Dubois County Commissioners Pass Resolution Honoring Former Sheriff Terry Tanner

Resolution 2024-05 was passed honoring the memory of former Sheriff Terry Tanner, who passed away on April 10 th , 2024. The Commissioners expressed their appreciation for Mr. Tanner’s many years of service as a public servant, including his long career in law enforcement as Chief Deputy and County Sheriff, as well as serving for 30 years with the Jasper volunteer Fire Department, where he reached the rank of Captain. He worked with countless councils and committees, serving as President of the Jasper Rotary Club, Treasurer of the Substance Abuse Council, President of the Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Training Council, and worked with the Dubois County Leukemia Association, among so many others. The resolution stated that “Mr. Tanner was a dependable, trustworthy gentleman, a special friend to many locally and to Hoosiers across the state, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, loyalty,” and that it was only fitting to “pause to remember the great and bountiful life of this exceptional public servant and human being.” The Commission expressed their sympathy for the family of Mr. Tanner upon his passing, and thanked them for his extraordinary service. 

In other business, Highway Reports were presented by Steve Berg, who submitted an Annual Report showing an accounting for all of the department’s transactions in the last year. The report was accepted by the Commissioners, who also approved requested staff hiring recommendations and funding allocation for placing additional railroad crossings. The board then reviewed bids received for materials needed for the replacement of Bridge 254. The Commissioners approved and awarded the quote to Sugar Steel, who submitted the low bid. 

Shawn Werner of the Health Department provided a status report on the creation of a new Outreach Coordinator position. The Commissioners approved the creation of the two-year position, which may be extended depending on available funding. The department intends to support funding with proceeds from a Safety Pin Grant, which was recently applied for. 

An update on the status of the Annex Generator, which is in need of repair, was provided by Steve Hopf. Required parts have been on backorder, so bids were solicited for the purchase of new equipment. Three quotes were received for a new generator, all with 10-year warranties. In the meantime, parts for the repair were finally received, with an estimated repair cost of approximately $2000. The Commissioners discussed whether it was more advantageous to allocate funds to fix the 14-year-old generator or to invest in a new one. The final recommendation of the board was to move forward with the purchase of a new generator rather than investing significant funds into repairing the aging equipment. The low bid of $8,566 was accepted from Fischer Electric, and the purchase of the new generator will move forward. 

 - By Drew Hasselbring