LAWRENCE CO. – The Lawrence County Council approved an appropriation of $120,250 following the purchase of six message boards.
Each sign cost $20,000. The signs were purchased from an Indiana Finance Grant, no taxpayer money was used.
The signs can be used as a radar to clock a vehicle’s speed, and other multiple uses and can be programmed remotely. Six employees have been trained on how to program the signs.
Officials plan to use the signs at the Lawrence County Fair, high school events, and construction projects around the county.
In addition, the signs have a GPS built into them in case the signs are stolen.
In other business the council:
- Approved Circuit Court Judge Nathan Nikirk’s request of $10,453 to purchase office furniture from Liquidator World, based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The other bid was from Bedford Office Supply for $13,388.25. One reason for purchasing the new office furniture was because a desk collapsed when moving from one location to another. The desk was more than 25 years old. The money will be used to purchase several desks and other office furniture.
- Approved Prosecutor Sam Arp’s request to hire a legal secretary to replace one who is leaving for another job in the private sector.
- Bedford Public Library Program Director Nathan Watson advised the Council he will be attending some of their meetings as a part of the library’s civil engagement curriculum for students in grades K-12. Later this year, middle school-age students will be able to attend a Launch Civics Camp with mock government scenarios to teach students these concepts.
- Approved a resolution for the salary amendments to pay Superior Court II employees from bond money.
- Approved a resolution to pay public defenders salaries out of the general funds.
- Judge Nikirk gave the council members an update on the number of cases filed in the four courts with 5,817 cases filed and more than 4,100 court orders issued from March 2020 to March 2021.
- Judge Cline gave the council updates on mandates issued by the courts. The most costly to the county was a court order for a competency examination of a defendant. That examination cost the county $11,316.25. Judge Cline attributed this to an inexperienced public defender.
- Prosecutor Arp told the council his office has been busy with prosecuting a murder suspect, now handling an active jury trial and more jury trials are scheduled for the near future. His office continues to work on domestic violence and providing assistance and resources to domestic violence victims.
