Rush County approves payments, accepts $65,000 Justice Partners grant and hears weather, public-works updates
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Summary
The Rush County Commissioners approved county accounts and payroll, accepted a $65,000 Justice Partners grant for community corrections, and received updates on courthouse landscaping, bridge funding and recent heavy rains.
Rush County Commissioners approved routine county disbursements and accepted a federal Justice Partners grant that will fund local pretrial community corrections work.
At the start of the meeting the Chair presented accounts payable in the amount of $479,344.38; the motion to approve was made and the body recorded an affirmative voice vote. Staff reported payroll in the amount of $269,174.53, which the commission also approved by voice vote.
Ashley presented a Justice Partners addictions response grant award, saying the grant cycle began Oct. 1 and the county only received award notice in February after delays. "It is a grant, cycle that started October 1... So I actually completely forgot about the grant until they took the award and said, hey. We got it. So I have a grant proposal that is for that award... It's for $65,000, for community corrections, our pre trial application," Ashley told the commission. Commissioners expressed appreciation and recorded assent to accepting the grant.
The Chair announced that trees in front of the courthouse would be removed that day as part of a landscaping update and that smaller, noninvasive trees will be planted. Staff also briefed commissioners on recent heavy rainfall across Rush County — about 4.5 to nearly 7 inches in places — and provided river gauge readings: Blue River reached about 7.7 feet, Raleigh about 8.5 feet and Rushville about 13.85 feet. Staff noted the sandbagging threshold at 18 feet and said gauges began to drop after a brief lull in rain, though another 1–2 inches were forecast; a tornado drill was scheduled for 10:15 a.m. (possible postponement if severe weather occurs).
A commissioner noted that the county received funding for three bridge projects from INDOT; staff said INDOT has limited contracts currently and county project timing can vary.
The meeting concluded after the commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on data-center applications (see separate story).