Wednesday, January 23, 2008

22 January 2008 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

22 January 2008 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Fehrman, President, Ullrich, Barrott, Morris, Lansing, Cheek, Kraus, Sr.
Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, and Messmore, Administrator.

All three commissioners were present for the roads discussion.

Charlie Fehrman apologized for the tardiness of the agenda, as he was sick for the past 4 days. [NOTE: Council agendas are normally not available ahead of the meeting date. It is unclear how members can prepare for meetings with no agendas prior to the actual meeting date.]

Fehrman was re-elected as President. Dennis Kraus, Sr. as Vice President.

Mike Rozow- presented the ongoing county agreement with the Chamber to manage the CVTB and Redevelopment Commission. Money was already appropriated. Agreement was signed.

Dennis Kraus, Jr. Surveyor- requested $1684.36 for a new transmission for the Suburban they got from the county’s old cars last fall. County Highway garage mechanics will install it free. Request granted for maximum of $1684.36.

Kraus, Jr. also requested using some GIS part time funds and some corner perpetuation funds to add to Andrea’s (staff member) wages to get her closer to full time hours. The plan is to have her at full time the following year. Approved.

Fehrman introduced Aaron Negangard as the Honorable PERSECUTOR. Negangard announced that they are working with a group to get money back to the county as reimbursements and are getting about $7,000 for 2007 for a stipend from Federal Gov’t for child support.

They are also further expanding out into the Courthouse with a reception area and freeing up what limited space they have for another lawyer they hired. They are combining 4D and receptionist duties and are asking for a max of $6,000 for office furniture that they didn’t get in 07 budget. They think it can be done for $2,000 and 66% will be refunded by the federal government. (It was unclear if he meant- we pay $2000 and the $4000 will come back from the feds or if $2,000 would get 66% of it back.

Council decided to take $6,000 out of contingency fund 196 for this as it didn’t need to be advertised if that fund was used.

Gayle Pennington- Treasurer- complimented her staff and Pickens’s staff as working very well together. She went on to say they have an unfunded mandate from the state on forms that have to be sent to every taxpayer and they won’t fold easily into the tax bills. They plan to stuff them separately. These are forms required by statute and DLGF wants the taxpayers to be able to see them to compare last year’s and this year’s taxes. Several minutes of discussion on why this has to be done and that there is no good way around the expense or extra labor required. [NOTE: Can’t see why the taxpayer can’t just go to their records and look it up themselves.]

Jeff Hughes, President of Commissioners, addressed Council with a packet of information on Highway Funding. They identified 3 roads they want to do- North Dearborn, Downtown Bright intersection, and Collier Ridge slip. He noted two are in D-2 and one is in D-1. [NOTE: This should be immaterial as the highway department is working to consider roads countywide- not just by district. Perhaps this is because it is an election year for D-1 and D-2 Commissioners?]

Cheek asked about federal aid.
Hughes noted we have applied but we are not really getting this aid for some reason. Thompson noted that INDOT said even if we were approved now- it would be 2015 before we saw any construction due to the backlog of projects and limited funds.
Listerman spoke of the $200-250million that INDOT has to spread over 92 counties. That leaves about $200,000 each if passed out equally. The max we can get is 80% and $3 million on any one project. North Dearborn is over $5 million now. Bright won’t qualify for federal dollars, as it wasn’t programmed that way. Collier Ridge could qualify for the bridge funds in late February and Listerman thinks they can get part of this covered with federal funds for Bridge 55 (the old iron bridge to be replaced in a new alignment)

Hughes wants a committee of 3 commissioners, some council and Listerman to meet for the next month and work out the priorities and how to tackle these 3 projects. It was decided that in addition to Commissioners, Barrott, Morris, Pickens, and Kraus would sit on the committee.
Hughes talked to Cunningham about getting Lawrenceburg to help with funding- they are willing to hear them for a community grant.
Council set a special meeting March 25th for just this item to get their recommendations.

Bill Black- Emergency Management- will be back in May to get approval for gutters, downspouts, and drainage issues repaired on their building. He asked about getting a couple heaters and building a wall inside as well. Thompson reminded Council that Commissioners ONLY approved him coming to Council for the gutters/drainage issues. Black may be using the $10,000 they made on selling off old donated equipment. The gutters are creating ice ponds and rusting out the iron edges in the concrete ramps. Concrete is then crumbling.

Jenny Smith of Sand Run Road came at Doug Baer’s request to seek financial help to rebuild her septic tank. He has been trying to get an indigent fund set up for people unable to finance their sewers or septic. Her only bid was for $15,000. Council suggested she try SEIOC in Aurora and she had already tried Versailles office and was turned down. Smith is being sued by the Health Dept and has $750 in attorney fees. She works for Amazon.com at $11/hour and her husband is incarcerated until 2016. She is in danger of losing her house.

Baer also gave her a 504 funds form to try for those also. Local courts don’t like to kick people out of homes so they fine them $25 per day until fixed. They have one case up to $16,000 in fines. [NOTE: Have they considered the Dearborn County Foundation- to set up and manage an indigent fund?]

Pickens couldn’t think of any state agency to help.

Fehrman said- short of each of the council members getting shovels and repairing it themselves he didn’t know what they could do.

Pickens gave her Township Trustee Art Little’s phone number for him to help.

Fehrman pointed out a letter from John Zeiden in their packets and noted he’d talked to him at length. Pickens said- there’s a CD of Commissioner’s meeting when he spoke if they want to hear that! Cheek noted he’s on holding tanks and pumping. Ullrich said that when he purchased he didn’t look before he leaped… [NOTE: Zeiden owns Starlight Reception Center on US 50 and wants sewers brought to it.]

Council made Board appointments- all the same as last year except Dan Lansing is now the Plan Commission member.

Dennis Kraus, Jr. handed him his packet and said his first meeting is Monday night. Someone said- they pay $100 a meeting now. Pickens laughed and said and nothing is open when the meeting is over.

Ullrich presented materials from the Sheriff noting how they plan to spend in house generated commissary money on other smaller items less than $500. This is apparently allowed per state code.

Listerman received the OK to create the special highway position for the former foreman salary to be frozen at current wages until the other drivers catch up to him. He is also dropping one position and creating one summertime mower part time on a trial basis to see if it works as well for us as it does in other counties.

In March Listerman will present the $500,000 for Collier Ridge slip repair Phase 1 as it wasn’t advertised for tonight. Pickens noted they could use Major Moves money with $400 + 200K in the account.

Pickens said he is sending 13,000 refund checks out and visited some GIS sites. He wants Kraus, Minzner, and Thompson to help with that.

Pickens said Tracy is leaving his office for Superior Court I position in the Courthouse as it pays about $7,000 more. He was bemoaning the loss and wants to get on a merit system with formal reviews so he can pay his employees who deserve it better.

Meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fehrman pointed out a letter from John Zeiden in their packets and noted he’d talked to him at length. Pickens said- there’s a CD of Commissioner’s meeting when he spoke if they want to hear that! Cheek noted he’s on holding tanks and pumping. Ullrich said that when he purchased he didn’t look before he leaped…


Uhlrich gets it!


Hey Charlie!

Instead of worrying about John Zeiden, why don't you canvass all his neighbors to see if they want to subsidize John's sewers?

Or does that not fit your, Maxwell and Brett's agenda?

Anonymous said...

Bill Black- Emergency Management

Bill needs to be tasked with putting together a contingency plan for when regions of homes forced on grinder pumps lose power and their waste cannot be flushed away.

Now that strikes me as a true emergencey!

Anonymous said...

Jenny Smith of Sand Run Road came at Doug Baer’s request to seek financial help to rebuild her septic tank.

As High Ridge continues to dump millions of gallons of raw sewage into Hogan's Creek.

But we do not see Doug Baer lighting a fire under the dcrsd's ass to get it fixed, do we?

I wonder why that is?

Maxwell must be a charmer!

Doug Baer...what a tool!

Anonymous said...

When it is time to "hook-up" to Maxwell's DCRSD sewers, Doug Baer will be giving us all the Jenny Smith treatment. I hope Baer has been sending out resumes. I'm sure Maxwell can give him a good reference.

Anonymous said...

Doug Baer, dial 432-3243, ask for Scott Fortner.

Rumor has it he can offer a plan for taking High Ridge's sewage without forcing the rest of us into tens of thousands of dollars into debt for dysfunctional sewers.

Anonymous said...

"Fehrman pointed out a letter from John Zeiden in their packets and noted he’d talked to him at length."

Hey Charlie. How about talking at length to those homeowners surrounding John Zeiden who are not to keen about having to get loans to buttress Zeiden's profits? I bet you could also find those who would like in-ground pools. Would Zeiden like to chip in for that? Charlie, quit being such a Maxwell butt sniffer.

Anonymous said...

Charlie...sick ? That will teach him to skinny dip in Hogans creek.

Anonymous said...

How much money did John Zeiden save by buying un-sewered land?

What would it have cost him to buy a similar parcel of land on sewers?

We all know the answer to that question.

Suck it up John.

You are developing that "Gabbard Estate's Whine!"

The taxpayer and your neighbors do not exist merely to buttress your bottom line.

Anonymous said...

I could use a new tractor. Would Zeiden like to chip in?

Anonymous said...

Maybe Doug Baer can bring John Maxwell to the next Council meeting to seek financial help to hook onto St. Leon's sewers? I cannot think of any other reasons why Maxwell has not hooked onto St. Leon's sewers, other than being strapped for cash.

Anonymous said...

Give it a rest Charlie!

You are embarrassing yourself!

Regain some self-respect!

Your whoring for John Maxwell is more than just unseemly!

Anonymous said...

The SDRSD:

Looks out for the well being of its customers.


The DCRSD:

Looks at potential customers as "marks" to be tapped for all they have to subsidize a few of its board members' personal profit interests.

Anonymous said...

Pickens said- there’s a CD of Commissioner’s meeting when he (Zeiden) spoke if they want to hear that!


"Thanks Cary, you are such a blessing."

Love and Kisses,

John Maxwell


P.S. Would you like to visit your balls anytime soon? Ewbank has them on display in his office.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry Charlie and Cary. ALL the commissioners are on "RECORD" being against forced hook-ups. The dcrsd has no other plans for paying for their sewers other than by forced hook-ups. Why would the county council feel any different? You might want to refocus your efforts on other matters. I'm sure Massa Maxwell and Bob "Stand By Your Man" Ewbank will understand.

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised that Ewbank did not have Negangard pimping for the DCRSD also!

Funny!

So many little girls fighting for the attention of Dreamy John Maxwell!

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking we need a few more public officials who are aware that there are other folks in this County other than John Maxwell and his Development buddies!!!

Anonymous said...

Y'all...quit picken on that little dickens pickens! It's hard out there for a pimp!

Anonymous said...

Someone!

Please take the fairy dust away from "Charlie The Taxdollar Fairy" before he bankrupts the rest of us!

John Maxwell needs to retreat from his "Fairy" and find some "Toad" to kiss to have all his wishes met!

Anonymous said...

"[NOTE: Can’t see why the taxpayer can’t just go to their records and look it up themselves.]"

Not everyone is at the Administration Building everyday like you Chris. Some people have a hard time getting around.

Anonymous said...

"Not everyone is at the Administration Building everyday like you Chris. Some people have a hard time getting around.

True.

For the occasional user, such tasks can be quite daunting.

The taxpayer already has enough on its plate fighting crooked developers and politicians, let us not place more burdens on them.

Anonymous said...

Pickens and Fehrman sure like to carry Maxwell's water. Maxwell is the only person in this county that will never have to pay a lobbyist. With all his sycophants in office. This creepy chapter in Dearborn County politics cannot close fast enough.

Anonymous said...

We are thrilled to hear Starbucks
are going to have $1.00 cup of coffee and free refills.

Isnt that great

Anonymous said...

Coffee and cream.

That is all I require.

Coffee and cream.

That is all I desire.

Coffee and cream.

Anonymous said...

I could use a new tractor. Would Zeiden like to chip in?

If Maxwell also needed a new tractor, he would be on your side trying to force Zeiden to chip in for both your tractors.

John likes forcing others to line his pockets.

Which is why he is a perfect fit for the DCRSD.

Anonymous said...

"How much money did John Zeiden save by buying un-sewered land?"


Shhhhh!

Don't mention that!

That does not fit the template Charlie was given to work with and campaign for!

And if you would also be so kind, please do not mention how High Ridge's sewage is still flowing down to Hogan's Creek!

That makes all the dcrsd enablers nervous and defensive!

Anonymous said...

Coffee tea or Milk (cream)?

Anonymous said...

Charlie exclaims, John said he would fire me if I do not do everything he wants .

Anonymous said...

The voters need to give Charlie the pink slip.

Maxwell already has enough ass-kissers doing his bidding in this county.

Charlie has shown he is willing to kick the rest of us to the curb to please Maxwell.

Let us hope he can live with himself and his thirty pieces of silver.

Anonymous said...

Let me guess, republican Charlie Fehrman was for democrat Frank Linkmeyer?

Anonymous said...

Does Charlie Fehrman really work for Maxwell?

Anonymous said...

Does Charlie Fehrman really work for Maxwell?

Whoever he works for, he certainly does not work for the rest of us anymore. Sad. Maybe he and Vera can double up on their patronage jobs. Sad. Sad indeed.

Anonymous said...

The entire republican leadership in this county is a sad disgrace.

Come the primary, when they throw their support to the republicans who spat in the face of the primary voter during last commissioners’ race, they will end any relevance in county politics.

They will be viewed from this time out as just giggling little harem girls servicing their development masters.

Anonymous said...

"[NOTE: Can’t see why the taxpayer can’t just go to their records and look it up themselves.]"

Not everyone is at the Administration Building everyday like you Chris. Some people have a hard time getting around.

Perhaps they can look in their personal tax files AT HOME.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps they can look in their personal tax files AT HOME.

Have you seen my files?

They all have been reduced to mouse bedding.

Anonymous said...

they can say what they want about the last commissioners but it is not as bad as it is now tax payers are paying for there screw ups....

Anonymous said...

The taxpayers and homeowners are in for a big financial hit if the DCRSD and its shills have their way.

Someone needs to tally up ALL the dollars it will cost for each homeowner forced onto these awful sewers.

Because that is the true cost of these sewers.

Something Ewbank's soldiers refuse to discuss in public.

Anonymous said...

Ewbank is the County Attorney in name only. We all know he puts his and his development buddies interests above the rest of us. He is the first piece of trash that needs to be taken to the curb in the new administration.

Anonymous said...

Ewbank is one of the main architects of the downward spiral of our local republican leadership.

He has done his best to change it into nothing more than an arm for local development interests.

Anonymous said...

I see Ewbank is trying to milk poor John Zeiden for all he is worth. Problem is: Zeiden is not at all a sympathetic character in all of this. He just reminds us all of just another user trying to get the rest of us to subsidize his business. No different than Brett Fehrman or John Maxwell.

Anonymous said...

People don't believe this blog
these people are just putting you on they are doing this to build up Ralph Thompson, when he does not do their bidding they will drop him like a dirty shirt.

Anonymous said...

People don't believe this blog

It is just impossible for you to fathom honest politicians.

Just do your part and follow the list of democrats, independents and socialists that Ewbank demands you vote for in the general.

As long as they are development shills.

Anonymous said...

Thompson is not "hungry" for dollars nor attention.

Not a very good fit for the Ewbank/Morris machine.

Tough shit...boys!

Anonymous said...

"...when he does not do their bidding they will drop him like a dirty shirt."

Is this the kind of noise that all dying corrupt political machines make as their death rattle?

Any where special you would like to have your remains sent to?

Anonymous said...

"Any where special you would like to have your remains sent to?"

lol
Just put "them ashes" in a septic tank. They'll say there forever.

Anonymous said...

This person might want to be buried at sea.

So to start him/her off on their journey...

...we can flush them down one of High Ridge's toilets.

Anonymous said...

Ralph has a lot in common with Teddy Roosevelt. The Republican machine didn't like him either - what with anti-trust laws and food and drug purity and conserving land.

Anonymous said...

Each year, to commemorate the DCRSD holding the High Ridge fix hostage, all the residents of High Ridge should at a predetermined time, flush little yellow ducks, with their names written on them, down their toilets.

Then they all could go to the George Street bridge and see which duck makes it to the Ohio river first.

We could call it the LIAR CRAPPER FESTIVAL!

Anonymous said...

We could make Vera Benning the honorary "Liar Crapper Festival" Queen!

Anonymous said...

Ralph has a lot in common with Teddy Roosevelt. The Republican machine didn't like him either - what with anti-trust laws and food and drug purity and conserving land.

Sorry!

No room for another Teddy Roosevelt in our local republican leadership!

The leadership is holding casting calls for someone more like Spiro Agnew!

Anonymous said...

Agnew?

More like Dick Tricky!

Anonymous said...

Nixon was power crazy corrupt.

Agnew was country club republican corrupt.

Anonymous said...

You can easily imagine Agnew spouting off such tripe as "anti-everythings" and "do-nothings" as he attacks those who would question his ethics.

Anonymous said...

Maybe they'd be happy with an LBJ-type if they can't get an Agnew

Anonymous said...

Ewbank would love LBJ!

Like the "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution," Ewbank would get LBJ to approve a "Gulf of DCRSD Resolution" to give Ewbank complete control of sewers in this county!

Of Course, like the "Gulf of Tonkin Resolution," the "Gulf of DCRSD Resolution" will be premised on nothing but lies!

Anonymous said...

Agnew was the type of republican that would vote for a sleasy co-compatriot democrat but claim publicly, when cornered, that he indeed voted for the honest republican...

Anonymous said...

"Hughes wants a committee of 3 commissioners, some council and Listerman to meet for the next month and work out the priorities and how to tackle these 3 projects. It was decided that in addition to Commissioners, Barrott, Morris, Pickens, and Kraus would sit on the committee.
Hughes talked to Cunningham about getting Lawrenceburg to help with funding- they are willing to hear them for a community grant.
Council set a special meeting March 25th for just this item to get their recommendations."

You think they will enact a new tax to pay for these roads?

Anonymous said...

Jeff Hughes is such a yesterday's stooge.

It is hard to even imagine him making any difference in county matters come next year.

Just a blip on some past radar screen.

Anonymous said...

Chris

Read up on an pay attention to technology when you write these blogs comments.

Anonymous said...

Chris

Read up on an pay attention to technology when you write these blogs comments.



First you thrill us all with the technology behind sewers that don't work when the power goes out.

Anonymous said...

Is it technology holding up the High Ridge Estate's fix or the self-serving greed of a few of the DCRSD Board Members?

Anonymous said...

Read up on an pay attention to technology when you write these blogs comments.


Technically speaking, Jeff Hughes and Rick Fox's sitting on the Comp. Plan makes them developmemt whores.

Technically speaking.

Anonymous said...

"Technically speaking, Jeff Hughes and Rick Fox's sitting on the Comp. Plan makes them developmemt whores."

You are also correct fundamentally !

Anonymous said...

Highridge Estates can be solved at Highridge Estates for a lot less than $3,200,000.

Why not solve the problem there? Without Gabbard Estates! The technology already exists!

Anonymous said...

Why not solve the problem there? Without Gabbard Estates! The technology already exists!


The technology may exist, but the self-serving greed of dcrsd's board members lingers on!

Anonymous said...

When will the technology exist for Maxwell to connect up to that sewer line in his front yard?

Anonymous said...

Don't be picking on John Maxwell, he’s just a prisoner of his terrible appetites and his egomania.

Don't attempt to chain him to the rules he seeks to impose on the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

I think we should stop worrying about who has what and start concerning ourselves with the areas in the county that have huge issues for its residence and business owners and how we can fix a problem that has been in the works for many years. Great job to the county for its hard work...Yeah thats sarcasm!!

Anonymous said...

Smart growth is the only answer.

Catering to a few politically connected development interests will simply bankrupt this county.