Pulaski Memorial Hospital was represented at the American Hospital Association's Health Forum Rural Health Care Leadership Conference in Phoenix earlier this month. PMH presented its "Harm Across the Board" story at the event. The storyboard was featured because of the progress that has been made in reducing harm at Pulaski Memorial Hospital. Pictured are chief nursing exectuive Linda Webb, and PMH president and CEO Tom Barry. The two have also been giving programs about PMH to local organizations, including the February meeting of the Pulaski County Economic Development Commission.

They explained that PMH is a not-for-profit, critical-access county hospital, noting that 2013 marked its 50th anniversary of service to Pulaski County and the area. Barry and Webb also  reported on PMH's Quality program, recent awards and recognition garnered by the hospital, and the array of services offered.

They shared with PCED plans for growth, including the forthcoming addition of multiple new family physicians, new services, and the expansion of some existing services. A number of questions were asked and answered, including the opportunity for locally provided dialysis treatment and what attracts physicians to Pulaski Memorial and this community.

In business before the PCED, the commission members were reminded the annual Pulaski County Economic Development Summit will be Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m., at the Winamac Event Center. Ball State’s Dick Heupel of the Building Better Communities program will be the keynote speaker. PCED director Nathan Origer will contact local media about advertising the event and will be send direct invitations, as well. The Summit is open to the public.

The board approved the appointment of three new members to the PCED, Jamie Bales, re-appointed as the representative from the Francesville Town Council; John Plowman appointed as representative from the Winamac Town Council; and Gregg Malott, CFO of Pulaski Memorial Hospital, appointed as an at-large member. All will serve three-year terms.

The board approved a proposal, suggested by Origer, regarding the annual Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce funds distribution. Origer reported that he had proposed to the Chamber board, which agreed to the arrangement, that instead of making two contributions to the Chamber for tourism-marketing support, PCED transfer the earmarked funds into the proper appropriation to expend the funds to cover the bulk of the Chamber’s share of the county website-rebuild project.

Origer reported that recently released labor-force and unemployment numbers suggest that Pulaski County has recovered healthily from the "Great Recession," and that the local economy is heading in the right direction.

Origer also reported on the following:

Associated Images’ Savor Indiana / ExtraordINary Indiana project: The “Peaceful Pulaski County” episode of Savor Indiana has made its television debut in January, been made available on Associated Images’ Website, and been uploaded to Pulaski Online. Origer reported much positive feedback had been received. However, further dissemination will certainly be required for the project to be effective in increasing tourism. The ExtraordINary Indiana episode has debuted in Febrary. The Savor Indiana episode has exceeded Origer's expectations.

PC-CARE engineering-study proposal: Territorial Engineering has neared completion of studies on two properties. Origer has been awaiting permission from a third owner. Courtesy of NIPSCO, Banning Engineering has completed a desktop review on an additional property along the CSX corridor, finding no obstacles to development in its cursory analysis.

CAGIT-rate issue: State Sen. Ed Charbonneau has expressed openness to working at the state level to make adjustments to the Indiana Code, pending local support, but advised to wait until 2015 to address the issue.

Pulaski County Young Professionals Network: At a meeting earlier in the evening, Origer met with the PCED committee tasked with moving this project forward. The members will be contacting various local residents to invite them to serve on a steering committee, tentatively scheduled to meet in early April.

Pulaski Online: The updated Pulaski Online website is tentatively scheduled to be live by early May.

Hotel project: Origer reported that this project had been slowed; Mr. Howard was to begin reaching out to local businesses for further information and to discuss potential for investment prior to his medical leave. Origer will be taking up this charge in the near future, as well as meeting with the City of Alexandria’s economic-development director, who also has been working with Cobblestone on a hotel-development project.

Revolving Loan Fund cash injection: Origer has been waiting until a decision is made regarding the requested additional appropriation for the Winamac Coil Spring loan. He also noted that a $150,000 additional CEDIT appropriation for the County EMS service has been requested, and that such further expenditure could have an effect on the loan-fund request. However, he still intends to try to supplement the fund, the balance whereof will be approaching $10,000 once the recently approved $90,000 loan to Celebrations! has been made.

Winamac Coil Spring incentive package: Mr. Howard having prepared a loan-agreement draft that county attorney Kevin Tankersley then reviewed and amended, Origer provided the agreement to the company for review. (At meeting time) he had not yet received feedback. The County Council was scheduled to vote on the appropriation request later in February.

Under "Community Reports" from various PCED commission members, the following information was shared:

• Medaryville has implemented a text-message database for keeping residents informed; approximately 80 percent of residents have signed up. Donated memorial park benches would be arriving soon; property in downtown for a new fire station has been acquired. The new Dollar General store is anticipated to open in March.
• Four County Counseling has reorganized its community-based programs, with adult and child services now provided by the same division. Krysten Hinkle is now the director of Community Based Services for Pulaski County.
• Alliance Bank hosted its annual GrowSmart Ag Talk in conjunction with Timm Services and Hudson Insurance with about 70 attendees.
• The cold draw plant at Plymouth Tube has seen an uptick in business. During its previous downturn, more than 2,500 hours of training was completed by employees. Mike Mestousis is the new general manager.