Hostetler donates $5,000 to sheriff’s office, CTFD
By Dean Shipley
Staff Writer
Farmer Fred Hostetler said Monday at the county commissioners meeting the agencies which protect county residents, namely the sheriff’s office (S.O.) and fire service, do not receive enough recognition for what they do within the community.
He chose to recognize the S.O. and Central Townships fire department with checks for $2,500 each.
The award came through Hostetler’s win in the America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Aaron Boerger, local Steward seed representative — part of Monsanto — and Ben Schleucher Stewart district sales manager, administered the funds. Schleucher said Hostetler was one of 1,271 county winners across 39 states, who not only use Stewart seed products, but reside in counties which had been declared disaster areas due to drought as deemed by U.S.D.A. Madison County was one of those counties declared a disaster area.
“It’s a way to give back,” Schleucher said.
Award recipient Sheriff Jim Sabin said the donation will be placed in the fund used for special equipment purchases and funding of youth programs.
Farmer Fred Hostetler, center, presents checks of $2,500 each to Madison County Sheriff Jim Sabin, to Hostetler’s right, and Brian Bennington, Central Townships fire chief, to his left. The money comes from a contest held by Monsanto, America’s Farmers Grow Communities. From left, Madison County commissioners, David Dhume, Paul Gross, Mark Forrest; at right, Stewart seed representatives Aaron Boerger, right, and Ben Schleucher, district sales manager, second from right.
Central Townships fire chief Brian Bennington said the fire department will use the award to purchase two new computers for the department’s engines so they will be better equipped to access information available on the county’s network. As they are called out on a fire emergency, the firefighters will have information available, including maps, to better guide them to the location.
Hostetler said he uses Stewart soybean seeds which he said “makes my life easier.”
He also said, “The older I get, the more I appreciate a sheriff’s car going by.”
America’s Farmers Grow Communities is sponsored by the Monsanto Fund to highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to our society and to help them positively impact their communities.
In other business, per request of Lori Dodge-Dorsey, director of Job and Family Services, the commissioners approved Doug Crabbe’s bid to provide process server for child support service. Dorsey said Crabbe has a good success rate in his work for the agency.
“He goes beyond the county (lines) to find folks,” Dodge-Dorsey said.
A member of the Madison County Agricultural Society, George Roby, who was visiting the commissioners on behalf of himself, asked them if they could help the ag society pay a debt.
He said the ag society owes $25,000 to its grounds keepers, which represents a two-year debt. Roby asked the commissioners to share the debt since they share in the ownership of the fairgrounds. They made no decision.
