From left are Board President Matt Brubaker, Council Member Tom Barker and Interim Water Superintendent Casey Boggs.

PIERCETON — The town of Pierceton is one step closer to returning its police force to full strength as well as shoring up the department’s headquarters, following the regular monthly meeting of the town board Monday night, July 8.

With council members Matt Brubaker and Tom Barker, voting 2-0 and Mandy Espinoza absent, the town moved forward with plans to repair the floor of police headquarters, advance two candidates in the interviewing process for the police department’s open position and accept a new reserve officer into the ranks.

“Is this something we can do in phases?” asked Police Chief Tim Sammons regarding new flooring for the police department. “The first phase is the room that needs (repair) the most and then work on some of these other rooms as we go. I would at least like him (contractor) to get started on the squad room because that is the room that needs it the most.”

The board approved the project at $600 to begin the work. Sammons told the board that the department welcomed Brooke Koldewey as its newest reserve officer. He said Koldewey had previous experience with law enforcement in the Butler area. The board also reported that it had joined the police department in interviewing three candidates for the department’s full-time police officer slot and agreed at Monday’s meeting to advance two of those candidates to a second interview in executive session on July  17 at 6 p.m.

Sammons also told the board that his department has a new website at www.piergov.com

In other business, the board:

• Heard a report from the fire department of that organization’s activities during the previous month, which included 50 total responses.
• Heard a report from interim water superintendent Casey Boggs, who requested the purchase of a new piece of equipment he called a box blade, which the board approved.