COVINGTON, Ind. — Fountain County is seeking its first new highway supervisor in 21 years.

Walt Wilson, supervisor for 21 years, was sworn in as a new commissioner last week and will be one of three commissioners selecting his replacement.

A year ago, Wilson told the commissioners to give him one more year as supervisor, but that was before he announced his plans to run for commissioner. He replaces Lowell Osborn, who did not seek re-election.

“We had one employee interested, but he chose not to apply over the weekend,” Wilson said Monday. “We have two outside persons who have applied.”

The commissioners will seek applications through Jan. 16. They may be turned in to Colleen Chambers, auditor, at the courthouse. Finalists will be interviewed in an executive session at 4 p.m. EST Jan. 19. A hiring is expected during the regular meeting later that night.

Longtime Commissioner Janet Shoaf was elected president, and Wilson was named vice president. Terry Ellingwood, who served as president after Osborn resigned from that position midway during the last two-year term, was named secretary.

Other appointments were:

-- Drainage board president, Wilson.

-- Ambulance director, Virginia Scherer.

-- County attorney, Thomas O’Connor.

-- Veterans service officer, Tye Auter.

-- LEPC board, Ellingwood.

-- Board of finance, Ellingwood.

-- Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, Wilson.

-- Community Action Program, Wilson.

-- Plan commission, Ellingwood.

In other business, commissioners:

-- Approved a new telephone system at the Fountain-Warren Health Department through Digital Communications of Danville.

-- Will seek funding from the county council for $900 for an awning over the back door of the health department.

-- Will spend $350 with Kone Elevator of Indianapolis for the annual inspection of the wheel chair lift.

-- Approved several encumbrances from the 2008 budget to be spent in 2009 — computer maintenance in the auditor fund, $10,546.58; a total of $1,070.94 in the prosecuting attorney fund; $1,384.95 in the sanitary landfill fund; $32,018.12 in the ambu-lance fund; $457.70 in the park and recreation fund; $180 in Title IV-D; $4,436.90 in the infraction fund; and $6,000 in drug free community.

-- Opened bids for gravel, stone and rip rap and awarded all bids.

-- Will review bids for title and sewer pipe.



WHAT’S NEXT

The Fountain County Commissioners will meet at 6:30 p.m. EST Jan. 19 at the courthouse.