By David Fenker
david@nmpaper.com
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – The year’s first meeting of the North Manchester Town Council saw the re-election of Jim Smith as president of the council.
Smith previously served as president for 2016.
Councilmember Chalmer “Toby” Tobias was the only other nominee for the position.
Laura Rager, who served as vice-president for 2016, was re-elected as vice-president. Tobias was also nominated for the position.
After electing officers for 2017 the council addressed two questions from their December regular meeting, one regarding the EMS service fee on residents’ monthly utility bill and the other about the availability of the town’s claims docket.
Smith informed those present that Town Manager Adam Penrod wrote a release published in the Jan. 4 edition of the News-Journal explaining the EMS fee.
He said that the town had a contract through the county commissioners to provide EMS services, and that Parkview EMS acquired that contract when it purchased LifeMed last fall. The contract expires in the fall of 2017, at which time the council may reconsider it.
Smith also informed attendees that the town’s claims are no longer legally required to be published in a newspaper in part due to the high expense of doing so.
Instead, the report is available during normal business hours at the Clerk-Treasurer’s office. It will also soon be available on the town’s website.
The council also considered one item of new business. North Manchester Police Department Chief Jim Kirk requested that the council approve hiring Marvin Gheen as a full-time dispatcher.
According to Kirk’s report, Gheen has served as a part time dispatcher for three years, and also works as a paramedic for Lutheran Hospital.
Gheen was approved unanimously as a full-time dispatcher. He will replace Angela Waddle, who recently took a position with Kosciusko County Central Dispatch.