Present: Hughes, Fox, and Thompson
Also present: Pickens and Messmore
ABSENT: Ewbank- in INDY [NOTE: This caused commissioners to table several items tonight]
No uniformed officer was present from the sheriff’s dept. (unless they are counting on Doug Taylor from Lawrenceburg's force.)
Candidates present: Tom Orschel-D2 Commissioner, Doug Taylor- D-1 Commissioner, and Phil Darling- Council-at-large.
Judge Sally Blankenship and Prosecutor Aaron Negangard were present but not listed on the agenda.
1. Hughes informed the public that due to Ewbank’s absence they would not be hearing any of the items under Planning and Zoning. He then called Kraus, Jr. to inform him- but he showed up later with Greg Trabel, who really wanted to have the alleys in Lawrenceville vacated so that he could get his pole barn built. It remained tabled till next meeting and Fox pretty much assured him it would pass- if Ewbank was OK with the legalities. Kraus, Jr. was to get their material to Ewbank.
2. Margaret Minzner- GIS received approval and signatures on the Indiana Map participation agreement- a data sharing agreement with eth state that she said we were already doing. This formalized it and allows us to be eligible for $17,000 from Homeland Security funds.
3. Gary Hensley Sales disclosure- was not addressed.
4. Benny Dyer- citizen- regarding Lake Dilldear dam deterioration was not present and was not addressed.
5. The Doctor and Nurse agreement was signed for the Juvenile Center.
6. Kenneth Ingram was reappointed to the hospital board.
7. Carl Fryman got signatures on the ordinance between the county and the state and also the approval; to waive fees for charitable entities (festivals etc)
8. Transportation Dept- Todd Listerman- gave a 20 minute report:
Freightliner was awarded bid for snow plow dump truck chassis at $134,448 (1 of 3 bidders)
Kaffenberger was awarded the bid for the dump bed, plows, spreader box and conveyor at $80,200. (only bid)
Listerman detailed the concerns of Marlene Enzweller on Van Wedding about RR track safety at crossroads. He examined all the crossroads and they are all marked with crossbars, striping and some have warning lights as well. Signage is also in place. There will be 2 trains per day from the Honda plant- one in and one out. Fox asked him to get back to her and tell commissioners next meeting what her response was.
Highway is holding on purchasing a Durapatcher until asphalt costs stabilize. Instead, they are purchasing a work truck so the mechanic can repair in the field. These trucks are greatly discounted now- he thinks he can get a good deal.
Rohe Paving is selling the county their millings from the SR 262 repaving project. The county will do Rumsey Road for $18,000 with it- - 3” deep x 20 ft wide from Coyote Run to North Hogan. They will also do Schantz for $73,500 at 16 ft from Gutapel to North Dearborn. This is essentially a test to see how this all holds up. There will be a single chip seal on top of these compacted millings. This works well on park roads and low volume areas. Heavy equipment could be an issue on these roads, The cost is about half of asphalt. IF IT FALLS APART- the solution will be to add hot mix over it. It still saves money as there is less hot mix required.
9. Hughes called Kraus Jr. (surveyor) to the podium at this point to explain why they’d tabled Trabel’s request for vacating the roadways in Lawrenceville. Kraus explained that Trable has lost $2,000 so far in the delays on this. Fox chimed in that it would be worse if we proceeded and there was a pole barn built on a problem. Pickens joked: “Remember Murphy was born in Dearborn County.”
Fox pretty much assured Trable it would pass and to get it all ready for next meeting. Hughes said- we still have to have a public hearing on this.
10. Pickens- Manchester EMS contract signed, claims approved, minutes approved with Thompson abstaining on the ones from the special meeting. (the one putting Fryman in charge of Building Inspections) He had requested they insert a line to indicate that Hughes had read a prepared statement. Hughes asked- what’s wrong with being prepared? Thompson only asked that it be stated so that it reflected he prepared the wording and said he’d abstain- they would still pass. [NOTE: Not sure why they wouldn’t want to state it was a prepared statement. Doesn’t seem to be a negative to prepare other than that it indicates the person has made up their mind in advance. In this situation, there would have been no need to call the special meeting if Hughes hadn’t made up his mind to pass it. Of course, the communication behind the scenes could be troublesome in some cases.]
11. Pickens also noted that Council wanted a CUM JAIL fund set up Thompson agreed to look into it at the state for them. They are currently using cum cap fund.
12. The December 2 meeting is moved to MONDAY DECEMBER 1st to avoid conflict with a commissioners conference.
13. Messmore- NOTHING unless they had questions.
Fox immediately asked about Gladys Russell Park- there had been complaints of the trail needing more upkeep. Messmore said he walked it- it was pretty out there but it was long- Fox joked about it being no problem for a jogger like Messmore. Messmore thought it was OK- but that it could perhaps be mowed more often. He got highway crews to trim overhead branches and help out.
14. Thompson reported that Pickens had given him a number and he’d started checking on the cum jail fund possibility.
15. Fox – brought up video arraignment- and repeated a couple times that he was just going to be blunt about it. He also said- see Ralph I’m reading a prepared statement. [NOTE: What’s all this issue with prepared statements. It sounded like they were trying to pick a fight.]
Fox mentioned that video arraignment was “like putting a band-aid on a skull fracture.” Fox said that Messmore had been working on this with all the stakeholders and it needed solid work. Fox said- he was motioning to put Messmore in charge of getting all these studies and have a comprehensive plan for the jail and courthouse. He said something about Messmore laddering out and getting bond funding. Fox thinks they have a good bond market and can do the jail without raising taxes.
Hughes said it has been studied to death before and he’s here to protect the taxpayers and individual citizens. Hughes was in the courthouse today and saw FIRST HAND the drug-testing going on in the public restroom. He wants Bryan Messmore to be the point man and get it done in 90 days. [NOTE: Conveniently past the election.]
Fox asked if that was a 2nd to his motion. Hughes said yes. [NOTE: It was assumed here that Thompson wouldn’t second. The chair usually seconds only when they have to.]
They opened it for discussion before voting. Pickens said – he hoped you’d include the whole site here.
Hughes insisted it HAS TO GET PAID WITH NO TAX INCREASE! [NOTE: Now that might be tricky.]
Hughes then asked for Negangard (who was not on the agenda) to address them. Thompson asked if he could say a few words first.
Thompson said he’d been working with Bryan and RQAW for some time and it has been studied- it needs refinement and it does need to look at the whole campus.
Negangard said that it has been studied from Crowe Cizek to RQAW and Messmore has all the info. He can do this with that information. He doesn’t want more studies. It can be done for less than the $44 or 26 million suggested previously. (He’s referring to the Vieste group plans using some RQAW info) The jail is overcrowded and the lawsuits would cost us more than the $44 million.
Thompson said- we have 7 alternatives- I’m not asking for another study- I said we need to refine the plans we have. WE’RE NOT IN DISAGREEMENT.
Blankenship said that when she was appointed judge- she was told to remember that our job is to serve the people. There is a serious issue in the courthouse with space- and we can serve the people more appropriately and confidentially than we do now. She wants no more wasted time.
Fox interrupted and said that he didn’t think it was a waste because we have 2 years of plans and people have realistic ideas now.
Blankenship said she’s been in public service for 18 years and feels we need to make positive steps forward now. The comprehensive plan makes sense.
All three commissioners voted Aye to have Messmore produce these plans in 90 days along with costs.
[NOTE: This item was not on the agenda and yet it took up a fair amount of time and constitutes a big money and time commitment for the county. Prepared statements are fine- how about preparing the agenda?]
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
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