By Angel Perkins Staff Writer
ARGOS — The Argos Town Council has been making some changes lately, some of which involve employees and permit costs.
With the loss of Monte McCollough (whose last day was May 2) and the retirement of Frank Harley on April 30, the Argos Utilities Department is running a little short on manpower.
Council President George Null said he had been talking with Utilities Super-intendent John Archam-beault about their options and decided that the town needed to hire both a (electric) lineman and a sewer operator.

Present sewer operator Jeff Gonce will also be retiring from his position in December, and while town employee Jamie Lindstrom is qualified for the position, the town thought it would be best to keep him in the electric department and to use him only as a backup sewer operator when needed.
At a recent town council meeting, the suggestion to advertise for the two new positions was approved.
With the loss of McCollough, who went to work for NIPSCO, the town was also in need of a building inspector since he had also been serving the town in that role.
Rules on all three readings on an ordinance (2008-4) were suspended  at Wednsday night’s meeting which appointed Tracy Thayer as town building inspector to inspect property setbacks at $25 per inspection.
It was further agreed on that all other inspections would be carried out by the county, which in turn will incur a fee.
This new cost will not be the responsibility of the town, but will be charged to the person making changes.
Individual building permit charges included in the ordinance were listed as follows: new structure, $150; remodeling, $100; garage, $100; accessory building (shed), $75; check setbacks, $24; signs with electric, $75; signs without electric, $25; electric upgrade check, $100 and fences, $25.
Other employee responsibilities were discussed in regard to the town mowing. Last year Don Erickson and Kelly Whitman had been hired part time to take care of the town’s lawn maintenance and the town council approved the suggestion to hire them on again this year for the same responsibility.
    A final employee discussion involved Nick Wood, Argos Water Department supervisor. Wood was appointed by Null to the Argos Planning Commission.
The workforce decisions were also noted to be a bit of a burden, with several employees leaving within a small time frame and seasonal positions in progress.
Thus Null, as representative of the council, made the statement, “With our workforce, we will probably not be doing sidewalks this summer unless there is an emergency.”