Dearborn County commissioners approve EMS appointment, three grant applications and bridge overlays; several contract and interlocal items pass

Dearborn County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a cluster of administrative and capital measures, including appointing Jason Sullivan as the county EMS director for 2025, authorizing three grant applications tied to community corrections and probation, approving six polymeric (epoxy) bridge deck overlays, and consenting to an assignment of engineering contracts and an amendment to an interlocal agreement with neighboring Ohio County.

The measures were presented by county staff and department directors during the meeting and were approved by voice vote. Presiding commissioners opened each vote with “All in favor?” and recorded “Aye. Motion carries.”

The board appointed Jason Sullivan as EMS director for calendar year 2025. A motion to appoint Sullivan passed by unanimous voice vote. The commissioners and staff discussed the county’s EMS funding arrangements: EMS units receive contract payments routed through an EMS line-item (described in the meeting as the “EMS lit”) that currently requires the funds to be used primarily for staffing but allows organizations to ask commissioners for permission to purchase equipment if staffing needs are met. Staff said supplemental distributions had been made in past years to Aurora and Bristow (bride/Bridal in the transcript) for new units.

County staff asked the commissioners to approve three grant applications to the state Department of Corrections and related programs. The presenter said the applications were for: an intensive probation program ($71,005), the JCAP program supporting a JCAP director position ($97,785), and the community corrections…