Wednesday, April 04, 2007

3 April 2007 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

3 April 2007 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Hughes, President, Fox, and Thompson.

Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, Ewbank, Attorney, and Messmore, Administrator.
Dick Robertson, Vieste/Level 5 Engineering was in attendance.
A uniformed police officer was also present.

1. CASA- Citizens Against Substance Abuse- Donna Thacker read the proclamation for the Too Smart To Start Alcohol Awareness Program proclaiming April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Commissioners signed the proclamation. [NOTE: Several Interesting points in the proclamation such as- children will see 100,000 beer commercials before they reach age 18.]

2. INDOT- Brandy Fishvogt (local plan coordinator Seymour District) and Cathy Eaton (Seymour office INDOT) – delivered the news that they have been mandated by the Fed Hwy to get all state projects fiscally constrained. INDOT is changing the way they do business. At the local annual development meeting on May 22- they will be going through the project lists heavily. Counties are going to have to enter into a contract on each project with a timeline and scope to keep costs from escalating. Projects will be evaluated in today’s dollars and then INDOT will calculate the future costs per the timeline.
There are $131 million projects “programmed” and only $20 million available – statewide to 2009. They need info on each project and are looking to see what can be eliminated. Elimination means funding is lost. She said one project on the list has $1 funding- so it won’t be considered. They are no longer allowing $1 as placeholders. This is for G3,G4 and Transportation Enhancement funds outside the urban areas. MPO operates inside urban area. (even though whole county is part of it)
Dick Robertson spoke up at this point on the $1 placeholder and said- it has a DES number! Cathy Eaton said- but it’s not funded. Robertson said- No not yet. [NOTE: This $1 is in reference to the placeholder and DES number assigned to the North Dearborn Road realignment project. It seems late in the process for INDOT to be giving the county this “bad news.” Didn’t we have the funding in place?]Projects are granted as first come first served. Listerman asked to get with Brandy Fishvogt on projects already to be let. Eaton noted that we have to settle all this BEFORE a call is made for future projects.

3. Old Business- Tax payments by credit card. Gayle Pennington was not present- Ewbank presented the reviewed and amended contract for Certified IT, LLC and commissioners signed it. Pennington will be bonded for this and insured. (See notes on last meeting for details on how this will work at tax time)

4. Transportation Dept- Todd Listerman:

1.Old project on Whites Hill has an outstanding claim for $4200 for O’Mara for the difference in cost of a 10 in vs. an 8 in pipe replaced there under negotiations after it was broken in construction of the road. St. Leon is to reimburse the county for this cost minus any costs they incurred for supervising the installation. [NOTE: So will their supervisory costs equal or exceed this amount?]
The leftover funding in this project went to the Stateline Stephens intersection project. Ewbank said the contract was a good faith effort to resolve s bad situation. Hughes was part of negotiations and will go with Listerman to St, Leon to see what supervisory costs were.
Pickens said they better look for backup in case Council doesn’t fund it. You can’t keep going to Council for things missed in contracts.
Listerman said he’d go to the 147 account. Ewbank offered to talk to St, Leon’s attorney if needed- though he was sure it would be unneeded. Listerman approved to check with St. Leon for supervisory costs and then to go to Council for the funding.

2. Collier Ridge Slip is working its way up the road. It will take about $35-45K to stabilize the additional 300 ft of embankment. Will put a slotted drain in and more baskets on the hillside- should fix it for a number of years. Wilson Creek should take about $40K to fix that slip by Jacobsen’s. Commissioners approved Collier Ridge work.

3. The updated signal plans for Stateline and Stephens will be coordinated with Macke- the Sugar Ridge developer. The developer will then go to bid for installation costs- their part of the project.

4. Fox asked if they can approach Council to chip seal the through rods that have heavy traffic at times – even those with few homes.
Listerman said there are 19.6 miles of chip seal roads at $16-20K per mile- so costs would be in the $180-200K range.
Thompson said it doesn’t hurt to ask, but gets the feeling that we’re pushing the upper limits of what Council can fund. Listerman will see how to prioritize those roads. Fox and Thompson agreed that at least it may get them funded for the next year. Hughes would rather blacktop. Fox and Thompson approved Listerman to ask Council and Hughes voted Nay.

5. Listerman dropped off the right of entry order with the property owner on Wilson Creek for the slip fix. Owner is looking it over.

5. Hughes presented the Lifetime Resources grant modifications and 90 day extension for their Housing Community Dev. Grant. Approved and signed.

6. Claims- Thompson moved to approve all claims except for # 101624- London Witte for $22,500. He had no problem with the claim and thought the itemization was well done. Pickens was concerned because he thought the check was mailed on Friday because it was a contracted claim. [NOTE: They mail checks ahead of commissioner approval?] Fox conferred in a whisper back and forth with Ewbank during this exchange [NOTE: This needs to be audible to the audience as it's a public meeting] and lots of paper was being passed around the commissioners.
Thompson said he wasn’t comfortable making the motion on that particular claim as it was before his term as commissioner.
Pickens said- is it because of the deferred payment on the original contract? Thompson said yes. Fox asked if there was anything wrong with the billing or itemization. Thompson said- no that was OK. Fox and Hughes approved the London Witte claim with Thompson abstaining.
[NOTE: What happened to the Vieste claim for $67K+ and the PSA Dewberry Claim for $11K+? Those were not mentioned in any of this approval.]

Minutes approved with corrections.

7. Messmore presented 4 additional claims from Vieste before the Stop Work Order. Thompson asked Messmore to give them individual copies of these claims to review. Messmore said they could have them before they left tonight. Fox agreed that would be better. Tabled these claims to allow time for review. No one was passed the claims then.
[NOTE: Pickens informed me that I needed to fill out a separate request for public records forms each time I want these Vieste project claims. He has 7 days to fulfill that request and was willing to take it by email. I needed to know what I was asking for specifically so I asked Messmore after the meeting in his office if those claims were new or were they the old ones. I specifically asked about the $67K and $11K etc. He and Robertson said they were the March 1-31 claims.]

Messmore also detailed the alleged animal abuse situation over the weekend and wasn’t sure why the state police were involved. Lohmiller and Lusby will fill out incident reports for the animal shelter and the sheriff’s dept.
Also mentioned the car wrecking into the jail and that the building withstood the hit.

Fox mentioned the claims earlier from Bryan and Higgins (London Witte) and that they all need better access to them. Pickens said if there’s even one problem- we hold them.

8. Ewbank – no new lawsuits.
The Anchor Glass bankruptcy was filed in FL court and the fed judge will decide if the real estate lien was filed before the bankruptcy was filed.

Thompson asked if they’d gotten the letter from Frank Kramer (of Ewbank and Kramer) on a tort claim. Ewbank hadn’t seen it and noted it was reserving the right to sue. No other details mentioned.

9. Hughes said PAWS was doing a business gathering and needed a rep on Apr 11th from 11:30-1. They also need a Council rep. Fox will be off that day and said he’d represent commissioners.

Meeting adjourned at 8 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

" [NOTE: Several Interesting points in the proclamation such as- children will see 100,000 beer commercials before they reach age 18.] "

Hell, I done drunk 100,000 beeeeers before I reached 18. That's how we do it in the NW quadrant. Wooo!!!!!

Anonymous said...

DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THAT COMMENT!

Cuz everyone knows no one up there actually knows how to spell "quadrant".

Anonymous said...

Oh you idiot, the secret password to the next DCEDI meeting was "quadrant"!

Let's change it to 1-2-3-4-5, they're too stupid to figure that out!

Anonymous said...

Look's like the local GOP Republicrats are boozing and posting again!

Now, those who go up against the DCEDI are called stupid.

If "stupid" is thumping the DCEDI, what does that make the DCEDI?

The DCEDI "girly-men" and "manly-girls" must all still be reeling from the COMP. PLAN vote!

What? Too many people for you all to pay off?

Looks like you and all your other effete and effeminate buddies at the DCEDI will be crying in your wine spritzers come next election!

The NW Quadrant:

WHERE MEN ARE MEN AND SHARE NOT THE FEAR OF OPEN AND HONEST GOVERNMENT, A FEAR ENDEMIC AND RIFE WITHIN THE DCEDI EUNUCHS' CAMP !

Anonymous said...

Cuz everyone knows no one up there actually knows how to spell "quadrant".

Good thing they can spell "ELECTIONS!"

Anonymous said...

And the DCEDI and Chamber hacks will lose in all upcoming elections!

That's how we do it in the NW quadrant. Wooo!!!!!

Anonymous said...

"DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THAT COMMENT!"

Or so future generations will say of any and all inane utterances spewing forth from the irrelevant and increasingly bitter DCEDI and Chamber!

Anonymous said...

Let's change it to 1-2-3-4-5, they're too stupid to figure that out!

When it comes to numbers, all that is ever required is that our totals always exceed your totals.

Which they will continue to do!

Anonymous said...

"Oh you idiot, the secret password to the next DCEDI meeting was "quadrant"!"

I see now why you boys like to keep your meetings and plans secret, you all don't do to well out in the open, so to speak!

Anonymous said...

The information I have heard from the "quadrant" is factual and thought through by educated individuals. Leaving out Ralph Thompson, how many years of higher education do Fox, Hughes, Mitter, Morris, Cheek, Lansing, Fehrman, Kraus and Ullrich have on their resume? I think it would all give us a chuckle. Anyone know that answer?

Anonymous said...

Anyone know that answer?

The "puppets" you listed seem to be poorly educated.

What about their "puppet-masters?"

Anonymous said...

...they're too stupid to figure that out!

Well, then, why don't you and your friends go bulldoze somewhere smarter!!!

Apparently the DCEDI and the Chamber are just to smart for us hicks up here in the NW Quadrant!!!

Anonymous said...

"The information I have heard from the "quadrant" is factual and thought through by educated individuals. "

All we have heard from the likes of West and Rozow are lies about secondary suppliers and the "Magic Circle and extremely stupid realtors trying to hoodwink farmers into selling their property with no mention about the NW Quadrant plans!

Anonymous said...

Now that DCEDI and their ilk got their clocks cleaned up in the "Quadrant," I guess they will refocus their efforts back to conviving to get us all on sewers to subsidize all their realtor/developer/banker/etc members!

Fish gotta swim...snakes gotta slither!

Anonymous said...

People who supported "Einsteins" like Vera Benning are calling us stupid?

How funny is that?

Anonymous said...

Just keep calling us stupid.

Next election, you will have to run a democrat, an independant, a whig and a socialist together to beat our candidate!

Apparently, the local GOP has become the "Big Ten" party!

As long as everybody in the "Tent" is in the pocket of the DCEDI!

Anonymous said...

Alan Freemond supported Vera Benning and when she would not do
his bidding and his other followers
he dropped her and now wants to
distroy her but we know Vera
one good lady lots of smarts that
is why this bunch of numb ----
hate her so much

go Vera

Anonymous said...

Wow! Alan Freemond the King unMaker!

Now there's a counter intuitive thought for you...

Keep up the good work, Alan!

Anonymous said...

Alan Freemond supported Vera Benning...

Point by point:

1. I'm not Freemond.

2. Vera got booted by a majority of republicans because she would only do the bidding of the DCEDI.

3. Vera is not a good lady...ask her neighbors and local farmers.

4. I do agree with your last point: "Go Vera! Get as far away from public office and Dearborn County as possible!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Alan Freemond the King unMaker!

Again, Einstein, I am not Freemond...in fact, other than this blog...I never met him.

As far as Freemond being a "King-Maker or Un-Maker," I believe he only had one vote during Vera's self-inflicted demise.

The true would-be "King-Makers" of the GOP had their heads handed to them in the last primary and general election...or don't you remember that?

Still trying to wish those episodes away?

Anonymous said...

"Wow! Alan Freemond the King unMaker!"


The "Would-Be Republican King-Makers" lost the Primary and Immediately ran a Democrat in direct conflict with the intentions and wishes of the Republican rank-and-file.

And you have the gall to label those who won the Primary and the General, legitmately, as "King-Makers!"

You are truly delusional and/or corrupt to your very core!!!

Anonymous said...

Smart Growth candidates will continue to win elections in this County.

Now, the DCEDI types can either learn to work with such candidates and office holders or they can continue to smear and slander them. The ball is in their court.

Puppets such as Vera are a disappearing and dying resource.

The shift towards Smart Growth and educated office holders and away from dolts and unrestrained cronyism is palpable.

Anonymous said...

"Alan Freemond supported Vera Benning and when she would not do his bidding and his other followers
he dropped her and now wants to
distroy her..."


Vera was such a formable and powerhouse of a candidate, so loved by all Dearborn Countians, that a hand-full of grass-roots Republicans, armed with a couple of homemade signs, beat her!

Vera’s innate inabilities and sycophantic qualities lost her the election!!!

Anonymous said...

Thompson refuses to do the bidding of the DCEDI GOP and they are trying to destroy him!

Apparently, Thompson is lacking in the requisite "lackey" qualifications, so treasured by the DCEDI “King-Makers!”

Anonymous said...

I am her neighbor and I love Vera
Effidently she would not do your bidding either.

Vera is a very good lady we all love and respect her

jay

Anonymous said...

Jay must be a real Rump!

Anonymous said...

This Jay can't be a real Rump...even Rumps can only stand Bennings for only so long...until they have to move on!

Unknown said...

"The information I have heard from the "quadrant" is factual and thought through by educated individuals. Leaving out Ralph Thompson, how many years of higher education do Fox, Hughes, Mitter, Morris, Cheek, Lansing, Fehrman, Kraus and Ullrich have on their resume? I think it would all give us a chuckle. Anyone know that answer?"

No offense, but it becomes very easy to make shots below the belt when you don't have to sign your name. You mentioned a few people in this statement who have been VERY helpful to our cause, and who do have an advanced, formal education. Please be careful to not damage future potential assistance.

Sandy Whitehead

Anonymous said...

You're starting to run a double standard, Sandy.

Anonymous said...

how can that be a double standard? it's signed by Sandy...
and it's not below the belt...

Anonymous said...

how can that be a double standard?it's signed by Sandy...and it's not below the belt...


Judging that person's writing style, I think that person only posts after one of his/her "binges."

I think he/she is just seeing "double!"

Anonymous said...

you would know about binges

haha

Anonymous said...

you would know about binges

haha


Johnny Nugent is a case study!

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