Dubois County Veterans Services Request Support

The Dubois County Board of Commissioners met on Monday morning to discuss staffing and fiscal infrastructure decisions that impact the county, particularly affecting its veteran population. 

Representatives of Dubois County’s Veterans Service Office provided a presentation to the Commissioners about ways in which veterans and their families could be provided with the resources that they need. Outgoing VSO Susan Bramlet expressed concern that the position needs to be better supported and said that burnout has resulted in high turnover in her role. A more comprehensive veterans outreach plan is being developed for the county, particularly in terms of VA healthcare. Representatives emphasized the importance of a well-funded, well-trained Veterans Office in order to meet the needs of veterans and their families, highlighting the fact that it can be a challenge when local offices are not open full-time. The board learned that 57% of counties in Indiana are already staffed 5 days a week, but that rural areas are more likely to be understaffed and unavailable throughout the week. 

County Highway Engineer Brent Wendholt told the board that engineering firm Lochmueller Group provided the requested contract for the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program. The scope of the grant application would cover approximately $4.3 million of work, and the county would be responsible for $439,000. Under the federal grant guidelines, the state would absorb the construction fees. For Dubois County’s proposed upgrade of 60 bridges and some railings, this would be completed with 90% of constructions costs covered in state grant funding. For the upcoming highway bridge inspection, Wendholt said the department will be scoring potential providers and selecting an agency to move forward with in the coming weeks. 

The Director of the Dubois County Department of Corrections told the Commission that he would like to add two additional night shift positions to be sure that the department is fully staffed and will provide more information at the beginning of the year for consideration. The board reviewed a contract for community corrections virtual library access, which would allow staff to receive required training without having to go off-site. It was approved pending Council approval and the addition of County-approved language. 

County Highway Superintendent Donnie Lueken reported that two new truck drivers were selected from a pool of applicants. The board unanimously approved the hiring submission. The Commissioners also approved the county’s annual order of 300,000 sanitation stickers, awarding the contract to the lowest bidder. Lueken noted that sanitation sites will be closed on November 28 for Thanksgiving. Commissioner Blessinger provided an update on suggestions for ways to improve the audio and video quality of meeting livestreams. Received quotes have been substantially more expensive than the system currently in use. The least expensive proposal will be forwarded to the Commission and the County Council for consideration. 

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

By Drew Hasselbring