Board of Public Works and Safety Welcomes Jasper’s New Police Chief

With the city still covered under a blanket of snow, the Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety held its regular meeting on Tuesday morning. 

Mayor Vonderheide welcomed new Police Chief Chad Dick, who made his first appearance before the board. The mayor also thanked Assistant Chief Pehrson and the rest of the department for filling in while Chief Schmitt was on medical leave, saying that he appreciated their “loyalty and professionalism.” 

Start dates for new officers were approved, and a bid was accepted for the purchase of three new Durangos. A quote for the purchase of thirty handheld and ten in-car radios was also approved at just under $280,000. The new equipment will replace the current department- owned radios, which are approximately ten to twelve years old. The board agreed to pay travel expenses for Detective Aaron Schmitt, who will serve as a certified Emergency Vehicle Operations instructor at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. 

Chief Dick recognized some significant departmental achievements, saying, “I think it’s important that we recognize… the quality of the emergency responders that we have here.” On January 9, a woman reported that her husband had fallen and wasn’t responsive. Dick said that Chief Hochgesang was also on scene as life-saving measures were implemented, using one of the city’s new Lucas devices to regain a pulse. In addition, Sgt. Ben Knies was awarded a Life Saving Award on Saturday night for his actions in saving a drowning female at Patoka Lake. 

In his report, Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang reinforced the value of the new Lucas devices, which have re-established a pulse in 6 out of 8 emergency events so far. He reiterated how valuable this new technology has been in life-saving measures. The board granted permission to seek bids for a new 100-foot tower truck and accepted a Leave of Absence request for a firefighter who will be overseas temporarily for his job. 

In light of the ongoing wildfires in California, the board asked Chief Hochgesang if Jasper’s water systems and hydrants are prepared for a major fire event. The chief responded that all hydrants have been tested and are in working order, and the city’s water supply is available for use. The mayor pointed out that there are some areas with no hydrants and where water comes in from other areas rather than the Jasper water supply, which may limit water availability. The city’s water system generally stops around Kluemper Road, but water for surrounding areas is accessed through other sources. 

The mayor commended Street Commissioner Jeff Theising, saying, “the Street Department did a great job keeping our roads clear…and safe for people to drive on…Hats off to your crew and the leadership that you’ve shown.” Theising thanked the city for providing the department with good equipment, good materials, and the manpower they need to be effective. He discussed the two snow events last week, saying that crews had about a 2-hour window on Sunday to work on clearing streets. The following days saw snow and ice accumulation as well as falling tree limbs, which were cleared by separate crews. Theising reminded residents that during snow events and cold weather, two trucks are often sent out for double collection to get crews out of the weather as soon as possible, so trash bags need to be out by 7 am. 

Heart of Jasper will hold their Pamper My Princess event on Saturday, February 22, from 10 am- 2 pm at the Courthouse Square. There will be restrooms available on-site. Food trucks and a teddy truck will be available for purchases, and “princesses” can have their hair and nails done before a night out. Heart of Jasper partnered with Dance Central in scheduling, and the annual Daddy Daughter Dance will be held later that evening so that participants can go from one event to the next. 

The board approved a request from Mary Warner to hold the Dubois County 6 th annual Pride Festival from 11 am – 4 pm on Saturday, June 21 at the Dave Buehler Plaza at the Riverwalk. 

Caroline Hartman received the board’s approval to host the “Twinners 3 rd Annual Birthday Car Show” from 1-4 pm on Saturday, April 5 at the Schroeder Complex. The free event celebrates the birthday of Carter and Noah Atterson, Hartman’s autistic twin sons who love automobiles of all kinds. A free raffle and complimentary food will be available. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit jasperindiana.gov or JasperGov-Indiana on Facebook.


 - By Drew Hasselbring