Tuesday, December 17, 2013

17 December 2013 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes


17 December 2013 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Shane McHenry, President, Art Little, and Kevin Lynch

Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Teresa Randall, County Administrator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

OLD BUSINESS:

Barnes and Thornburgh Engagement Letter-contract for an additional lobbyist for the legislative relations council Jan thru May at $5000/ month and $3000/month for June thru December. Termination at any time. McHenry said –“With all the attention to the Indy Star article it is important to have people watching our back.” Lynch said that they had talked about working together with the larger municipalities to share this- but there have been some conflicts that prohibit this. $46,000. Approved.

EMS Reimbursement- for EMT training for reimbursement up to $250. Reviewed and Commissioners approved and signed. Two individuals were approved for the reimbursement tonight also.

2014 Commissioners Meeting Schedule- Little was OK with how they are. Lynch suggested keeping an evening meeting. 1st meeting of the month is at 8:30 AM on the first Tuesday and 2nd one is the third Tuesday at 5 PM.  Approved for 2014.

NEW BUSINESS:

Inmate Food Bids- Sheriff Mike Kreinhop- Three contract bids from Gordon Food Services, US Foods Service, and Ellenbee Leggett were all approved so they can shop the best prices of each. Details are available at auditor’s office.

Commissioners Certificate Sale- Glen from SRI said that 46 properties failed to sell in fall. 30 had been on three sales. The commissioners can set them lower as long as they cover the price of the sale. (ads plus SRI’s fees) Can do live sales or on the internet. Live sale gets it done in one day. SRI gets 10% of sale on internet and 15% if live sale. Buyers buy the lien and then they start paying the taxes in 2014 for 2013. They have to pass a resolution to authorize this sale. They can remove properties up to the date of the sale. One of the properties is in Sugar Ridge subdivision and has a storm drain on it. They plan to remove that from the sale. They recommend $50 flat rate on everything. There is a 120 day redemption time. Lynch asked what other counties they do this for. Glen named over 12 counties off the top of his head. Some counties have the county get the property and a clear deed and then wipe off the taxes and sell the deed. They get more money that way and it attracts people who are intimidated by the other process. Lynch asked for more results from other counties. Glen told them we have done it here 2 years ago. 5-7% of the properties sell for more than the taxes owed. Many are vacant lots. A couple are owned by builders who have filed bankruptcy. Live sale is how we do it usually here. They also send fliers to adjacent property owners. Lynch wants more info before taking action. Glen said he can get the info to Lynch and the commissioners within the week. Tabled until the next meeting in January and they want the treasurer’s input by then.

Website Contract- Terri Randall- E-Gov  Strategies for website redo. They had a committee together with Midwest data to look at this. They had 6 firms and 3 were locals. They have done a lot of other websites in the state. County attorney has reviewed. $18,675 cost. They will start in January and be done by springtime. This is a proprietary product and you have to have annual maintenance and support for $3735/yr. This includes phone calls and support. The template does not belong to us. The data does. Commissioners approved.

Interlocal Agreement for Fire protection- Harrison OH- Terri Randall- this is ending this year (was a 3 year contract) She offered the one year or three year option. There is a $2000 savings if they do 3 years. They did 146 runs this year. The local EMTs are not ready to take this on yet. She recommends one year. This is for fire and EMS services. Some of the fire component is covered by the townships. Harrison Township had 36 fire runs this year. Lynch said it was complicated and wants the trustees to step up and pay the fire portions of this contract. That is their responsibility. They have been a good partner in the process- but we need to look at this. He is frustrated. He wants to get Harrison township trustee in to talk to them. Lynch noted that Commissioner Little was a trustee and he knows the responsibilities. $117,493 is the cost. Commissioners accepted the one year contract with striking the automatically renewal section. Harrison has been great and knows we are trying to wean ourselves off the service per Randall.

EMA Director- Bill Black: Travel Advisory Declaration from Dec 6- for Level 1 travel advisory due to the winter storms. Signed.  Also lifted it on Dec 10th.

Homeland Security Sub Grant Agreement- Bill Black - redoing the trailer and replacing a 1972 truck.  $8,836 and budget approved by the state. This will take 1-2 months to be approved by the state after signature.

District 9 Planning Council has rep Bobby Mills is largest city rep and county rep is open since Mike Davis passed away. They need to get a rep on the third Tuesday of the month. Black will bring in a few names next month for this.

SIRPC Commissioner Representative- for Board of Directors. Commissioners reappointed Art Little.

ADMINISTRATOR: Teresa Randall- ordinance might need to be revised on the EMT reimbursement and they can’t find the old ordinance on that. They will need a new ordinance and Andy Baudendistel will create that. This is a one-time deal- so they don’t need a broader ordinance.

Courthouse deal is going out to architects for RFPs due by Jan 3rd in a sealed envelope. This is not a low bid situation. The interview committee is interviewing for architect skills. So she is holding the RFPs private so as not to skew that process yet. Advertise up to $250,000 with Council for Architects and geotech services on Courthouse design. Randall approved to do this for Council meeting.

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- Dec 3rd minutes approved with Little abstaining as he was absent.  Claims approved. Ladies from Maintenance dept worked very hard on Christmas party and Pennington wanted to be sure everyone appreciated that. McHenry concurred.

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- was at a training in Washington DC for Veteran’s Court at last time.

He said he knew Bill Shelton discussed some properties that were unsafe. He asked if there were any things they wanted him to consider. He said demolishing is left up to the hearing board which is the commissioners. There are levels of review before that happens. Brown Building in Moores Hill would have been easier with an ordinance in place. He should prepare something for the 2nd meeting in January.

He also recommends they digitize their ordinances like Hamilton County IN or the town of Versailles. This company also checks the ordinance against the state code also. He wants to have a rep come in and present to us. Pennington contacted them so she can preview it and set that up. Cost would be needed.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- each commissioner reflected on the past year and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

CVTB Convention Visitors and Tourism Board members were appointed according to the new ordinance: Kelly Wills, Bill Lansing, Debbie Walter, Maynard Barrett, Charlotte Hastings, Ellen Perfect, and Marilyn Bower. They have staggered two year appointments.

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- Martin Dejulia introduced Christopher Geggie from Freedom Indiana- they were given permission to hold a rally on the courthouse steps Saturday January 4th  11-12 noon to make the public aware of the proposed Constitutional amendment wording coming up for vote this fall. Pastors, attorneys and other local groups are helping set this rally up. Little said that though he disagrees with them he believes they have a right to voice their opinion- that’s what his relatives fought and died to defend. House Enrolled Joint Resolution no 6 is a proposed amendment to the Indiana Constitution concerning marriage. Section 38 is proposed to read:

Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.

De Julia said that the first sentence is already in state law and he really is troubled by the 2nd one in that it would preclude civil unions and domestic partnerships. [NOTE: Perhaps our legislators should take a page from Pope Francis’s playbook on this.]

PUBLIC COMMENT- none

Meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

 

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