
Dubois County Unveils New Courthouse Security Measures
The Dubois County Board of Commissioners held their regular meeting on Monday morning to
discuss some improvements to current County processes.
Training for new Courthouse security measures will begin this week and will go live on Monday.
Visitors’ bags will be run through scanners, and a Sherriff’s Department staff member will be
posted at the east entrance of the building. Staff request that you please leave bulky and
unnecessary items in vehicles rather than bringing them into the courthouse. Visitors should
plan for potential delays as the new security measures are implemented and they are asked for
their patience.
The Commission reviewed the Comprehensive Plan request for proposals. Commissioner
Blessinger emphasized his desire to address items that are relevant to the county and not
reiterate data that is already available elsewhere. He also expressed a desire for feedback from
the community and elected officials to be sure that the document is reflective of their priorities
so that resources are directed to the appropriate areas. A decision on the proposal was not
reach today, and it will be reviewed at the next meeting for approval.
In response to community and staff feedback, the Veterans’ Services Office made several
requests, particularly in regard to staffing. The Commissioners agreed to make the Veterans
Service Officer a full-time, 40-hour position. Blessinger indicated that he would take the next
steps to investigate funding options with the Council, saying that he would like to be a veteran-
friendly community. The request for the creation of two additional part-time Assistant VSO
positions was not granted at this time but will be reconsidered at a later date. The office would
also like to adjust their hours to provide later weekday hours and some Saturday hours, in
addition to offering services at other locations.
The Commissioners will discuss that request
after approval of the expanded VSO position hours. They will also investigate solutions to
address a request for more records storage space.
The Commissioners approved a letter of support for PSC Fiber to assist in their current grant
application process. Blessinger said that the letter of support for the grant would help them to
deploy to more rural residents. He added that PSC “has a successful history in Dubois County of
providing broadband services.” They worked with the County during the Next Level 2 initiative,
which used rescue dollars to help connect 500 locations in Dubois County. Blessinger noted that
PSC already has a “big footprint here and worked with municipalities and a lot of our citizens.”
After a thorough review of the County Vehicles Personal Use Policy, it was determined that no
changes are necessary. The only department that allows employees to use county vehicles for
personal use is Sherriff’s Department, which was clarified. If deputies are using a department
vehicle, they are allowed to drive it in surrounding counties. The reason for this is that it
improves response time for Dubois County and makes them more available to respond. This
does not apply for counties that are not adjacent to Dubois County.
In other business, the new Agreement for Correctional Facility Medical Services was signed by
the Commissioners. The termination letter for the current provider has already been signed and
submitted. The County Highway Department reported that 22 people participated in their most
recent CPR and AED training. In addition, the contract for paving between C&R Construction
and the Commissioners, which is required by INDOT for the Community Crossings Grant, was
approved and signed by the Commissioners.
For more information on these and other updates, visit duboiscountyin.org/government
- By Drew Hasselbring