Friday, January 26, 2024
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
22 January 2024 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes
22 January 2024 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes
THIS WAS A 5 HOUR MEETING
Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Russell Beiersdorfer, Mark Lehman, Joe Vogel, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, and Jim Thatcher.
ABSENT: Eric Lang and Jeff Hermesch
Also Present: Nicole Daily, Planning and Zoning Director, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.
Baudendistel read the Title VI statement as legally required.
Brian DeBruler filmed this meeting.
Plan Commission voted to keep the current slate of officers.
Board voted to keep Andy Baudendistel as attorney.
ACTION ON MINUTES- December 18, 2024 Minutes- were not approved as they did not have them completed.
OLD BUSINESS: none
NEW BUSINESS:
FIRST PUBLIC HEARING - Proposed Amendments to the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance pursuant to Indiana Code § 36-7-4-607. Said proposed amendments would govern in the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County and would apply to the current zoning districts “Agriculture and Residential” being modified into “Agriculture (A), Agriculture Homestead (AH), Low Density Residential (R-1), Medium Density Residential (R-2) and High Density Residential (R-3). If ultimately approved, the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance would be amended, specifically with respect to the text(s) of: Articles 9 and 10, regarding Agricultural and Residential Zoning Districts; Article 25, regarding General Standards and new Use Development Standards; and Article 27, regarding Definitions. The text would be amended to incorporate the newly created zoning districts and to describe permitted uses, conditional uses, unpermitted uses, development standards, etc. in said newly created zoning districts. The Zone Map amendment would be contingent upon the approval of the amendments to the Zoning Ordinance described above.
Copies of the proposed Amendments to the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance and the proposed Amendments to the Dearborn County Zone Map are on file for examination before the meeting and Public Hearings at the Dearborn County Government Center, in the Planning and Zoning Department—165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 and are also available on the Dearborn County Planning & Zoning Department website.
Written support or objections concerning the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and/or the Zone Map filed prior to the meeting and Public Hearings with the Planning & Zoning Department at the above address will be considered by the Plan Commission. The public can attend the meeting and Public Hearings and oral comments concerning the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and/or the Zone Map will be heard by the Plan Commission. The proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and/or the Zone Map will be heard at this meeting during the Public Hearings but may be continued from time to time as may be found necessary.
Nicole Daily, Plan Director, said that they had a number of calls regarding the text. She stated that the zoning does not affect your property tax assessment or the property tax paid. Thats all she had to say for the audience.
Denny Kraus, Jr. asked to open PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT:
Charles Dole- Has 2 properties - one on Salt Fork Rd- 50 acres. It looks like it is all R and cannot tell if you have cut my farm in half. He bought it to avoid it being a subdivision. There are 50 and 78 acre farms around him. He would like to keep it that way if at all possible, The other property is on Dole Rd by the library. It is taking that from Ag to Ag Homestead. Has gone to great extent to keep that farm and it’s the family homestead. He wants them to both stay in Ag. Board will discuss this at the Maps Session.
Susan Johnson- Dover area-why is there not any grandfathering in? Baudendistel said that they still can be grandfathered.
Charles Whipple- Asked if the grandfathered clause was written down- and Nicole Daily said that it was in the ordinance. He went on to state that in the past there was not one written down on the septic systems.And it turned people into criminals. He also asked what an arterial road was. Response- Stateline, Jamison, North Dearborn are arterials for example. Locals and collectors are classes lower than arterials. The setbacks on Ag and Ag H were clarified for him.
CJ Jacobs- setback is 100 not from the centerline. He had other questions regarding their detention pond. You can potentially get a variance to get around issues with that.
Brian DeBruler- has 11.15 acres Ag and is being flipped to R2. [NOTE: That is going up 2 zones] Non conforming use-farm use since 1938. If I pass it on to my daughter does it hold for her. Response- If there were 12 months of consistent non- use it would not pass on to family or even another owner. His future use is pertaining to self sustainability. Thinking of a beef cow too. I am the property title holder and his parents are living n the land. The R2 designation - 70% of the 11.7 acres is slope. Our plan talks about topographical issues. Reclassifying my land as R2 is a contradiction of the master plan. DeBruler cited the comprehensive plan regarding the R2 density. 5 homes per acre is the density proposed for R2.
Unknown name? - Under R2 medium density- the number of animals is??? There are rules on animals based on the units per acre in the table - after what zone they are in.
Dan Damico- Logan Township Trustee- Sale of farm machinery is not in Ag H and they changed him from Ag to Ag H. He doesn’t want to have problems like this and being questioned about his use. He wants to stay Ag.
Keith Cox- 12769 Hon Rd Moores Hill - 14.84 acres. My place shows as Ag and now most of it shows as proposed Residential. We plan to build 2 homes here. There is no sewer there. Border of Moores Hill and Dillsboro. We want to start a family farm. Not necessarily required to run sewer per Kraus. They will discuss the rest with the maps.
Jeffrey ___?- Some of these rules feel like we are having a county-wide Homeowners Association. When Ag starts going away and Residential starts creeping in how am I going to keep Ag? Beiersdorfer told him about Right to Farm. His land is Ag and staying Ag. Kraus explained why they are trying to update the zoning ordinance and preserve Ag by preventing divisions without a zone change. In all the texts minimum living dwelling is 950 sq ft. Wants to know if he could do a small Air B&B. Where does off grid fall in this? Septic or sewer would still have to be considered by Health Dept. Link 101 - where does that fall in this map? If that comes thru you might have to redo all this. Kraus said this depends on where the road comes. Zone changes might be requested along this road. Jeffrey- We can still tell the state we don’t want that road.
Mark Dole- North Dearborn Rd- has 55 acres on 4 different parcels. One is zoned R1- the R2 part is house and barn. It goes from Ag to R2. I have cattle there. Request that they reconsider the text so that they can continue doing the farming. There’s a subdivision behind me. Another conversation with Aligs have a similar situation to mine. He’d like it to remain Ag or else change the grandfathering rules.
Yvonne Arnold - Keller Rd- Had Ag and wants it to remain that. We are now Ag H proposed. Two sons live on a couple lots. If it stays Ag it would be OK but the news rules for Ag H affect her plans. Minimum lot frontage is 150 ft. They do not grandfather the frontage rule per Kraus.
Clarifying question on flag lots also.
Josh Craig- dad and grandfather also - Cambridge Lane off Georgetown. Ag and now R-1 and family farm since 1961 is now Ag H. We want it to stay Ag for many reasons and the 12 month grandfathering rule is a concern.
End Public Discussion on the zoning text
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING - Proposed Amendments to the Dearborn County Zone Map pursuant to Indiana Code § 36-7-4-608. Said proposed amendments would govern in the unincorporated areas of Dearborn County and would apply to the current zoning districts “Agriculture and Residential” being modified into “Agriculture (A), Agriculture Homestead (AH), Low Density Residential (R-1), Medium Density Residential (R-2) and High Density Residential (R-3). If ultimately approved, the Dearborn County Zone Map would be amended to incorporate said newly created zoning districts.
OPEN PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THE MAP
Jeff Meinders- Washington Township US 50- Brought Surveyor Rob Seig with him- Rob Seig- The R1 density is reduced by half so he is requesting R2. He has no intention of using the max density of R2. This is what he bought it for. Sewer is available. It’s a good candidate for this density along with water and the highway system. Asking the board to reconsider R1and grant R2. Seig said the original concept had 120 lots roughly. Lehman asked what sq ft they were proposing. 9000 or 7500. Seig said they were trying for 4 units per acre. Only where the terrain supports it. Meinders said he appreciates their consideration.
Bob Folke - 18400 Pribble Rd. 141 years in their family farm. Wants to keep its it is. Number of family members who help him keep it. Wants to keep it as it is Ag. Don’t see the advantage of Ag Homestead.
Dan Damico- His property aligns with Ag . Wants it to stay that .5875 SR46. (Near Eibeck Lane)
Joe Bonomini-and his mother and father owns various lands - 3413 Woods Rd- want to get their farm land all to be Ag and 22354 Salt Fork Rd- also wants to get it back to Ag. Charlie Dole is his neighbor. He showed all their lands and that they are passing it to the children.
Brian DeBruler- 3092 North Dearborn Rd- he’s adjoining Mark Dole’s farm also. Notice you have a delicate dance to do trying to preserve Ag and also have development. The Master Plan says it is to plan conservation of farmland and open space to preserve a high quality of life. Some of us are being flipped into residential. I hear people talking about preserving their heritage and family homesteads. In my case there is a paradox in the R2 zoning. There is a glaring breakdown in what is going down in the courthouse and the public’s awareness of this process. I can understand you wanting to get this done. Is this a done deal? Kraus- we have the ability to send it to the commissioners amended. Brian- I just wanted to know if he needs to seek other means to get this done. Slopes over 20% and also those between 15-20% should be avoided for development. My parcel has much of this. De Bruler also cited more quotes about floodways and streams etc from the plan. He says that his land should be Ag and not developed. Some of these other people have had their lands split into 2 zones. He also had sent materials to the office. He talked to Nicole earlier- about property devaluation. For example as R2- he cannot sell it that way as the slope won’t work for this. But then cannot sell as farm because of the R2 zone. We have a duty to the existing residents to preserve the life they have grown accustomed to- they deserve some respect. Appreciate your time. Hoog asked if he would consider Ag H. DeBruler said he would consider that, not sure how his neighbors feel.
CJ Jacobs- looking to have his piece so it is able to be developed. Sewer is right n the road.As is gas etc. Currently R1. He wants to keep his current density. This is making it a spot zone on these other properties-Dole and DeBruler. Two widows across the street and they have no idea their properties are being rezoned. If you go for a rezone you have to notify neighbors. But if the county rezones- that doesn’t happen. [NOTE: Jacobs is right about this notification issue. It would seem that if the county is rezoning your property, they should notify you of that.]
Roger and Susan Johnson- all our properties and neighbors but up to that farm and it is going R on your map. Want it to be Ag. Still.
Terry Sawyers- Carrie Drive- appreciate your time and being given your drawings etc. Still want my property to be Ag as it is now. Our husband and I have been entrusted to carry on this farm and we want this to pass to our children and go to them the way I received it. My Ag status is beneficial to me and to the community. If things change the future, they can request it as a zone change.
Chris Mueller- WillowBrook Farm Pribble Rd. - If you can keep the map up of Sawyers and show Pribble Road where our farm is and then also pick up Folke’s Farm on the other side. The map the showed all 3 Pribble Rd family farms. (Nicole got them all lined up.) If you look at the current zoning for these properties, you can see that Folkes is almost exclusively Ag and Rais’s (now Sawyers) is currently Agricultural.I want to post that out, when people are talking about what is around us. If you don’t change the people from Agricultural around us and we ask us to make us Ag too. And these same people are standing in front of you and asking you for the ability not to be Ag Homestead but to go back to Ag. I should say go back to- they ask to STAY as Ag. Before I leave that part of the map- the Carrie Drive situation there- the Gensheimer’s subdivision part of it is not all of it- It’s just that part around the drive. People have been always taking to her that it’s been residential - residential -residential and you can see even currently it is not and in the 1965 map it was not either. (Nicole Daily responded that no one said it was residential, they said it was a platted subdivision.) Board members have become confused by this at times. (Daily said they all knew it was a platted residential subdivision.Not residentially zoned) Ok again you are taking their property and splitting up into two different things essentially. And making it all something else completely from what they are asking for. (Daily- We didn’t split their property) I just wanted to point out what it is now and what it has been and the changes that are occurring are because of your map changes. In our situation it is different from theirs. They affect what we do- mostly because we are neighbors and we are all 3 farming people that have been there together for a long time. Folkes have been there the longest, we have been there 2nd longest , and then Raises had that. We have been there since 1937, My grandfather brought his family up there after the 1937 flood because he got sick of being flooded. My point to you is we want stay there, we want to pass it to our children and we don’t want the to constantly be dealing with something that in our mind sets us up for more development- not less. We want to be recognized for what we are doing. I d not want to go ver all the reasons why- because I know you have. Apple of them in your file there. We want to reiterate what we are asking for and we hope you will consider that. Thank you.
Darren McQueen Stateline Rd- Horse farm and barn wants it to stay Ag. Two little houses beside me are like 1.8 acres.
End public hearing- 8:30 PM
Plan Commission board discussion:
Russell Beiersdorfer- hard to balance what people want- some want to be able to divide and some do not. His home base was Peach Grove OH- it’s now all subdivisions. Things change and he wants to make it easier for people in Dearborn County to be able to do what they want with their property. Solar farms needed to be addressed on the books so there were rules for it.
Nicole Daily-Even with the large acres if it’s not platted we don’t enforce standards until a developer starts. On these maps all that dark green you see- is all Ag. Just because the name is the same we have actually made that dark green more restrictive than it is now. You used to be able to put in a major and a minor subdivision as long as it is over one acre. That dark green is proposed as no minors and no majors. Just to make a little correction you can do certified surveys only with 2 splits only once a year. It was a means to help control the growth in those Ag areas. In a sense we also liked at R1,2 and 3 - it is a means to guide the growth in those areas. R3s only 4 exist now. R2 is mostly in Bright. R used to run up and down 50, 350, and 48. The light green Ag H is more closely related to the Ag we currently have - that is the minimum 1 acre and it will allow major and minor subdivisions. I think the easier fix is a text change that is on platted ground. I think you are catching some of this areas that pop up. We could put it in with Article 25 or with each individual zone’s standards or a footnote that those standards are for proposed platted land. It would work with some of these areas that people are concerned about in the R districts. Theres a give and a take in R1 and R2. It would be something other than residential splits.
As far as some of the other uses go, if they are doing it currently and it’s farming and NOT commercial, but for personal use, they can do it. If they have small acreage there is no room for it. We are not going to be perfect on everybody’s property. I don’t think we could have caught all of these, We would not put a designation on it until they come in with a plat. For keeping of animals they want to add keeping of animals to that list for R2 also. That might help with the concerns people have. Look at #10 a4. Add possibly R2 there. R 3 wouldn’t fit this. If more than 5 acres the specs don’t count. I would keep section b the same. She would put it as a footnote under R1, 2, and 3.
Complaints on animal have been on 5 acres or less. It takes a lot of depts. to get together on those. One was E.coli being drained on other properties because of too many animals on land with no grass.
This was how we stumbled on Ag Homestead. We wanted to keep it more on the Ag side than Residential. It was like we were making 4 residential zones.
Kraus- move forward with the map now.
Kraus- discuss the map-have 2 landowners with issues over density on the map. So they don’t want us to take something from them nor do we want to give them more than they had. So what can we do as a board to address this problem.
MEINDERS AND JACOBS
Lehman- Take the easy one first - Meinders on US 50 first-Even if we give him R2 - we are trying to avoid a free rezone- I don’t think he can even develop to the R2 standards due to the topography. He has less heartburn on his request because of that. Off Dole Road- that is a tough one.
Hoog- was ok with the R2 in that particular case with Meinders. Can we hit the particular section and make it R2? Leave the rest as R1?
Kraus- It could drastically change the character of the area. At least he has some R2 adjoining him- a trailer park. Our new R2 does not go with density - it goes with minimum lot size. Our old ordinance could be offset with larger lots and do smaller ones in other parts of the development. Board went back and forth trying to balance these two issues.
Lehman- Max 4 units per acre in R-1 ?
Kraus- That would increase R-1 density dramatically.
Lansing- Get as close as he could have done before this map and text.
Lehman- R2 could get to almost 6 per acre. On the end of cul de sacs he could have long skinny lots. Avoid the HOA.Went back to suggesting going from 1/2 acre lots to 4 units per acre in R1.
Kraus- Don’t think it would be fair to rezone one parcel and not give it to others.
The board talked about the number of units originally considered and the highway access. They decided to not get deep into the specifics.
Baudendistel- suggested they see where they are and they could have something turned in before the Commissioners consider this new map.
After considering this they talked to Rob Seig and Meinders. They will not have it in that fast as they want to have time to get it right. Kraus said a previous board approved 4 units per acre as an approx density. So we could do something similar. The guy on North Dearborn (Jacobs) probably bought that property with something similar in mind. Mr. Jacobs verified that they had done this to via his family. Currently zoned the same as the old folks hime there. I can go back and get a zoning variance again- but cannot be sure. We would be taking something from each of these people per Kraus.
DeBruler- Even though I am not building out.I feel the reevaluation is devaluing my property as well.
Lehman- I am pretty pleased with the zoning map as a whole. Very little breaks in the zones. It is logically put together. There are going to be some tweaks. Other than teh handful of properties, from the county’s standpoint, what else would they want from us. We did have a straw poll about what to do with the properties next to Lawrenceburg.
Kraus- Let’s decide the R1 or R2 first.
Board decided to go to R2 for Meinders and for Jacobs on the map. Approved.
Kraus-Folke- is partially R and partially Ag - and there is a block of properties on Pribble Rd that want to be Ag instead of Ag H. If somebody is asking for a less or more restricted zone. This would force a rezone if developed. And we would have more control. We have had these families tell us that this is what they want for the next 20 years or more. And if I’m still siting in this chair 20 years from now… Laughter. Audience said - we don’t want to be in these chairs either. We’ve had these families tells these properties are going to be doing the same things they are doing now for the next 20 years. And if they change their mind they have just opened themselves up to a hard rezone because they will have to come back and convince us there is a different best use for the property. Lehman disagrees but he understands that they asked for it- give them what they asked for. Beiersdorfer- We went one step down for this. Kraus But we also created that step. They adjoin some Ag to the west. This is not a donut hole.I don’t see a problem with it. Lehman still thinks it needs Ag H but I understand your role. Beiersdorfer had problem with the platted subdivision and road. Same for Lehman. Kraus said- that subdivision road has to stay platted because there are 3 properties beyond it that use that road and one house already built on that adjoining property per Lansing. Beirsdorfer- At least with Ag Homestead it gives them some options. Kraus But they don’t want those options. Beiersdorfer- You never know. Hoog- If they change their mind they will have to work that out then. I don’t have a problem with them doing that. The vote was 4-2 Thatcher abstain- Lehman asked Beiersdorfer would this be enough to keep you from voting for this map at the end of the night? Beiersdorefer said no- we have been working in this for 4 years! Beiersdorfer said he hates to see them give up their opportunities. Then Lehman and Beiersdorfer said they’d go with the Ag to get it settled. Ag for all 3 family farm properties! Folke added later to be sure they had Gary Folke property as part of their farm too. Approved.
BONOMINI FAMILY AND CHARLIE DOLE PROPERTIES- Logan - would consider Ag H even Charlie agreed as he’s 86 and didn’t want to hamstring his kids possibly with a greedy decision because I want my way. This needs to be blended. He wanted his Salt Fork Rd property also. Kramer also added. Ethan Dole added at Charlie Dole’s request.. Baudendistel - reiterated that Ag H is less restricted than Ag and that all Ag uses are in Ag H. Bonomini was pursuaded by Beiersdorfer and Daily to consider Ag H as more suitable for them. You are not isolated like traditional Ag. Lehman said he would have done R there. Charlie said it’s Ag H - middle of the road and the color would look nice- Laughter.
BONOMINI AND CHARLIE DOLE All changed to Ag H. Approved.
MARK DOLE AND BRIAN DE BRULER- working on getting Dole to all one zone AS HE REQUESTED and DeBruler ok with Ag H. Kraus- Part of that Ag H serves as a buffer to subdivisions. They have a ROW 50 ft that is owned by the county from the subdivisions. He has 2 sewers there. Why split my property half and half- makes no sense. Wants R2 for it all- just not half of it. Or leave it all Ag. He has utilities at the ROW. De Bruler wants Ag H.
Board left MarkDole and DeBruler as is- no change.
Entire Johnson property changed to Ag Homestead.
KEITH COX FAMILY- Hon Rd -Ag and some R1 and proposed map is R1. Abuts Dillsboro. Only access is Hon Rd. Cemetery on 2 sides. Kraus- The cemetery is zoned R- I guess there are people there. Laughter. Want Ag H-and Board agreed. Also added a little neighboring strip to it.
BOARD CHANGED COX FAMILY PLUS LITTLE STRIP ALL AG H
DARREN MCQUEEN 21201-2 Stateline-is Ag now and proposed R OK with Ag H - he wants to board horses. Discussed the adjoining properties being affected or not. Board wants to stay as R as proposed instead of the Ag that it is. Board decided to go Ag H. It was noted by Nicole Daily that Commercial boarding of horses is not allowed in Ag H. Expensive barn with a bunch of horse stalls. (In a sense he is losing some value here?) What is my option for houses.- probably only 2 on each strip. And I have these big buildings for horses. I bought it as a farm. Lived in HVL and wanted to live here instead. I’d like to have options. This is not a residential developable piece. I know it doesn’t fit the color. Lehman- In order to move forward - Im on the wrong side of 12 properties I’m not going to lose sleep over it. Citizen spoke up as his guy is taking away from him. Hoog- But he can still have horses here. It has to be Ag for him to commercially board horses. Or he has to come to BZA for variance?
DARREN MCQUEEN WAS CHANGED TO AG H.
ALIG BRUNS PROPERTIES Sawmill Rd 29718- all the same family. Daily said that she was asked about what to do to split lots there. She told them the procedure. Sewer comes right down there.
ALIG BRUNS NO ACTION -LEAVING IT AS PROPOSED ON MAP
Bob Folke- asked those sure they put Gary Folke property on their previously approved farm for Ag also. APPROVED.
Dennis Kraus Jr.- Two tasks now-need motions on the text and the map for commissioners.
To Forward text with addition of text on R2 to clarify raising animals on 5 acres. With Favorable Recommendation to Commissioners. With Jim Thatcher abstaining.
To Forward maps with amendments made tonight to commissioners with Favorable Recommendation Jake Hoog and Joe Vogel. With Jim Thatcher abstaining.
Feb 20th 5 PM Commissioners Meeting.
NO FEBRUARY meeting for the Plan Commission. Board you get the night off. Yes!!
ADMINISTRATIVE: none
Meeting adjourned at 11:05 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
23 January 2024 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes
23 January 2024 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes
Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Dan Lansing, Kevin Turner, Tim Doll, Mark Dole, and Glenn Wright.
Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor
Title VI Statement read as legally required
NEW BUSINESS:
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT:
Current President- Liz Morris was reappointed by the board
Current Vice President- Tim Doll was reappointed by the board
CITIZEN BOARDS: all reappointed by the Council or are still within their time frame.
Alcoholic Beverage Board- Glenn Huismann
PTABOA- Mary Booker
Board of Zoning Appeals- Andrea Shuter (12/31/2025)
Park Board-Kevin Vincent (01/2027) & Rob Calvert (01/2025)
Lawrenceburg Public Library-Jerry Hacker (1/22/2027) & Dama Ewbank (6/30/2024)
Aurora Public Library- Ben Turner (12/31/2026) & Jasica Robinson (1/23/2026)
Regional Sewer District- Bill Shelton (12/31/2024 & Jeff Stenger (12/31/2024)
APPOINTMENT OF BOARDS AND BOARD SEATS: All are appointed by Council as below.
Solid Waste- Tim Doll
Dearborn County Redevelopment Commission- Mark Dole & Dave Deddens
Greendale Redevelopment Commission- Dan Lansing
Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC)-Liz Morris, Dennis Kraus
1st Alternate-Mark Dole
2nd Alternate- Tim Doll
Dearborn County Planning Commission-Dan Lansing
Community Corrections- Liz Morris (Elected Term Ends)
Juvenile Advisory Board- Liz Morris (Elected Term Ends)
Emergency Management- Kevin Turner (12/31/2024)
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau- Glenn Wright (12/31/2025)
Health Board- Gerald Miller (12/31/2024)
Dearborn Community Foundation Grant- $40,000 for EMS Consultant- just so the Council knows
Health Dept Preparedness Grant- $47,000- also so Council knows.
Circuit Court Juvenile Center- Transfer Remaining funds 11009 after current employee is paid out. Move remaining funds into service account 33114 for contract educator- Council approved.
Auditor- November 2023 Minutes Approved and Salary ordinance includes more money for extra pay for a PhD employee as ordered by Judge McLaughlin. Approved
March 12th meeting at 5 PM is the next meeting.
May 14th follows that.
Budget is Aug 19th week.
Late Arrival- none
Meeting adjourned at 5:10 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
Thursday, January 18, 2024
18 January 2024- DCRSD Board Meeting Notes
18 January 2024- DCRSD Board Meeting Notes
Steve Renihan - President, Brett Fehrman - Vice President, Bill Shelton, Doug Baer, Steward Cline, and Russell Beiersdorfer arrived about 10 minutes late.
ABSENT: Jeff Stenger
Board Attorney - Frank Kramer
Also present: Bob and Christy from Hrezo Engineering.
Renihan read the Public Access Statement as legally required.
Minutes: January 4th Minutes -Approved.
Treasurers Report: November and December financials were reviewed by board members. Doug Baer did a budget for 2023 that shows expenses. Board wants one for 2024 too and also to decide if they are going to request budget from Council. Approved the November and year end financials with a notation about the project expenses. .
Public Comment: Mr Madden brought in the requested project maps from last meeting for the board to review.Board explained the discussion from last meeting. Kramer talked about sending an amendment to the agreement to address this process. Crossroads wants to see a copy of the agreement. Nick from Crossroads said Two customers have been added to that line and there is a balance that they have collected that needs to go to DCRSD. The $18/month continues until the $15,000 is paid off for each home. The fee goes with the house- not the owner. Now Kramer is to work with Nick’s people at Crossroad so it will work out. Madden can continue now.
Project Updates: Christy gave the report
Guilford- Site plan is ready for review. Buttoning up the low pressure lines this week. Kramer reported on the railroad issue. Got a Jan 4th email from Christy Galbraith at the RR and told him that it has all been approved. But approval that is signed still has not arrived to Kramer. Cline wants a punch list and plans are ready to go to IDEM for permit. Then they can go to bid.There will be a couple months to get things all finished up per Cline. Kramer said they still need an easement from Fox to go over his land. He prepared a contract and easement for $1,000 and DCRSD agrees to provide Fox with whatever other incentives the other customers will get along this line. The board thought that the incentives for Fox were OK also. Easement contract was approved by the board so he can take it to Fox. Water to the maintenance building there will be via cistern- about 5,000 gal tank. Per Christy- In 2022 ARPA discussions they agreed to owner paying for installing pipe from house to pit holding grinder pump, electric and disconnect switch and maintaining grinder pump in working order. Cline wants the details to be in official mints for the ARPA meeting later so they know who is paying for what.
Per Bob Hrezo -The thermal shut-off will be on newer pumps and the company will have a work around with a timer that will shut it off so it doesn’t burn up. This is in reference to Meyer pump.
High Ridge WWTP
High Ridge West Expansion - Texas Gas Rd- twelve customers now hooked on and 3 more getting done. We are down to 14 pumps that still need to be picked up and installed. They have paid the $5500.
Board also discussed the availability fee and how they guarantee capacity for those customers. The plant is not easy to expand per Fehrman. Board needs to see the plant so they understand this. They need to assess what the capacity is currently and what is available for the customers they need to sign on. Christy will get that and she needs all the addresses of people paying the availability fee. - but it is low priority to the Guildford project right now. Maybe get in late February.
Wilson Creek Project
Huesman Rd and Cole Lane
Harrison TIF/Stone Project- Kramer has talked to Harrison Wastewater regarding the lift station maintenance. So Renihan, Baer, and Kramer are to meet with them regarding this. DCRSD stance is that Harrison is supposed to maintain the lift station as part of the line.
Scenic Ridge/148 Sewers /Outer Drive
Stateline Rd
Serenity Ridge Tranquility Court
Moores Hill
Dillsboro- Lake Dildear— meetings have been pushed back per Cline.
New Business:
Office Update:
Claims: approved to pay.
Comments:Steve Brock will come to next meeting hopefully A copy of his rate work is in their email. Page 26 is important as the rate increase needed if they don’t get more customers. Some is based on Texas Gas Rd project. Cline wants more discussion and clarification on the other project areas we are doing. He thinks depreciation on the system needs to be included. Put him on meeting for Feb 15th with more answers for that. Any questions we need to get these questions to Brock.
Barnes and Thornburg are coming on the 1st. Didn’t want rates and lawyers at the same meeting.
Not requiring to hook on if there is a septic still working.
Barnes and Thornburg- emails sent totem requesting have you acquired info on bond service, problem resolution and 5-10 year plan, rate study, and evaluation of system assets. Somebody has to pay for the sewers. And Council took away their funding. Some question about going to Council for a budget maybe again. They cannot operate in poorest part of county with no support.
Renihan has a conference on Feb 1 that he has to be on. So he will miss just that meeting- no others.
Board is looking at wanting the legal bills to DCRSD and then they submit those to Commissioners. That way it shows they are working for DCRSD per Fehrman.
Adjourned: 6:30 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
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