in workplaces. The program will focus on slips, trips, falls and dust combustion.
The program this month will be facilitated by Anna Marsh, safety coordinator for Parkview Huntington Hospital.

Registration is due by Friday, Oct. 7. "No shows" for reservations will be billed for the meal. Fill-ins are allowed.

Council agrees to expenditure for renovation work at Andrews Park

The Andrews Town Council has approved funding for renovations to be made to the town park.

Linda Wright, representing the town's park commission, brought the proposal for the renovations to the attention of the council. The work will involve clearing a back area of the park that is adjacent to railroad tracks. Zahm Excavating was chosen to do the work.

The decision was made during the council's monthly meeting on Monday, Oct. 3.

Trick-or-treating hours for the town have been set for Halloween. The council decided upon 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Monday, Oct. 31.

Thumbs down on vote centers

A proposal to consolidate voting sites in Huntington County was rejected Wednesday, Sept. 28, by the Huntington County Election Board.

Huntington County Clerk Kittie Keiffer, whose office coordinates elections, said that with the rejection of the vote center proposal, elections this fall will be held using the traditional polling places.

The county can bring up the plan for reconsideration at any time, Keiffer says, but probably won't do so until after the 2012 election cycle.

"I doubt that we'll review it before the presidential election," Keiffer says.

HCCSC board dissolves special services agreement, hears public hearing on budget

The Huntington County Community School Corporation voted Wednesday, Sept. 28, to dissolve the Huntington-Whitley Special Services Cooperative on the recommendation of Superintendent Tracey Shafer.

The decision to dissolve the cooperative followed a presentation by Shafer at the previous school board meeting on Sept. 12. Shafer reported that Whitley County Consolidated Schools board approved the dissolution last week.

Huntington County Commissioners will meet in Executive Session today

The Huntington County Commissioners will meet in an executive session today, Monday, Oct. 3, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. in the commissioners' office, Huntington County Courthouse, 201 N. Jefferson St., Huntington.

The meeting will be held in respect to the interviews and negotiations with industrial or commercial prospects by the governing body of a political subdivision.