Special Meeting April 23 at 1 PM with Commissioners on Semi Truck Traffic on County Roads

DEARBORN COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

As permitted by Indiana Code § 36-2-2-8, notice is hereby given that the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners have called a Special Meeting to be held on the 23^rd day of April, 2019 at 1:00 P.M.  

This meeting has been called by the President of the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners to consider an Ordinance addressing semi-truck traffic on County-maintained roads in Dearborn County, Indiana.  No business unrelated to this purpose will be conducted at this meeting.

The Special Meeting will be held at:

Dearborn County Government Center

Henry Dearborn Meeting Room

165 Mary Street

Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025

Date:  April 17, 2019

AGENDA

DEARBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

April 23, 2019

SPECIAL MEETING

1:00 p.m. Henry Dearborn Room

Dearborn County Government Center

165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE

V. NEW BUSINESS

1.  Ordinance Addressing Semi-truck Traffic on County Maintained Roads 

XII. ADJOURN

16 April 2019 Commissioners Meeting Notes

16 APRIL 2019 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

Present: Jim Thatcher, President, Art Little, and Rick Probst

Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney, and Sue Hayden, Administrator

TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE was read by Baudendistel as legally required.

OLD BUSINESS

Request to establish Fund for Donated Money and Ordinance Establishing Donated Fund for Park Board  - Baudendistel presented the Ordinance and said Connie Fromhold was right - it did not have to go in front of Council as it does not have any fines or fees attached to it. He read the ordinance and the Commissioners approved and signed it. This is a special non-reverting fund. There will be places on the website to specify what Park the donation is for or if it’s a general donation. 

NEW BUSINESS

Zone Map Amendment from R to B-2 for R & K Sun Valley LLC- Mark McCormack- Planning Director- This was from the March Plan Commission meeting. The property is across from the South Dearborn School entrance. There are written commitments agreed to by Jerry Rollins and his wife. Hrezo Engineering was present tonight also for questions. Four written commitments were agreed to: Traffic study will be prepared if needed  and required improvements will have to be installed before development. Geotech analysis required for any hillside and slope areas if developed. New easement on the site. Certain uses were eliminated from the B-2 zone request. 

McCormack went over the zone request in more detail for commissioners. Basically going over the presentation that PC had. This came to commissioners with the PC unanimous vote from 8 members present for favorable recommendation. Commissioners approved the zone change and commitments with no further discussion and considered the supporting findings of fact from the Plan Commission. This rezone does NOT occur until the land is transferred to R and K Sun Valley LLC per McCormack. 

911 Communications Board Approval of Johnnie Tremain for Fire Chief Representative-  Sue Hayden presented this and said they just need to approve their recommendation. Commissioners approved Tremain. 

INDOT-LPA Agreement for Stateline Road Project Supplement- Sue Hayden for Todd Listerman- this is moving the bid letting to fiscal year for INDOT 2020. this will let about November of 2019 so is in the 2020 fiscal year. Approved. 

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden- nothing more

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims and April 2 Minutes approved

Grant request for $80,827 grant for health department also approved. 

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- appraisers on Bentle on Stateline and on Mueller for East Laughery came back and now they have a 45 day window starts for them to respond. Unknown owner parcel on Turkey Point was approved in Court and is recorded. $1300 was the judgement on that. If not claimed in  2 years goes back got county. 

Wilkers Case update as of today is that he filed for the destruction of the structure. They got a lawyer who filed against this and they are waiting on Judge Humphrey to get back.  

125 Conwell Street will proceed with paperwork for Aurora to acquire.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- Little talked about the traffic issues and some more slips.

Thatcher- Smart 911- rolling out tomorrow. Distributing his info to students and parents. You can plug in all your info about your self and your family- you can add your cell phones and medical issues etc. This helps first responders. Also for fire department. You can register pets etc. It is a great service that is FREE of charge. It is a national database. Your info will pop up if you are in an area with Smart 911. You only put in the info that you want to have available to anyone. 

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- Pennington reported that voting is light so far but easy to do per the voters.

PUBLIC COMMENT- Gray Gellert- Sawdon Ridge- we are an unofficial detour for SR 1 and a lot of tractor trailers who are not following directions. To get the semis off Sawdon Ridge and it is dangerous especially on the hill. If a bus meets that tractor trailer they can’t get thru. 

Thatcher said this was brought up by Phil Darling about Yorkridge also for this. Longer discussion about how Pribble has signs prohibiting the trucks that HWY Dept put up there years ago. Baudendistel to research options. 

ADJOURN- 5:51 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

AGENDA- April 16 Commissioners Meeting

AGENDA

DEARBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

April 16, 2019 

5:00 p.m. Henry Dearborn Room

Dearborn County Government Center

165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE

IV. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

1.  Request to Establish Fund for Donated Money (tabled from 4/2/19)

• Ordinance Establishing Donation Fund

V. NEW BUSINESS

1.  Zone Map Amendment (R to B2) for R&K Sun Valley, LLC – Mark McCormack, Director P&Z 

• Ordinance to Change Zoning Classification of Certain Real Estate

2.  911 Communications Board Approval of Johnnie Tremain for Fire Chief’s Representative 

3.  INDOT-LPA Agreement for Stateline Road Project Supplement - Sue Hayden for Todd Listerman

VI. ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden

VII. AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold

1.  Claims/Payroll/Minutes

VIII. ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel

IX. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

X. LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION

XI. PUBLIC COMMENT

XII. ADJOURN

OUR WATER IS SAFE, UNTIL IT IS NOT

Guest Column

Our Water Is Safe, Until It Is Not

Arsenic in the sugar bowl? That doesn’t sound right. Arsenic in the water? That doesn’t sound right. A recent headline saying that the water from wells near the AEP clean-up site is safe doesn’t sound right either. 

CCRs (Coal combustion residuals or coal ash) contain arsenic and other heavy metal carcinogens. Current owner of the AEP property, Tanners Creek Development,  attempted to add more CCR waste to that site last year as part of their “clean-up." It appeared Tanners Creek Development was looking out for their interests and not ours.

Officials should have been up at arms to protect their citizens. Many claimed they weren’t notified and shifted the conversation to waiting for someone else (IDEM and DNR) to control Tanners Creek Development. Fortunately IDEM is following up on the process thanks to recent court decisions on CCRs. 

I watched the recording of the presentation and read the report from the scientist who spoke at Lawrenceburg’s Utility Board a week ago. LMU hired the scientist. He used available data to create his model for Lawrenceburg and estimates of water usage by wells and recharge patterns for the aquifer. But his model is constrained by the level of information that he had. He did not study the CCR pits. He DID stress more testing sites, more sharing of data, more communication in the regional well users, and more monitoring. 

We do not want to find contamination at any of our test wells. It will be too late to save our supply when arsenic and other heavy metals show up. 

Where do our elected officials stand on the AEP site cleanup issue? It is creepy how quiet our Mayors, Council members, Commissioners, State Representatives and Senators are. These officials are elected to protect and promote the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens. I have been following local issues for 24 years and I’ve never seen such an important issue be met with so much political silence. 

The water aquifer along the Ohio River that supplies water to industry and residents is one of the best in the country. It is one reason whiskey barons brought their production to the area. The storage of coal combustion residuals from AEP poses a very real threat to that water supply. It is NOT our fault that we have this problem. But it IS our fault if we ignore it, and destroy a priceless resource for generations to come.

The old AEP cleanup site is probably one of the most complicated to solve in the state. Its hard to think of  worse place to store CCRs. CCR pits lie next to the Ohio River. Tanners Creek runs between the pits to the river. The CCRs sit on top of a priceless aquifer in unlined and lined pits. The area floods periodically which makes capping the pits and storing in place a poor solution for the long term. 

The potential opportunities for industry, the port, and the workers they bring depend on the very same thing that our lives depend on- a good, clean water supply. What is good for the citizens of Dearborn County is good for business. Not the other way around. 

We need to get our priorities straight and work together. Each city doing studies is a small voice - but combine the cities and county and the voices get stronger. Managing that aquifer will require more test wells, more stacked levels on each test well, and more frequent data collection year round. Insuring that new industry does not pollute that area will require vigilance.

It’s not IF the aquifer will be contaminated, but WHEN will it be contaminated -  unless we remove the threat completely. This has been done by NIPSCO in northern Indiana to a designated engineered site to safely contain it. As was pointed out at a recent CCR informational meeting at the library, the coal ash and CCRs can be taken out the same way the original coal that created it came in - on existing rail lines.

Getting rid of a main source of potential carcinogenic pollution will be a big step toward water safety. It is important, because our water is safe- until it is not.

Christine Brauer Mueller, Lawrenceburg Township, has been attending county meetings since 1995. She writes for the Dearborn County Public Forum at www.dearborncounty.blogspot.com

This column was published in the Dearborn County Register on April 4, 2019. 

  

2 April 2019 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

2 April 2019 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

Present: Art Little, and Rick Probst, Acting President

ABSENT: Jim Thatcher until the sewer part was discussed.

Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney, and Sue Hayden, Administrator

TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE was read by Baudendistel as legally required.

OLD BUSINESS- none

NEW BUSINESS

Request to establish a Fund for donated money- Jim Red Elk Park Board- Baudendistel can have the ordinance ready for the next meeting. This fund will be a repository for donations that come in via the web site, etc. They would also have it presented to Council. Tabled until the next meeting.

There is a 1996 Dodge Ram truck they want to dispose of. They can auction it or donate it to other entities. Commissioners will take it under advisement for now.

Grant for Guilford Sewer Project- Steve Renihan- DC Regional Sewer District- presented a powerpoint of the process with OCRA. This is for a fix out at Guilford and studied for about 15 years. this is the best opportunity to move forward. This is to provide several alternative concepts for the project. Trying to get a cost effective way to help them. It’s really the number one area on their list. They are also working on Highridge expansion. Outer Drive and Lake Dilldear. Doug Baer from Health Dept- state the septic systems cant be repaired on the small lots there. Community interest and complaints have all been noted. There are septic problems there. Cost of septic $10,000 on the cheapest site and $30,000 on the high end. Usually $12,000- $15,000. Woolpert did first studies on this and Hrezo has some also including this one. Option 1 - Run to Perfect North - but repairs during winter would affect business as the lifts are in the slopes.

Option 2 - run to a wastewater treatment plant there in Guilford area- cheapest cost. 

Option 3- run to effluent to manholes at Greendale- this gets greater about of users and two lift stations needed

Selected Alternative 2- Similar to High Ridge’s plant and located at Bonnell Road. Pumps to Lift station. 

Consultant made them update the plans and the costs- $1.3 million is the total project cost. Will need money budgeted for property acquisition. Legal and rate consultant costs will be in there too as this goes forward. Looked at operational costs to see if they could maintain it. High Ridge operator could do bth - but more salary etc. About $34,000 more. 

Costs of Option is $187/ratepayer if borrowed it all. $93/month if borrowed half the money. If get a federal grant and using cash on hand with it- so then the monthly rate is $60/ month for ratepayers. 

The $700,000 grant plus $604,000 cash from sewer board would achieve this $60/month rate. They need the commissioners to apply for this grant. The county can only have 3 grants thru OCRA at any one time. They want to get everything accomplished so they can file in the November cycle. They will also go out to talk to the people of Guilford with a presentation of these numbers.

They will get this out to Jan 2020 for grant award- if we get it. Then could reapply in June 2020 if they need to reapply. If get the grant on first time the bids go out in July 2020. Construction 2020-2021 and closing the project out by end of 2021. 

There are also costs to Homeowner. Abandoning septic and constructing lateral and grinder pump. Costs about $8,000. There are grants and low inters loans for those who cannot afford that. 

Baudendistel asked about the capacity of that plant. $20,000 gal that can expand to 40,000 gal. Maybe 170 homes total with IDEM approval. If the subdivisions go in- that would come at their cost- not these people. 

Commissioners are supportive of the plan as presented.  

Condemnation for property on Gregory Road as part of  E Laughery Bridge #5- Todd Listerman- Highway Engineer- realignment of both roads to do this bridge. Hoping to get the Slattery’s back to the table but they are starting condemnation process now. Wanting to purchase the old Gregory rd ROW and a little extra. Hopefully this will get them back to the table. Commissioners gave permission to file condemnation proceedings. 

Proclamation for Public Safety Telecommunications Week- Jared Teaney- 911 Director- April 14-20 - Baudendistel read and Commissioners approved.

Tom Craig recognized for 34 plus years of working at 911. He is retiring April 28th. He plans to visit grandkids and play the banjo a bit more per Teaney. August 27th 1984 to the end of this month. Pictures and the proclamation for Tom Craig also. 

April is 911 education month. Can set up smart 911 on the website.

Agreements for Voting Centers- Gayle Pennington- presented by Sue Hayden- Commissioners signed with Greendale and Lawrenceburg. Waiting on Aurora as Hastings wanted the cost of the election. By law the cities are required to assume the major portion of the expense of the election. 

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden- nothing more

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims and March 19th Minutes from signed.

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- updated briefly on the condemnation of some properties for bridge right of ways. Appraisal reports are pending. Wilkers case- court ordered -150K bond plus 80K in escrow account due by April 14.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- Probst- ask media support to get Democrat rep fr Park Board

Citizen Advisory Committee for Solid Waste needed from Aurora area. Also citizens patience with construction from now thru fall. US 50, 48, etc. Plan to leave early and don’t speed. 

Thatcher- apologized for being late- thought it was evening meeting. Also reiterated patience for the construction and it will look great in fall.

Little- If my signatures are not good- it’s because Jim borrowed my glasses. Laughter. Also watch Sawdon Ridge and Yorkridge. 

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT- Phil Darling- wanted to make Commissioners aware of the issue of semi truck traffic coming up Yorkridge Road from the closure on SR 1 for repairs. 

ADJOURN- 10:05 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township