20 May 2014 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

20 May 2014 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:

Proposed Animal Control Ordinance- Baudendistel presented some changes suggested. Added in provision that Health Dept notify the Animal Control officer of dog bites. Planning and zoning had some comments about returning dogs to owners if tagged. The vicious dog section stays as is. Licensing authority is PAWS and animal control. Animals given away as prizes are covered in the ordinance. It does not prohibit 4H breeding stock. When dogs or cats are hit they should notify animal control- not just leave them in street.

Public Comment: Pat Hawkins- PAWS treasurer- wanted stronger language to require spay and neuter in the county- but realizes this is a journey and this is a good step so far. Spay and neuter is covered but needs to change in regard to young animals being spayed after adoption – when they reach appropriate age. Adopters pay for spay and neuter- it is in the adoption fee. Breeding stock is an exception.

Marlene Underwood- Animal Control – reiterated that they would love mandatory spay and neuter but not sure how they could enforce it. PAWS gives the voucher- that encourages it. $100-200 for average dog spay. Wishes we had a low cost alternative. Baudendistel agrees.

About 100 animals adopted in a month- Pat Hawkins answered to Lynch’s question. Sandy said they spay and neuter 8-10 every week.  Pat Hawkins said there are low cost clinics in the Cincinnati area for spay and neuter. Ex- Cat is $35.

McHenry said the language is the main issue- highly recommended vs. required. Lynch said it seems that PAWS has a good handle on this. Discussion centered on the spay and neuter requirement, property rights, affordability and enforceability. McHnery wanted to table it to think a little more on it. Commissioners TABLED.

NEW BUSINESS:

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Todd Listerman, Highway Engineer

Stateline Road Slip- supplement #3 between INDOT and Dearborn County. Set to let in August. We were awarded another $45,000 to complete the 80/20 costs. Commissioners accepted the $275,666.40 total cost for the emergency repair of the road slip.

He will be going to INDOT- Bridge 5 and 70 for Laughery and Woliung roads for federal share projects.

ADMINISTRATOR: Teresa Randall:

Courthouse Project Update- hoping to put a project together in June. Got some local historical input on the project to be certain they respected the Courthouse historical building. They will talk about this at Council tonight at their joint meeting tonight.

Jail Project Update- Maxwell will present this at the next Council meeting after this meeting tonight.

Economic Development Research Technician- $100,000 awarded from Lawrenceburg grant, that position will sit at this building. Input form mayor’s and this board agreed to that. DCRC administers those funds. The technician reports to mayors and DCRC. Economic Development Advisory Committee will provide oversight for this position. It is a 1099 contract position and not a county employee. She asked them to create the Advisory Committee. Commissioners agreed.

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- Coroner sent out for bids for the old stretcher. One bid came in from Fitch Denney. McHenry opened it. $50 was the bid for the cot with a check enclosed. Commissioners accepted the $50 for the old cot.

Minutes for the May 7 meeting were approved. Claims approved.

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- nothing to add.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- Little- don’t forget Memorial Day and the Vets. Lynch echoed those comments “loudly” and asked people to participate in a county event.

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT- John Engle of Happy Hollow Road- Family moved there in 1949 and uncle moved to the other farm in 1950. They have used the road for 40 years for access. Others have worked on the road besides the county. His son owns 30 acres. He is upset and feels like he is being railroaded. He was willing to donate land to keep the road open in 2007 but his neighbor is unwilling- ( Lykins). Lykins packs guns and gates the road. His son bought the land in 2010-11. He has a huge packet of records showing the land and road history back 5 generations. Listerman said in 2005-6 they looked at roads to see what was physically maintained on our inventory. They found that some locations were not maintained to the exact length on the inventory. They sent letters to see if they wanted to have it maintained by the county and to see if they would donate the land to get it up to county standards. Engle got one of those letters as he owns land at front and back of that road. Stenger was Engle’s surveyor and Seig was Lykins’s surveyor. Engle insists the road has been moved. Lynch asked how the county would record a deed if there was no road frontage. When Engle’s son came up to podium he said that Art Little had been out there and Lykins had come up and ask him how he felt. Little said- he came up with a gun on his 4 wheeler. Art said he would bring his gun the next time he was down there. Engle’s son’s parcel was a previously cut out parcel so it did not need to be resurveyed per Dennis Kraus Jr. McHenry wants to review minutes form 2011 and check with Kraus, Jr. and the building dept on permits issued. Then they may have some feedback for Engles’s family. They want to settle this out of court. They don’t want reputations and businesses to be harmed by court case. Commissioners will contact them when they have information – hopefully by the next meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 6:27 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township