24 June 2014 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

24 June 2014 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Dennis Kraus. Sr., President, Dan Lansing, Liz Morris, Randy Lyness, Charlie Keyes, and Bill Ullrich.

Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor

ABSENT: Teresa Randall, County Administrator

Maynard Barrett passed away this month.

Dennis Kraus and the Council stood for a moment of silence “for our brother, Maynard.”

ASSESSOR – Gary Hensley Discussion of staffing- He seeks permission to create a level 3 Chief deputy assessor appraiser. This will take the place of the 8^th budgeted staff position and will not increase the budgeted staff level. Salary is $35,000. Council approved the request.

 

PLANNING AND ZONING – Mark McCormack Transfer funds- Arnie McGill resigned and this position as attorney was added to his payroll thru the prosecutor’s office. So now a new attorney may have to get benefits. They will also need to get extra money later at budget due to a trial that the Planning Office is involved in. Council approved the transfer of funds.

 

CIRCUIT COURT – Judge Humphrey – here on behalf of Steve Bradley who is in dire need of a new computer – for $13,462 He wants to use his probation administration funds to pay for this and not request funds from county general. This did not need to be advertised as it was a transfer of funds.

Humphrey- asked to transfer $1000 to the office supply fund from a fund that he has that they use to burn CDs. It is also in a 2000 level budget line. Approved by Council.

Humphrey said that they had an extremely bad year for attorney fees due to one case that had 25 felonies. They have spent $95,000 so far. They need $75,000. This was Pauper Attorney and Other Pauper needs another $7500 for fees. Some have needed guardian ad litems due to more pro se cases. Approved by Council. Years ago they didn’t require attorneys. Also appeals have expanded.

CLERK’S OFFICE – Rick Probst Transfer funds- Pennington presented for him. His bookkeeper has resigned. He asks permission to replace her and to move $5,096 to cover this position in the interim. Council approved the interim amount and then said she should send him to personnel committee to get their approval to refill the spot. Because Council will not meet any time soon they decided to give the advisory board the permission to decide whether or not to refill this position this. They stressed that this is not something they will do as a matter of routine. This position does checks every day so he needed the part time spot in the interim. Approved with Keyes voting Nay.

HIGHWAY – Tim Greive Slip Repairs- $290,220 to fix the initial 115 ft slip and the adjacent 75 ft that is ready to go at any time. West Laughery Creek Rd is the slip site. Council approved the funds from fund 7303. Morris was lamenting that the road money from the state gets distributed equally no matter if they are flat or hilly- and hilly roads= slippage issues. Grieve said that they have poor drainage because they are flat and have to have drainage boards.

SOUTHEASTERN INDIANA REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (SIRPC)– Jodi Comer  and Mary McCarty - Project Updates- she passed out the list of projects they have done and said they could use it to see if we would like any of those types. Community Development Block Grants, Housing rehabs in Aurora for elderly and disabled to age in place, blight elimination program that they worked on with Planning dept., Brownfields weren’t funded this cycle and they will reapply. ( As long as they are in commercial area- not residential) Morris suggested she meet with Steve Renihan for the Sewer Board. They are also working on comp plans and can get $30,000 for some of these. You have to be an incorporated community for some of these. RCDI- Rural capacity Development Initiative is a pilot project they are doing to help communities get things done when funding gets tight. They also do an email blast to get the word out when they have funding opportunities. They don’t do it often, Pennington will get them a list of emails. Their board meets next on July 16. The full board meets quarterly in Osgood.

 

AUDITOR – Gayle Pennington – agreement with Frank Cummings- their consultant- $9,000 for 12 months was approved and signed. Kraus said that he was very valuable as a resource when they have questions also. The book is helpful- but having phone contact with Frank or his son whenever they have an issue is helpful per Pennington.

Pennington and Kraus said they can dissolve the 3 person committee for hiring now that they have the Personnel Advisory Committee. Pennington wants to get an email out to all the depts. that they know they have to schedule with the PAC  committee when they want to hire or rehire as stated in the handbook.

 

Minutes from the March 11^th with Keyes abstaining as he was absent were approved. The May 20th meeting minutes were approved.

 

Kraus said that Maynard Barrett sat on 3 committees and the following people will be taking over for him and were approved by Council:

Personnel Advisory- Randy Lyness

CVTB-  Liz Morris

Redevelopment Commission- Dennis Kraus

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township