Top deputies seek JFS director’s position

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Three top officials of the Van Wert County Job and Family Services Department are seeking to fill the director’s position being vacated by the retiring Jim Beard.

The department’s top financial person, Business Administrator Marsha Drake; Deputy Director Mary Beth Holtsberry, who heads the department’s employment services section; and Deputy Director Sandra Honigford, who is over the Children’s Services section, all submitted letters of interest in the director’s position and were interviewed Thursday by the Van Wert County Board of Commissioners.

As reported earlier in The Van Wert independent, Beard, who was given a 20-month retire-rehire agreement by the county commissioners in March that was to run through December 2012, tendered his resignation, effective July 28, citing health concerns as the reason.

After receiving Beard’s resignation, the commissioners sought letters of interest in the position from current Department of Job and Family Services employees. The deadline for submitting the letters was this past Tuesday.

Board of Commissioners Chair Gary Adams said Thursday that a decision is planned for sometime in the next week to 10 days, but also brought up the possibility of going outside the department to seek a new director.

Also on Thursday, County Engineer Kyle Wendel met with the commissioners to discuss the purchase of a new International dump truck.

“We try to get into a dump truck every year,” Wendel said, adding that his department waited a little longer this time, making it about 1½ years since the last dump truck was purchased.

The county is purchasing the truck through the state’s cooperative purchasing program, Wendel said, with Buckeye Truck in Lima, an International dealer, providing the cab and chassis at a cost of $89,781. Adding hydraulics and a plow body will increase the cost by about $50,000, the county engineer said, bringing the total purchase price to approximately $140,000.

The county will take delivery of the truck in approximately six months, Wendel said, noting that the county will bid out the peripherals that go on the truck, which will then be installed by Kalida Truck.