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