6 June 2006 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

6 June 2006 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Hughes, President, and Fox
ABSENT: Benning
Also present: Pickens, Auditor, Ewbank, Attorney, and Messmore, Administrator.

There was no county police officer present at this meeting.
Register Publications also covered this meeting.

1. OKI- Mr. Policinski gave an overview of all OKI services provided to the county, primarily in hiring our original plan director, the Aurora-G-dale bike trail, basic transportation info, SR1 truck issues, Stateline traffic, Soil and Water District management of Tanners Creek, Traffic Studies and Transportation data, US 50 Gateway Study with ME to tie land uses to the corridor, and the new MPO- Metropolitan Planning Organization. Paperwork show that we have accumulated $790,000 in transportation funding that is now available to us through the MPO for certain types of projects. Bob Koehler will be our rep with OKI as he has been attending the MPO meetings in INDY for nearly a year now. OKI wants to help us with our growth. – NOT BE A BIG BROTHER.
Todd Listerman asked several pointed questions at this point regarding the “pots” of money and their potential types of uses. Rick Fox asked about a timeline on US 50 issues. OKI and Bill Miller replied that they could “dance around the issue” in public if they wanted. Implication is that no one knows when US 50 will be done.

2. Todd Listerman- Highway funds update.
Listerman received approval to request an exception to the Bells Branch project to just do the bridge and not the access points.
Contract for tracking software was signed by commissioners.
Request for Level 5 engineering to get additional geotech work for $2850 on the Slab Camp Creek realignment and bridge area of N. Dearborn Road was Ok’d as long as the funding is checked with Pickens records.
Listerman detailed the results of the May County Council meeting as to what was approved. For details see that previously on the blog in the May 2006 Council notes. Fox and Hughes questioned why Council didn’t approve all the roads to be paved and wanted to know if Listerman had explained the reasoning- to be sure they didn’t degrade without topcoats. Listerman explained Council’s position on this – only wanting roads 18 ft and wider to be done. The total paving cost dropped from $900,00 plus to $679,636. Some other money was spent doing side stripes on roads as well as centerlines.
Fox agreed that the point system evaluation of roads should be used and roads should not be done because somebody knows somebody. It should be based on need and not on commissioners picking them.
Fox also asked Listerman to check on 4 problems: Collier Ridge slip, Guilford Hill slip moving again, Guardrail between New Alsace and Dover on North Dearborn, and Schantz Road ditching.
Listerman talked about getting a crew together to just do ditching and widening.
Hughes asked about Wilson Creek. Turned out INDOT REMOVED IT FROM THE SYSTEM because no design had been done for years on it. Listerman write a letter to the INDOT Commissioner petitioning them to replace it on the list as it was in the top 5 on our Long Term repair list and we have our 20% match.
Hughes suggested that Listerman get hospital to help get that back on the list also as it is access for them.

3. Doug Baer- DCRSD- Cole Lane easement signed and Lisa Lehner will get it recorded. Ewbank said it was a standard temporary easement.

4. Claims and minutes signed.

An amendment was presented that Lisa Lehner sent over for the DCRSD (County-wide sewer approval desiring a change in the county’s minutes from the Nov 15, 2005 meeting.)

Pickens noted that this can be an amendment in the June 6 minutes and he’ll cross-reference it to the Nov 15th ones. As the books are continuous it is not proper to change them- only to amend.
The text of the document prepared by Lehner and signed by commissioners is below:
[NOTE: The text changes are noted in red print]

AMENDMENT TO MINUTES OF THE DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING DATED NOVEMEBER 15,2005
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County held a meeting on November 15, 2005 at which meeting a quorum was present and at which meeting the Board agreed that the expansion of the Dearborn County Regional Sewer District was necessary for the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of the County and that it was feasible; and
WHEREAS, meeting minutes of such meeting were prepared and adopted by the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County and the Board desires to describe this discussion in more detail.
NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County approve and accept these amended meeting minutes such that the following language is deleted from the meeting minutes of November 15, 2005:

"REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT Doug Baer and Mike Hankins addressed the Board to discuss the Regional Sewer District. Mr. Fox read the following: "There is a need for Dearborn County Regional Sewer District to provide county wide service in Dearborn County unincorporated areas currently unserved by municipal providers or by the current boundaries of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District. The Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Dearborn County Regional Sewer District to expand the boundaries of the district to provide sewer service to Dearborn County's unincorporated areas currently unserved by a municipal provider or by the current boundaries of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District."
Rick Fox motioned to authorize the Regional Sewer District as quoted in the previous statement. Jeff Hughes seconded. VOTE: ALL ayes, motion carried.
There was extensive discussion on the issue after the initial motion by Mr. Fox and before the second by Mr. Hughes."

And the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County hereby approve and accept this Amendment such that the following language is added:

"REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT Doug Baer and Brett Fehrman addressed the Board to discuss the Regional Sewer District. Mr. Fox read the following: "There is a need for Dearborn County Regional Sewer District to provide county wide service in Dearborn County unincorporated areas currently unserved by municipal providers or by the current boundaries of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District. The Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes and requests that the Dearborn County Regional Sewer District expand the boundaries of the district to provide sewer service to Dearborn County's unincorporated areas currently unserved by a municipal provider or by the current boundaries of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District.
The Board agreed and confirmed that the inclusion of this territory in the Regional Sewer District is necessary for the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of Dearborn County and that the inclusion of the territory will be practical and feasible
Rick Fox moved to request that the Dearborn County Regional Sewer District expand the boundaries of the district, for the reasons stated above, to provide sewer service to Dearborn County's unincorporated areas currently unserved by a municipal provider or by the current boundaries of the South Dearborn Regional Sewer District. Jeff Hughes seconded. VOTE: All ayes, motion carried."

The Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County confirm that all other statements in the meeting minutes dated November 15, 2005 shall remain unchanged.

[NOTE: Looking back on my notes from the blog on November 15, 2005 I stated that Lisa Lehner and Brett Fehrman presented the county wide sewer proposal. Nowhere in this amendment does it show Lehner’s role in the meeting, presentation, or approval of this COUNTYWIDE sewer district. They did correct the other presenter from Hankins to Fehrman. The commissioners did not say: “The Board agreed and confirmed that the inclusion of this territory in the Regional Sewer District is necessary for the public health, safety, convenience and welfare of Dearborn County and that the inclusion of the territory will be practical and feasible.”
Rick Fox’s motion was not stated as in the amendment. He stated that they approve it as worded in Lehner’s typed wording for them to use that night. It’s obvious that they need the commissioners to invoke the “health, safety, and welfare provisions. But when they didn’t say it – they can’t just make it up!
Why such a big deal for these changes? Why do the changes not reflect who really said what?
The original 15 Nov 2005 commissioners meeting did not even have this item on their agenda. It wasn’t advertised in the paper. In fact there was no notice of the county sewer board going to countywide at all. Perhaps in all the hurrying up preparations got sloppy.]

5. Messmore- County Adm- opened two sealed bids for Workers Comp. He will get back to the board with recommendations. Bids were from IPEP (IN Public Employees Plan) and Bliss McKnight.

6. Ewbank- Attorney- noted a suit filed on prisoner searches and civil rights violations and also a claim from the Juvenile center regarding Employment issues going to Judge Humphrey.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township