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By Jef Rietsma Special to the Journal St. Joseph County commissioners plan to interview candidates interested in serving on the advisory board that oversees Commission on Aging. Terms of six current board members expire June 30, and commissioners discussed whether to renew their appointments or interview the group in addition to anyone from the community interested in serving. At the commission’s executive committee meeting Wednesday, county administrator Teresa Doehring said five of the six have expressed interest in returning for another term. She has not heard from the sixth. “With tha...

By Jef Rietsma Journal Correspondent A boost in broadband coverage countywide appears to be high on a wish-list being compiled by county officials. The topic was addressed Tuesday at the county board of commissioners meeting. St. Joseph County is expected to receive close to $12 million as part of the federal government’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Earlier in the day, commissioner Jared Hoffmaster discussed the matter with officials from several townships and municipalities, as part of a government-relations committee meeting.  “They were talking about partnering with the county...

By Jef Rietsma A request to hire a deputy clerk for the county court’s civil division was approved Tuesday, by a slim margin. A 3-to-2 vote resulted in an exception to the county’s hiring freeze and granted the request made by district court administrator/magistrate Tabitha Wedge. The $60,000-a-year position was discussed at length at the commission’s executive committee meeting last week. As they did then, commissioners this week maintained reasons for and against the request. In the end,  support of chairman Dennis Allen, Jared Hoffmaster and Kathy Pangle carried the motion.  The jo...

By Jef Rietsma Journal Correspondent Like many municipal governments, St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a state of emergency to continue broadcasting its meetings electronically. During their first in-person meeting since fall 2020, commissioners on Tuesday agreed they will stick to assembling in-person for their twice-per-month board meetings.  The commission, however, agreed it would be prudent to maintain public broadcast of meetings via Zoom. Without approval of the local emergency declaration, the board and other panels under the umbrella of the county commission wou...

By Jef Rietsma Journal Correspondent At their executive committee meeting Wednesday, St. Joseph County commissioners discussed permanently returning to in-person board meetings. The board plans to meet in-person Tuesday for the first time since fall 2020. To maintain the option of meeting electronically, however, commissioners must approve a state of emergency resolution. Such a measure gives public bodies the option of continuing to meet over platforms such as Zoom. Commissioners had a lengthy discussion and most agreed they prefer to return to in-person meetings, a standing format. However,...