10 August 2026 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

 

10 August 2026 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Dan Lansing, Doug Baker, Tim Doll, Mark Dole, and Glenn Wright. 

Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor

Title VI Statement read as legally required by Baudendisel 

Baudendistel- presented executive session certification that the Council only discussed what was advertised-  Council Approved. 

Action from Executive Session- Perleberg presented. They are ready to bring the project to public purview. Phenomenal wages and will be complementary to our current set of Food and Beverage types of companies. We all need to eat and drink - so it will not slump. [NOTE: By the end of this entire presentation- there was no name given for the company that we are granting the abatement for, despite the fact that it involves 10 and possibly 20 years of personal property tax abatement} 

 Brad Nichol with Cushman and Wakefield - 147 jobs to 250 jobs starting at $62,500. They have looked thru 22 sites in 5 states. No 2 sites are the same. A lot of them do not have personal property taxes like what are here.To level the playing field looking at 10 years with option for another 10 years. 7 year depreciation schedule. Investment- $58 million. They want to mitigate that initial impact. Thought this was a better way to do this. They want to create a big impact into the community. Create a partnership to work with businesses and schools here. 

Two reps from the company are here. Per Liz Morris.

GlennWright asked- What is the situation with the water. 

Nichol said they are positioned for growth and for the future expansion with more land. Talking to others to work out world water underground supply….. 

Perleberg said they are looking at grants and state to work toward water infrastructure improvements in West Harrison TIF area. He also said they are working with other bond banks and grant dollars as well for this. 

Nichol said there are challenges, but you need a catalyst to drive investment- and this project will serve as a catalyst for future development in Dearborn County. Regulatory system today doesn’t promote just putting substations etc or increased capacity without uses coming to use it. 

Mark Dole asked Perleberg what the numbers were for the water etc. It boiled down to they do not really have an answer yet. 

Nichol said- that they are OK with current numbers are for their construction phase and the change in technology to reuse water etc - so they are continuing to  engage the utilities etc for the future plans too. There could be profit for the local utility or another water company may come in. They $1million would go away the project does not move forward.  They are going to work out a FAIR for everybody plan for this. Stong selling. Point by Nichol is that this company opens up opportunity for all. 

Wright asked about Fire and EMS-

Morris said that they have letters for this- and Commissioners just renewed West Harrison. Electric and Gas also have increased investment in the area for more development. 

Wright asked about 100 year flood plain effect there. 

Perleberg- said they will have to address this with construction and permitting.

Nichol said they have looked at sites since April of last year and they looked and assessed every risk for these sites. They have tested soil, road, work forces etc.   

Resolution 2026-007 Tax Abatement- Project Compass- Doug Baker thanked everybody, said he was on DCRC, and motioned and Dole 2nded. 5 ayes and 2 nays ( Wright and Kraus Sr. )

Board all signed the resolution in the proper columns. 

Investment of Public Funds- Hayley Hatfield- needed a signature stating the investments are according to the Indiana Code. Safety of investments etc. Approved.

TRANSFERS:

Highway- 

2 Trucks-$154,628.53 1169.21807.000.0127 to 1169.42500.000.012 Tim Grieve- Dump trucks. Using Todd’s $64,000 toward this. $224.438.32 total cost for these truck chassis only. We save money because emissions are changing again. Cummins coming out with brand new engines and emissions. They may not buy trucks next year. We keep truck 20 years. 24 trucks is entire fleet. Got behind during Covid. Approved the fund transfer.

Listerman: 

Bridge #218 Lower Dillsboro- $100,000 7303.41500.000.0125 to 7303.32982.000.0125- 80/20 federal aid- this is seed money for these. (Little over $500,000 for engineering on all these total.) Approved.  

Bridge #73 St Peters- $100,000 7303.41500.000.0125 to 7303.32998.000.0125- 80/20- same as above for Lower Dillsboro) Approved

Paving-$327,027.66 1001.39298.000.0051to 1001.21807.000.0051- this is the money that was to go to Community Crossings- but it did not come thru- so want to still use it for paving.  Approved.

Bridge # 82 Hyland Rd-$250,000 7303.32962.000.0125 to 7303.32965.000.0125- This is just engineering. This is half of federal aid project cost. Uses different consultants over his 21 years here. They do not require as much environmental. Approved.

ADDITIONALS:

Highway- Listerman: All of this is just design engineering. Using FBPH and Gonzalez mostly. Total $470,000  APPROVED.

Small Structure #531 North Dearborn Rd- $50,000 (4916 MVHA)

Small Structure #635 Pinhook-$80,000 (4916 MVHA)

Small Structure # 665 Jamison Rd- $80,000 (4916 MVHA)

Small Structure #118 South Hogan-$ 80,000 (4916 MVHA)

Small Structure # 360 Dean Rd- $100,000 (4916 MVHA)

Small Structure #329 Chappin Rd- $80,000 (4916 MVHA)

Liz Morris- told Council they got Thank you letter from St E’s for their Cancer Center money. 

Veteran Services-Leah Bailey presented

Travel & Mileage-$500 (1001 County General) Approved

Fees & Subscriptions-$500 (1001County General)Approved

Superior Court II- Liz Morris presented

Public Defender-$45,000 (1001 County General) Approved

Surveyor-Liz Morris presented- 

Truck Repair-$ 5,000 (1001)- Denied - purchase- instead of repair- see below

Vehicle Purchase-$55,000- needs money from these other 2 funds below- Approved

$30,000 1001 County General 

$25,000 1202 Surveyor’s Corner Perpetuation

Sheriff-

Holiday Pay for Matrix Employees-$43,060 (Public Safety LIT 1170) Approved

Holiday Pay for Matrix Employees- $65,367 (Correctional LIT 1233)- Jail Approved 

Part-Time $53,825 for $2.00 raise (Correctional LIT 1233) Jail Approved

Maintenance-

Glass around Jail Booking Area- $26,550 (1138 Cum Cap Dev)- Jail Approved

Community Corrections-

Part-Time-$26,913 (Community Corrections User Fees 1122) Approved

Health-Amy Rose- there is money in these funds. There has been more clients this year than tech last 5 years now in the new space. There is a new landlord possibly as someone is looking to buy the whole building. Approved all requests below. Baudendistel said its a 10 year lease and transfers as is to a new owner. 

Refrigeration Maintenance- $2,000 (1161 Local Public Health)

Clinic Services-$2,997 (1161 Local Public Health)

Program Supplies- $1,027(1161 Local Public Health)

Chronic Disease Supplies-$ 1,600 (1161 Local Public Health)

Utilities-$20,000 (1161 Local Public Health)

Auditor:

Park Board-$60,000 for equipment- UC Health is giving Health equipment for Bright Park- this is a pass thru account. No cost to county. Need a resolution for the county- Approved both  

Ordinance 2026-001 use of Recorders Perpetuation Fund for Budget- Morris said this is for training and such. - Approved

Minutes-   Special meeting on July 7 and Regular meeting on May 6 - Approved

Salary Ordinance-   Approved and signed

Late Arrival- none

Meeting adjourned at 10:15 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township