Dubois County’s Steve Berg Named 2024 Highway Superintendent of the Year

On Monday morning, The Dubois County Board of Commissioners had a full agenda to prepare for 2025, but they took a moment to thank Highway Superintendent Steve Berg as he gave his final report to the Board. 

Outgoing County Highway Superintendent Steve Berg, who has announced his retirement, made his final report to the Commissioners. The board commended him for his service and congratulated him on his recent award. Berg was named the 2024 Highway Superintendent of the Year by the Indiana Association of County Commissioners, and his award was presented at the IACC conference in Indianapolis. 

In other Highway Department business, Residents are reminded that sanitation site hours will be adjusted for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, which both fall on Tuesday this year. Sites will be open from 8-12 instead of 10-6. The Annual Freeze and Thaw Ordinance (2024-19) was also approved by the board. 

HWC Engineering Rachel Steckler appeared before the Board regarding the county’s desire to develop a comprehensive plan. Steckler said one thing that makes HWC different is their strong belief in community engagement. She said they encourage the development of a strong steering committee to direct choices that reflect local concerns. HWC will be reaching out with ideas about how they might serve Dubois County. 

An extended discussion was held regarding the grant monies received through the county’s opioid settlement. The funds can be used in several different ways, and the JRAC Advisory Board voted on how they would like to appropriate the remaining matching grant dollars. Their proposal is that the Commission approve $21,200 to fund new positions with Community Corrections, $10,000 to the Dove House, and $4800 to Next Step Recovery. The Commissioners all agreed the funds might be better allocated toward the new positions since other opioid funds would be available for the recovery centers. The consensus of the Commissioners was that no action should be taken at this time, and that another discussion be held in January once the new Corrections positions are created. 

A bid was opened for repairs to the Swine Barn for the 4-H Council. Quotes were solicited from several contractors, and the only bid came from Hopf Construction in Ireland. Repairs need to be completed before the fair, the Commissioners agreed to move forward and negotiate the terms of the contract with Hopf for a potential award in January. 

The Commissioners held a discussion regarding Dubois County-owned vehicles that are used for business purposes. They are sometimes taken out of the county, but there have been multiple reports of concern that they might be used for personal trips. Departmental managers expressed that log files do exist to track vehicle usage, and that employees do sometimes travel for training. In January, the Commissioners will look into existing language regarding vehicle usage restrictions to see if any additional guidance needs to be provided.  

The Health Department presented several items to the Board for approval. The training room policy and agreement was approved with minor changes, as was the change order for Health Department building renovations. The Pre-to-3 Interlocal Agreement was also approved. Pre- to-3 is a home-visiting program that supports families from pregnancy until the child reaches three years of age. 

The Commissioners granted Heart of Jasper’s Courthouse use request for the Pamper My Princess event, which will be held from 9:45 to 2 pm on Saturday, February 22. The Board also signed the 2025 service agreement with Dubois Strong. The Commission requested clarification and minor revisions to the Extension Office Rent Increase request. The Records Library Hours for 2025 were adjusted and will now be open on Monday and Wednesday from 8-4. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit duboiscountyin.org/government

 - By Drew Hasselbring