South Dearborn School Board Meeting - 10/03/05

1. Minutes Approved

2. Resolution unanimously approved to give Todd Bowers, South Dearborn Middle School Principal, power to act as an agent on behalf of South Dearborn Community School Corporation in small claims court for the purpose of suing parents who have not paid the book rental fees.

3. Resolution unanimously approved to give Tom Book, Superintendent of South Dearborn Community Schools, authority to reduce lines one and two of the budget at the Tax Board Hearing. (I believe lines one and two of the budget are Instruction Regular Programs and Instruction Special Programs...in other words they fund teacher salaries. In my opinion other areas of the budget should be trimmed...not any direct student services.)

4. Crystal Lewis was hired to a Drill Team position. Unanimously approved.

5. The proposal to hire Kristen Magic to a Drill Team position was unanimously tabled. The Board had concerns about her parents being listed as her only references. They also had concerns about her age. They wanted a more complete application and more information before approving her appointment.

6. It was proposed Seth Ketchum, the brother of current head football coach, be hired as the Freshman Basketball Coach, an assistant position to Coach Archer. Seth is currently serving as an assistant football coach.

Sue Cutter raised concerns that the same application used to hire him as a football assistant was presented for the Basketball Position. The board knows nothing of his basketball qualifications.

A motion was made to table the resolution to hire Seth Ketchum.

The point was made that conditioning for basketball has already started.

Terry Luhrsen pointed out that Head Coaches have been told to hire who they want.

The main problem with the hire was a matter of paperwork.

Gene Ferguson expressed his disapproval that Rob Morehead (SDHS Principal) and Foster Harris (SDHS Athletic Director) had sent a recommendation to hire this individual with incomplete paperwork.

Tom Book pointed out that practice in the past has been to use applications on file to assign lay coaches to other duties after their initial hire.

Karla Raab spoke in defense of the Principals stating they have been working under considerable hardship this year. They lost an assistant principal to an injury and they have also been dealing with the construction. (My opinion...short and long term disability insurance should be paying the injured principal. If the position is essential another individual should have been hired as an acting associate principal. This should not have had an impact on the corporation budget.)


Terry Luhrsen expressed his concern that failing to hire this individual would hurt the kids. He doesn’t want that to happen.

Daryl Cutter said the coach had previously been approved and it wasn’t necessary to approve him for this second position. (It is a different position. A different job. Since he has already been approved once perhaps he can also fill the position as a drill team instructor. The board knows even less about his basketball qualifications, than they knew about Ms. Magic’s Drill Team Qualifications. What they know is Mr. Archer wanted to hire Seth Ketchum and Mr. Reynolds wanted to hire Ms. Magic. Is this a double standard?)

Rodger Ullrich stated he didn’t recall ever bringing a coach back to the board to be re-approved. (I recall the board meeting they failed to extend the Basketball Coaching Contract of an individual with several boys on his team who wanted to speak in defense of their Coach. Wasn’t that bringing a coach back to the board to be re-approved?)

The motion to table failed and the board aloud the hire of Seth Ketchum as a Basketball Coach.

7. The motion to Pay vouchers was unanimously approved.

8. The Post Secondary Enrollment Policy recommended by the Indiana School Board’s Association was noted and board members were asked to review the policy for later approval. (This policy was not read aloud. Perhaps it should be. The public will be unaware of what policy the board has passed if they fail to share it with the public.)

9. Construction Report.

Pool was promised complete by October 1. There is water in the pool and it is being tested. The carpet and tile has been and is being cleaned. Construction work is still ongoing in the area. But it has been said the pool would be ready next week. (That is October 10.)

From the discussion regarding installation of glass it appears the Gymnasium will not be complete by the start of Basketball Season.

Verkler representative stated they have begun working with the Bonding Agency with regards to the Glazing Company. (Due to delays.)

Lurhsen insisted temporary glass be installed at no additional cost to the Corporation and the Gymnasium be ready by November 1st.

Lurhsen and Ferguson both expressed concern about Epoxy being applied in the building at this time. Individuals have told them it is making people sick.

Change Orders were briefly discussed, but costs were not shared with the public.

10. Drawings for Aurora Water Tower Easement with ingress and egress were supplied by Corporation Attorney Kim Smaltz. (Note she is also Aurora City Attorney.)

Resolution was unanimously passed to give Bob Rollins authority to execute the Mylar.

(This is the water tower that South Dearborn is contributing land and money to build. It will also raise Aurora Water Rates. This water tower will be in Hogan Township. Hogan has a water company too. What are the implications?)

11. Dearborn Community Foundation awarded a $750,000 Lilly Grant to help the three school corporations improve attendance and reduce drop out rate.

12. The Career Center has a promotional CD showcasing their programs. Mr. Book offered to allow board members to borrow it.

13. Enrollment report is complete. The ADM (Average Daily Membership...Kindergarten children are counted as 1/2 a student) is down by 62 1/2 students. This is a 2% drop from last year. It was noted last year there was a 50 student increase in the ADM from the year before.

Drops in enrollment at Moorse Hill and Aurora were noted. Also the graduation of a large class.

Daryl Cutter looked at drops in enrollment from last years freshmen class to this years sophomore class and etc. These drops were not large, but they were significant.

Both Daryl Cutter and Pat Rahe were concerned with the Drop Out Rate. Rahe wanted to know what reasons were being given in the exit interviews for the drop outs. Tom Book assumed the interviews were happening and the question was being asked, but he didn’t know the answer. (Reducing the Drop Out Rate was voted the number one priority of the board. Shouldn’t Mr. Book be exploring this?)

Karla Raab wants the Trimester Schedule revisited. The principals of the Middle and High Schools have been asked to bring information to the board about the trimester schedule. (Trimesters are very unpopular with many parents and some teachers. High School ISTEP scores continue to hover below average and so do SAT scores.)

Pat Rahe said we can do better with quality.

Karla Raab thinks a Gifted and Talented Instructor could bring students back to our schools. She wants the school to be best for all of the students. (In my opinion, One Gifted and Talented Instructor for 1,500 elementary school students can not solve this problem. Class size needs to be decreased in some grades and schools, And for part of the day, everyday, in each elementary school students need to be grouped with students of like ability to be instructed in Language Arts and Math at the appropriate level.)

Rahe wants our graduates better prepared to write. She spoke of a former student who thought she was well prepared for college level writing but found she was not.

Raab would like to see the formation of a school improvement group including citizens, teachers, administrators and board members.

Book dismissed the idea...saying it had already been done with public law 221.

Raab’s concern seemed to be more community involvement.

Gene Ferguson stated that he thinks that “overwhelmingly the community is pleased” with the quality of education South Dearborn is providing. His communication indicated that in our community the children are not capable of reaching that higher level.

Rahe expressed concerns about getting parents motivated to help their children. (In my opinion it is the school’s responsibility to provide a first class education for every child regardless of the level of parent cooperation, socioeconomic status or involvement.)

Lurhsen wanted to know what all day kindergarten would cost. Book said five teachers would need to be hired. Administrators acted as if the money couldn’t be found. Daryl Cutter said class size would have to go up in other areas. (They ignored the fact that the state does provide grants for full day kindergarten.)

Raab (a certified Kindergarten Teacher) said all day kindergarten is difficult for the age. (Several years ago the kindergarten teachers recommended a 5 1/2 hour extended kindergarten program. That is what our children need. They don’t need all day. Parents may need it for Day Care purposes, but children do not.)

Heller (administrative assistant to Book) talked about all day kindergarten providing more Art, Music and Socialization. (That is exactly was Kindergarten Students need. They already have too much ABC and 123. If our students are to succeed, we must be age appropriate.)

Bob Rollins (administrative assistant) said we need a little of all of these things...full day kindergarten, nurses in every building, and guidance councilors. But there is a difference between what we need and our ability to pay for it.

(Please don’t forget they just issued Bonds that sold at over 40 million dollars for a building project that adds no new programs and no new building capacity. The board approved budget has a $3.147 million increase in capital project funding and a $1.215 million increase in debt service funding. Before this building project South Dearborn already had more debt than 90 percent of Indiana Schools and 11 cents of every dollar spent per pupil was going towards debt service. The $4.362 million dollar increase in this years budget related to this building project could have gone a VERY LONG WAY to improve direct student services.)

14. Mr. Book told the Board the Wilson Center is an education service center that does much more than rent films and videos. It helps the school buy certain equipment and supplies at a discount.

15. Next Board Meeting November 7 will be help at 7:30 at Aurora Elementary School.

The public will be invited to share with the board what they would like done with Aurora Elementary School when the building is vacated.

Board members indicated many organizations want the building, but don’t want to pay for it. One board member actually was approached by someone who wanted to buy it.

(At the Tax Board Meeting in Indianapolis where the building project was given funding approval. A member of that Board stated the building must be offered to the township at no cost if it was acquired from the township at the time schools were consolidated.)

The board wants to make it known, there are “no done deals.”

(Prepared by Karen Loveland)

26 September 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

26 September 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Mark Mitter, Chairman, Jeff Hughes, Mike Hall, Jane Ohlmansiek, Robert Laws, Patrick deMaynadier (arrived at 7:25 PM), Nick Held, Tarry Feiss and Dennis Kraus, Jr.

Also present: Travis Miller, Plan Director, Mark McCormack, Enforcement Officer, and Arnie McGill, Attorney.

1. Nearly Three Hour Debate – and 156 Lot Subdivision is Tabled

Andy Temmel (Red Pine Properties LLC) with Terry Crouch (The Survey Co) requested Primary approval of Sugar Pine (previously known as Heritage Ridge requested under a different owner)
Sugar Pine is located at the corner of Augusta Drive and Stateline Road in Miller Township. Approximately 50 residents of HVL, Bright, Greendale, and Sugar Ridge were in attendance and many spoke in opposition citing issues with the connector road to HVL’s PRIVATE road system, VRUC not having all their permits in place and not having a treatment plant built, school overcrowding, and drainage issues.
Speakers included:

Craig Lysne for HVL POA, noting that HVL will put up a gate at Ridgecrest to prohibit access and does not want to turn that road over to the county.
Maria LaRosa – HVL resident- stated that Rupel put the paper road in so that HVL could expand onto that property possibly someday, NOT for public to access HVL.
Joanne Caudil- was concerned about detention basins in areas already having drainage issues and who will maintain them.
Richard Butler- att’y for Greendale covering for Steve Lampert Utility Director who was not available- stressed the permit status and that VRUC MIGHT have a plant started by fall of 2006. He quoted a letter from Jeff Bittner from VRUC June 2005 stating that VRUC will seek temporary capacity from the entities serving them (i.e. G-dale!) at SDRSD. Butler stated that Greendale IS NOT agreeing to transport. He gave pictures of overflow into Double Lick Creek and also the recent Katrina rainfall overflow into HVL LAKE! He cited Escherichia coli counts of 30,000/100 ml. (Legal limit is reportedly 253/100 ml). He went on to state that Greendale does not have the capacity to take this on even if they wanted to. They are regularly exceeding capacity.
Linda Mitchell- Noted that high density is OK IF roads, sewers, and schools have capacity. The eastern side of the county has issues with all three. The “need” for homes does not exist- it is really that Ohioans “want” homes here. She reminded Jeff Hughes of his campaign on property rights and that if the schools were jeopardized, then development would need to be controlled.
Bonnie ??? and Dave ???? – noted their issues were already addressed.
Stew Owens – owner of adjoining 21 acres with greenhouse and pond- wanted to be included in all reviews of drainage as it is already an issue for his property and this will adversely affect him.
Jim Maupin – read a prepared statement that he submitted for the record. Points included : The builder’s perspective- that it is good for the builder, that realtors make money, but that the residents will be stuck with the problems. He noted the traffic study on Stateline Rd rates it as a LOS (level of service) E on and A-F scale. This will make it an F. He noted that there is a growing group against the VRUC sewage plant with over 800 petitions so far.
Debbie McQueen - “This is a situation where you should ask yourselves not can I, but should I?” Sewage, schools, roads in and out. This is still only a one-way tract with HVL closed off. Stateline road is slipping on the hill. Sugar ridge has access at the bottom by HVL entrance, but this is at the top. Emergency personnel coverage will be difficult and traffic counts bring the LOS to an F with this.
Jean Aichman (sp?) – Safety issues- her mailbox on Stateline has been knocked down 4 times this year- the road is too narrow.
Robert Cannon – asked about detention areas and water pressure- especially if theirs is low now.
Jerry Jacobson- VRUC has no sewer capacity it goes through Greendale. VRUC has 3 realtors on their board and some if not all are employed by the same company selling this land! A package plant in HVL is just another pollution possibility in Double Lick Creek and will hurt Greendale’s safety and health.
Dave McKammer (sp?) – Roads, schools, and sewers – conditions are not ripe for development.
Tracy Robbins – primarily a personal concern about how close these houses will be to her property. Also retention basins and school capacity issues.
Public discussion ended at 8:40.

Tremmel and Crouch discussed detention basins, and Tremmel said he was not willing to do extra to get improvements on Stateline- he had already purchased additional land to get turn lanes. Tremmel said he had his letter from VRUC and they should base decision on it! [NOTE: Plan Commissions exist for this reason- there needs to be a board to apply common sense and be willing to dig for the answers, rather than just shuffle papers with some bureaucrat’s signature and stamp of approval.]
Mitter noted that they can’t- if there is conflicting information.
Butler reiterated in great detail the VRUC issues and also that Double Lick Creek runs dry often and VRUC will be dumping “treated” water to that. [NOTE: The implication is that VRUC ‘s history is less than stellar….]Board took a 10- minute break at 9:15

Plan Commission Member’s comments:

Kraus, Jr.- had no problem- thought they could get to the conflicting sewer info at the plan improvement stage in-house. [NOTE: What???????] also can get connectivity on a temporary basis even if gated- for emergencies only.
Laws- wants connectivity and a temporary turnaround as a minimum. “The sewer letter says WILL- not DOES have…” [NOTE: Laws gets it!]
Feiss – thought 1971 board had foresight in putting paper access there for HVL. Thinks the applicant has tried to correct previous issues, in favor of making it contingent on sewer access…
Hughes – sewer issues, road issues, may eventually get negotiated…
Mitter- narrow frontage and small improvements on Stateline there- but the impact is HUGE.
De Maynadier – thinks the application is deficient under section 216 – the letter from VRUC is not sufficient. He also noted Section 135 and the land use portion of the Comp Plan that states they should allow new development ONLY WHERE THERE IS ADEQUATE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE!
Held – sewage is a mess- temp road is a minimum consideration.
Ohlmansiek – sewer “iffy” at this point. Infrastructure should precede development! We need connectivity, but certainly understand HVL position on their roads. They have difficulty maintaining them now.
Hall – lined up with Augusta Drive now, and bought land to do so. We made it contingent on sewer before in Aurora. That doesn’t make it right though. He doesn’t want to FORCE HVL to connect roads.
Mitter- sewer big issue- St. Leon and Aurora had plants that only required expansion- so contingency there was different. Here there is no plant and “Plan B” thru Greendale is also NOT an option. Connectivity is important. The whole school issue is a joke- and not a funny one! [NOTE: SD Schools letter indicated capacity at ECHS but no mention of any anywhere else.]
DeMaynadier- An issue this big should be decided here- not passed on to Travis and staff.

Hall motioned and Kraus,Jr. 2nd to table for 60 days max. to get letter substantiating sewer and connectivity issues to be resolved. All ayes to TABLE.

2. Doris Bedinghaus’s request to convert a farm access to a residential driveway for her son on North Dearborn Road (a collector) in Harrison Township passed.

3. Proposed changes to the swimming pool ordinance to allow mechanical covers instead of fences passed with a favorable to go to the commissioners for possible implementation into the zone book. This will match the zone book with the building codes and state law.

ADMINISTRATIVE:
Focus groups are going well- for future land use workshop which will be on Saturday November 5th.

The first deputy position is filled- Karen Abbott will begin Oct 5. Her experience includes work with Ewbank Land title Co, Aurora Casket, and the county recorder’s office.

Meeting adjourned 10:30 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

NOTES COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING September 20,2005

I was unable to cover this meeting and Ralph Thompson graciously did so and submitted the following notes. Chris Mueller

COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING September 20,2005

PRESENT: Vera Benning, Rick Fox, Jeff Hughes Commissioners; Robert Ewbank, County Attorney; Brian Messmore, County Administrator and Cary Pickens, County Auditor

Work Force One

Jean Boyle, Department of Work Force One (WFO), Madison IN was seeking a signature for the new plan for WFO. the new plan reorganizes from 16 Boards to 11 growth Districts. Dearborn County is part of Region 9. The new plan is set up to start July, 2006. Ms. Boyle has been meeting with County Commissioners and Mayors of towns with populations over 5,000 to have them read and sign the agreement. Each County is to select an elected official to serve on the council. Vera Benning volunteered to be the elected official. Also, a business representative should be selected to represent the business interests. Vera Benning indicated she had someone in mind; but, a name was not provided. Someone to represent the County businesses or the developers? Also, the County has to decide to select a Procuring Fiscal Agent or use the State Agent to oversee the funds. If they Commissioners select an agent, they are liable; whereas, if the State agent is used the Governor is held liable. All Commissioners wanted the State Agent. Fox and Hughes had not read the document and the decision was held over till the October 4th meeting (Ms Boyle was trying to collect all the signatures by September30th). The board will oversee how WFO funds are spent to foster economic development.

Criminal Investigation Fund Shane McHenry, Prosecutor’s Office.

Dearborn County needs to establish an ordinance to legally continue the Criminal Investigations Fund. The account is a non reversing account receiving funds from seized property (under the Dept. of Justice rules from criminal activities) and using the funds for law enforcement purposes (buy weapons, communications equipment, etc., pay travel expenses, training, salary & overtime, reward money for sting operations, buy money). The ordinance will resolve a conflict with the State Board of Accounts allowing the Fund to continue.

The fund can only handle claims made by the Sheriff with the approval of the Commissioners.
Motion by Fox, Seconded by Hughes, all in favor.

Burns Road Stop Sign Mr. Leslie Stewart, Citizen

Mr. Stewart read a petition by the residents of Burns Road (and the school bus & propane delivery drivers) opposed to the stop sign added on Burns Rd. The sign is 60 feet from IN 48 and at the top of the hill. Mr. Stewart described a series of calls to various agencies (INDOT, County Highway Dept., Planning Commission, Etc.) with no one apparently knowing how it got there or why. Bureaucracy and red tape. The problem appears to be the Carney? Acres (CA) subdivision, which will add approx. 56 houses and 100 cars a day. The intersection comes into a corner of Burns Rd. Mr. Stewart suggest a “Stop except on right turn” or a yield sign for CA. Mike Davis indicated the signs were put up by the CA Contractor per the Planning Commission requirements for permit approval (PC required Contractor to pay for intersection inprovements). Why is a Contractor installing signs on a County Road? The Commissioners feel it is a poorly laid out intersection and needs a sign. Cheaper than fixing the intersection. Todd Listerman, County Engineer, will review intersection and sign options in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and make recommendations to the Commissioners. NOTE: Hopefully, action will be by County Highway department and not a Contractor, as happened before.

AFLAC Barbara Wilson & Vernon Wallis?

Ms Wilson presented Company information on AFLAC (Advertisement) and brief information on supplemental insurance benefit programs that could be offered to County employees (by payroll deduction and not paid for by the County). The Company has 9 products to sell and indicates a stable cost structure and portability. More information on their products and a quote will be provided to Brian Messmore.

Claims and Minutes Cary Pickens

No minutes were submitted
Claims were submitted for signature.

Auction Brian Messmore

The tentative date was set for October 29, 2005. No indication of what was being auctioned.

Land Use Plan Brian Messmore

The Land Use Plan is in the Focus Group Workshop phase. They are working toward Public Open Houses in mid November and referral to the Commissioners in January 2006.

Transportation Brian Messmore

Continuing work on the draft plan. Next meeting September 29, 2005, then an interactive Community Workshop. Working toward inclusion in OKI 2030 Regional Plan.

Emergency Management Office and Storage Brian Messmore

Investigating building for approx. 9,000 square foot of office and 9,000 square foot of storage. Messmore sending out RFQ for construction or renovation of building. Specifications by Messmore. NOTE: Practicing engineering without a license? Benning questioned Messmore further. Now sending out RFP for preliminary study.

Health Care Brian Messmore

County currently has Pinnacle and will need to proceed with Pinnacle for the year 2006. Pinnacle has two options: A higher deductible with no change in premiums or A higher premium with no change in premiums. If Pinnacle is contracted the County will be locked in for a year. The costs are currently within budget. The County self insures for the first $75,000 so excessive health care problems could cause budget to be exceeded.

Hughes was in favor of open competition for the Health contract. He was advocating a selection process through competition; but, the selection had to be made now to get everything ready for December 31, 2005. NOTE: The County (Commissioners?) should have been actively pursuing competitive bidding to provide selection in time.

Ewbank is heading an investigation to review all insurances for the County to determine need, level of coverage, adequacy and appropriateness of the insurances. Hopefully this will be done in a timely manner to allow open competition in the future.

Motion to accept Pinnacle by Fox, seconded by Hughes, all in favor.

Robert Ewbank

FEMA has sent notice to the County (via Dan Batta’s home address) demanding an investigation into a house constructed in the Whitewater flood plain in 1998. The homeowner applied for refinance and flood insurance review indicated the home was in the flood plain. The home is on piers and the homeowner indicated he was not in the 100 year flood plain (presumably because he thought he was above it?) and the County signed off on the permit without catching the problem. Mr. Miller and the Surveyor have determined the house is in the flood plain in violation.

Mr. Ewbank has tried to contact the FEMA Director ( who is in New Orleans), to indicate there are procedures in place to prevent further occurrences. The structure may have to be moved, torn down or a variance obtained. The cost may be borne by the homeowner or the County. NOTE: The County is the expert not the homeowner, will the County step up to its responsibility for its mistake?

Three new tort claims were submitted to the insurance.

Hughes

No issues.

Fox

No issues.

Benning

Annual Conference of Commissioners conflicts with October 18th meeting. To be able to award the bids for Sawdon Ridge (opening on October 4) the meeting has been rescheduled to October 11, 2005 and a meeting will be held October 18, 2005 with Fox and Hughes for Claims only.

Pickens suggested amending the Credit Card Ordinance to have the Department heads issue County Credit Cards to necessary personnel in lieu of current system per the State Board of Accounts. Bills on County business (and all County correspondence) should be sent to County office (previous misuse of credit cards). Action???

A signature was requested for approval of a motion of DCEDI to waive its annual meeting and retain the present officers until the next meeting. Since DCEDI is a corporation and Dearborn County is a member the request was sent. Ewbank indicated not necessary; but, would cause no harm. Motion to sign by Fox, seconded by Hughes, all in favor.

Meeting Adjourned.

Notes by Ralph E. Thompson, Jr.

Update on the Future Land Use Portion of the County Master Plan

Update on the Future Land Use Portion of the County Master Plan

The Kick Off meeting for the Future Land Use Plan was August 18th. Following that are 4 focus groups set to meet. The first was Open Space and Parks, which met on Sept 13th.

Agriculture will meet Sept 20 from 5-8 PM at the Lawrenceburg Library. Residential will be on Oct 6 and Commercial will be on Oct 21st. Both are from 2-5 PM at the Lawrenceburg Library.

These meetings are open to public VIEWING, but if you are not part of the focus group, your comments need to be submitted in writing to the Planning Office.
Summaries of each focus meeting will be posted online at the Planning Office website - http://www.dearborncounty.org/planning/

Members of the Advisory Board can access them there or request a copy from the Planning office.
The Advisory Board will take the results of these meetings and meet sometime in November to discuss the future land use map before it goes out for public input.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

DCRSD Board Meeting Minutes - Sept 15

REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT
SEPTEMBER 15, 2005 - 7:00 PM
215 B WEST HIGH ST



BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mike Hankins
Barry Pruss
Rodney Dennerline
Pat Holland
Brett Fehrman
David Enzweiler


ALSO PRESENT:

Lisa Lehner
Doug Baer
Tom Quinn


CALL TO ORDER, CHAIRMAN HANKINS Meeting called to Order by Chairman Hankins at 7:00p.m.


MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 1. 2005 MEETING

Motion to accept the minutes of the September 1. 2005. meeting as they stand by Mr. Enzweiler. seconded by Mr. Fehrman. all ayes, motion carries


TREASURER'S REPORT - BARRY PRUSS

Seed money balance $366,939.28

Grant money balance $75.951.81


OLD BUSINESS


EASEMENT WORDING REVIEW - LISA LEHNER

Mrs. Lehner will look into the need to change the wording of the easement and call Mr. Quinn on the second.


STATUS ON ENGINEERING STUDY FOR "BIG PICTURE" - MIKE HANKINS

Chairman Hankins brought to the floor discussion on request for proposal vs. request for qualifications. Mr. Enzweiler stated that RFQ will not obtain pricing information.

Chairman Hankins stated there needs to be a good faith effort to contact numerous engineering firms for this project.

Chairman Hankins received commitment form Lawrenceburg to fund the study of the county sewers. Mr. Hankins believes there should be a 45 day time line established to get this project under way.

Discussion ensued on what parts of the county should be included in the study.

Chairman Hankins suggested that if the cost difference was not great. the entire county should be included. Mr. Dennerline suggested this is supposed to be a county wide plan. therefore the entire county should be included.

Chairman Hankins suggested that a new method, pipe bursting, may be a way to save neighborhoods from being tom up while construction is being done. This may be appealing to the Hidden Valley area.

Mr. Baer brought an application for funding.

Ms. Lehner stated she has asked Lawrenceburg City Counsel to vote in 2005 for the district to be in a line item in 2006 and provide the acceptance in writing.


IRSDA ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE - DOUG BAER

Mr. Dennerline made a motion to send Mr. Holland. Mr. Baer. and Mr. Enzweiler to this meeting and pay for it. seconded by Mr. Fehrman, all ayes, motion carries.



FUNDING OPTIONS FOR SEWER STUDY - LISA LEHNER

Ms. Lehner states the need to obtain updated plans from GRW and to get a rate consultant. Then there would be the possibility of a 20 year bond bank.

Mr. Dennerline suggested the need to get figures for the Aurora Interceptor.

Ms. Lehner stated a letter of intent was brought up to VRUC and their attorney said they would be willing to sign it.

Chairman Hankins suggested having Jerry. Sam. and Floyd at the next meeting. Ms. Lehner will have the Letter of Intent ready for them to sign.


OTHER ITEMS AT THE CHAIRMAN'S DISCRESSION


SPECIFICATIONS - TOM QUINN

Mr. Quinn had specs ready for review. He needs to know where gas and water lines are run. Mr. Fehrman will set up a meeting for residents of Cole Ln. and Stewart St. at the Aurora Firehouse September 27 at 7:00 p.m.


SPECIAL REQUEST - TOM LAROSA

Mr. Larosa came to the meeting due to talk of a sewage treatment plant in Hidden Valley. Chairman Hankins advised him of the prior discussions on the subject. Mr. Larosa advised he and some others have gathered nearly 700 signatures in protest. Mr. Dennerline requested a copy when they are finished collecting signatures.


AGREED ORDER TO ARURORA FROM IDEM

Mr. Dennerline asked Mr. Baer to get a copy and fax it to Ms. Lehner.


ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Enzweiler made a motion to adjourn. seconded by Mr. Fehrman. all ayes. motion carries.

School Board Meeting

Notes September 12, 2005

South Dearborn Community School Corporation

School Board Meeting


1. Minutes Unanimously Approved

2. Policy Changes recommended by the Indiana School Boards Association. Six changes recommended. They read the titles only and approved all six unanimously.

Only real concern with policy changes came from Terry Luhrsen regarding injectible medications to be administered by school staff trained by a Registered Nurse. He questioned if that was really good enough. Answer seemed to be that’s what the statute says...so that’s good enough. (Perhaps Mr. Luhrsen would like to see RNs in all of our schools. I know I would like to see that.)

All policy changes were related to changes in state law. (Unfortunately I don’t know what they are.)

3. FCCLA Cluster Meeting Field Trip Nov. 9-13 to Hartford by way of New York City by charter bus approved unanimously. If trip is not funded by grant it will cost $315 per student.

4. Donation of $3,630 for Tennis Court Screens accepted.

5. Donation of $46.93 to SDMS accepted from Target.

6. Discussion of Disposal of Weight Room Equipment. The plan is to sell equipment to the City of Aurora for $1. Aurora plans to give to the fire department. Equipment is still being used.

Pat Rahe wants administration to ask if it is needed in any other place at South Dearborn. She suggested the equipment be placed in teacher lounges.

Daryl Cutter thought the equipment should be offered to all the Fire Departments.

The item was tabled.

New weight room equipment is ready. But administration has asked that delivery be delayed.

Administration denied Football team has not had access to weight room as reported in the newspaper. They claimed there was only a week or a weekend without weight room access.

7. Budget...Unanimously approved. They had the public hearing and a budget workshop for the board. (Perhaps the workshop should have been public.) No real discussion

8. School Calendar. Building Administrators recommended adding missed days to the end of the year. Terry Larsen indicated his plans were already made. His kids won’t be in school those three days. And the board or administration (I don’t know who he was referring to) would have to answer to his daughter for messing up her twelve years of perfect attendance.

9. Vouchers paid. Karla Raab was wondering about Character Education Supplies for Manchester School. She would like their program extended to other schools if it works out well.

10. Verkler gave construction update.

There was discussion about recess at the Middle School...Students rushed out of Cafeteria and sit in Gym for 12 minutes. (There is no way to have a safe and effective recess with 300 students in a gymnasium...my personal opinion here) Children can’t go outside due to construction.

11. SAT report. They did not share the graphs with the public. From the discussion, it was obvious scores are not as high as previous year. Verbal is lower. Math is higher. (This information will be available on IDEANET under K-12 school data. I don’t know how long it will be before this is published by the DOE.)

12. There was a discussion about Advanced Placement Classes. Some wanted to know why we only offered two. They think teachers needed special certification. (Maybe we don’t have enough appropriate subject area teachers in the High School for the program.)

13. They discussed upcoming teacher in-service. Poverty and writing for the ISTEP will be subject.

14. South Dearborn was one of the 19 school districts in the state that narrowed the achievement gap. (The poverty gap was narrowed. I think we can thank Aurora Teachers for that.)

Submitted by Karen Loveland

6 September 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

6 September 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Benning, President, Fox and Hughes.
Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, Messmore, Administrator, and Ewbank, Attorney.

1. Commissioners voted to deny all 3 health claims appeals from their Executive session.

2. Gayle Pennington, Treasurer- updated commissioners on tax collection. All done in house now- and should be in the mail in late Sept- early Oct. BOTH 2005 installments are due in November.

3. Pinnacle Advisory- Mike Kramer- gave a concise explanation of the health care cost containment plan. Council requested he do something to be able to stay within a set amount of money. The bottom line: There can be a core plan with decreased benefits or a core plan with increased employee contribution amounts. They are also working on disease management and need to know the commissioner’s preferences by October. Cost increases are about 9.5% per year- under the national average of 13-15%. [NOTE: Perhaps two options could be given- and employees could CHOOSE which they prefer- the increased contribution for higher benefits or the decreased benefits for lower contribution amounts. Many employers offer these choices]
Benning asked Kramer about possibly health insurance for “people who worked for the county for a number of years and were retiring without any insurance.” Pickens stated this would be for NEXT year’s budget hearing in 2006 to take effective 2007. [NOTE: Guess which commissioner’s term ends in December 2006? This is not a good way to reduce taxpayer costs. It is also a benefit that many large businesses are unable to continue to fund. It will also greatly increase the amount of insurance costs to the county as a whole, because the risk is greater the older the covered person is. The entire group then absorbs that cost increase in premiums. The county needs to stay in line with what the rest of society is doing.]

4. Health Dept.- Doug Baer- presented an interpretation drawn by Butler- their att’y- regarding 2ndary site requirements on old lots that they want to grandfather and require only one site. They are still reviewing all building permits and if they fine septic problems they HAVE to be fixed. This includes Section 2576 from the zoning ordinance.
Hughes asked about getting septic or sewage to the D-1 garage site. Benning mentioned pump and haul as an option. Baer noted that pump and haul could only be temp solution- for 2 years max. They have to permanently fix the problem and that would require acquiring more ground, as the ground there has been disturbed too much to be a good leach site.
Benning also asked about the County Regional sewer District. Baer reported that Cole Lane and Stewart St were small enough to try to fit into Aurora with their overflow issues, but that IDEM wouldn’t allow High Ridge- which was the REAL reason the sewer district began out there. He also stated there is a movement to have the county coordinate bringing ALL the sewer entities in the county under one roof. Funding to coordinate this isn’t available yet. Baer wants IDEM to allow them to fix HighRidge and grant a variance for overflows, which are intermittent- rather than allow continuous sewage pollution as is occurring now. [NOTE: Perhaps the money needs to be sought to bypass the overflow and pump straight to SDRSD in Lawrenceburg. Maybe the COUNTY needs to become a member of that.]

5. United Fund- Lynn Deddens asked permission to fundraise with the county employees with the option of payroll deduction. Contributing is optional. Commissioners OK with this.

6. Sheriff’s Dept- recommended NorCom for the security camera bids. OK with commissioners.

7. Bill Black presented the 911 new communications system- Because of a QPA (Quantity Purchasing Agreement) that the state has with MobilCom (Motorola products)- Black is recommending them for the contract. They do not have to bid because of the QPA. Ewbank noted that they should also mention health safety and welfare of county citizens and the savings on tower rent as they move the 911 from Pribble Road to the jail. Antennas will move to the L-bg water tank- for free. They save $30,000 on lines to Dillsboro and other outlying towns. L-Bg has committed $1 million- still need $48,000. Approved- contingent on Lawrenceburg’s money. [NOTE: There seems to be more and more ways the open bidding process can be avoided lately. This goes for “contracts for services” too that bypass the open door laws- as in the recent agreement with DC Economic Development Initiative. The government seems to be getting far less transparent in their dealings. On the plus side here- Mobilcom (Motorola) is considered the top dog in this business.]Sept. is National Preparedness Month- commissioner’s signed proclamation.

8. Brent Roberts of Butler, Fehrman, and Siefert (sp?)- passed out info on their firm’s engineering and planning services and noted his office is in Jeffersonville.

9. Lifetime Resources- Luan Male- asked to be able to resubmit the Owner Occupied Housing Grant as the state or the mail lost the last one and they had to redo it- Approved.
Hughes asked her to set up Catch a Ride for Logan Housing residents to get to the Logan Supermart. Male noted that they could call for service anytime.

10. Pictometry- Craig Wittmer- presented a slide show of aerial oblique images of land. This patented system could do the entire county for $100,000. He noted it was a great tool for assessors and auditors because you see more than the rooftops that an aerial orthogonal image produces. It is also good for 911 and GPS locations. He can be contacted thru Margaret at the Planning Office or Bill Black.

Claims were approved and minutes signed.

Messmore noted an auction was planned for late October including 9 vehicles.

Ewbank is dealing with a FEMA letter that was addressed to former commissioner Batta regarding 1 1999 bldg permit issued to a house built in the flood plain in the Whitewater River area.

Hughes asked about getting ordinance numbers on the violations issued by the building inspector, so people can read up on the violation. Ewbank noted they have appeals processes too.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

DCRSD Board Meeting Minutes - Sept 1

REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT
September 1, 2005 - 7:00 P.M.
215B WEST HIGH STREET


BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mike Hankins
Pat Holland
Barry Pruss
Brett Fehrman
Rodney Dennerline


ALSO PRESENT

Doug Baer
Lisa Lehner
Tom Quinn
Ken Schneider


* Chairman Hankins called the meeting to order.

* Minutes - Motion was made to correct the amount in the treasurer's report. and accept the minutes by Mr. Fehrman. seconded by Mr. Holland. all ayes. motion accepted. The correct balance was $366.939.28.

* There was no change in the Treasurer's Report from last month


OLD BUSINESS


* Review of Quinn Contract for Services - Chairman Hankins

Ms. Lehner stated that because this was a professional service it did not have
to be bid out.

The contract has the scope of services is in phases. The contract states it will take 30 days for completion. Design. Bidding. And construction management is included in the contract.

Mr. Hankins pointed out that construction supervision is not included. Ms. Lehner talked to Rick Fox and Bryan Messmore. Who both agree the county engineer can be used for the construction supervision.

Ms. Lehner stated the next step is to sign the Notice to Proceed. Mr. Dennerline moved to accept the contract. Mr. Pruss seconded. All ayes. Motion carries.

The Notice To Proceed was signed for all three phases by Chairman Hankins.

Mr. Quinn suggested there be 2 separate meetings for Cole Ln. and Stewart St. so pan of the audience would not be bored with the presentation/questions.

Ms. Lehner will look into the verbage of the easement to see if the district is responsible for servicing the grinder pumps that will be given to the residents. The suggestion was made that names for servicing companies be given to residents for if breakage should occur.

Special Guest Ken Schneider was introduced.

The Petition for Variance was given to Patricia Coghill with the request to forward it to Donnie Hastings.

Mr. Fehrman stated it will be going in front of the Aurora Utility Board on September 12, 2005.

Chairman Hankins stated the application to Rural Development says the district is building a treatment plant. Joe Tierney will amend the application. Mr. Hankins requested a bulleted list of what is needed to complete the application.


* Update on Comprehensive Sewer Meeting - Chairman Hankins

Mr. Hankins stated the political powers want a consolidated sewage system throughout the county. He also states he has been given the impression the district will be involved and primarily responsible for the consolidation. There needs to be an engineering plan for Cochran Street to present to Federal Representatives for funding.

Mr. Hankins stated there will be a committee formed to interview engineering firms to do said plan. He appointed Dave Enzweiler and Pat Holland to this committee. Mr. Enzweiler will send requests for qualifications to different firms.


NEW BUSINESS

* Other Items at the Chairman's Discression
Ms. Lehner stated the district needs to get on the agenda for the commissioner's meeting. Mr. Baer suggested the district come with him on September 6.2005.

Ms. Lehner will set up a meeting with Mike Sodrel's office. and will contact Brian Messmore to get dollar amount for line item of RSD.

Chairman Hankins believes the interceptor will be accepted by the state.

Chairman Hankins stated 2 more houses want to be part of the district on Lower Dillsboro Road. The second house would force it to become a main line extension.


ADJOURNMENT

Motion to adjourn by Mr. Dennerline. seconded by Mr. Holland. all ayes. motion carries.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Public Tax Hearing - Remedial Math, Anyone?

Notes from South Dearborn Community School Corporations

7:30 PM, August 29,2005

Public Tax Hearing

The first item of the public hearing was the Capital Projects Plan. I questioned the 60+ million dollar projected increase in Assessed Valuation from 2006 to 2007. In response, Tom Book (Superintendent) indicated it was just an estimate. It would be revised next year. Gene Ferguson (Board Member) cited plans for three major housing projects. He said he’s seen the plans for the projects and one includes twelve homes in excess of $300,000. He said 280 homes are planned. (Even if all 280 homes were $300,000 the total increase in valuation would be 30 million less the value of the land. It is interesting that this administration and board pushed through a building project with no increase in student capacity, claiming no population increase was projected. Now the administration and board seems to be relying on this increase in residential development to inflate the property valuation...allowing them to present a lower projected tax rate to fund the project.) The capital project plan was unanimously passed.

The second item of the public hearing was the Bus Replacement Plan. The Corporation plans to replace no buses. I questioned how money was spent from the Bus Replacement Fund without replacing buses. The administration indicated one bus has been purchased and another will be purchased.

I suggested the board and administration do a financial analysis of cost associated with school ownership and management of the buses. I cited the following concerns: the high failure rate of the buses at the inspection, buses sitting unsecured all over our community, the tire slashing of buses in Dillsboro, and lack of Kindergarten Transportation. Additionally, I shared figures from the Occupational Outlook Handbook that indicated the median hourly wage for School and employee bus transportation was $11.44 in 2002. The median wage for Elementary and secondary schools was $10.50. I indicated that we currently pay our drivers more than this. Owning the buses would give the corporation more flexibility could improve service, and may be more cost effective. I stated the corporate profile shows that South Dearborn has an above average number of square miles, but a below average number of round trip bus miles. Maybe this shows efficiency or maybe it is inadequate service.

I expressed my concern that one child at Aurora Elementary quit attending kindergarten due to a lack of transportation and another was picked up in a taxi daily. The student who essentially dropped out of kindergarten will be assigned to K-1 and then be retained in First Grade next year. This will make him too old for grade level, which in turn puts him at a higher risk to drop out.

Karla Raab (Board Member) stated she loved kindergarten. She’s a kindergarten teacher and would teach it for free. But she felt the pressure should be placed on the state to make kindergarten mandatory and then place more responsibility on the parents to see the children attend. (Ten percent of families living in Center Township do not have cars. People without cars can’t get their children to or from kindergarten.)

I pointed out that bus service is provided for the special education preschool and some special needs students are driven to and from school by corporation employees in school owned vehicles. Why can’t the empty seats on those buses be used to transport kindergarten students in need? Someone asked if the students live in the same area. (How would I know and should that even matter?)

Pat Rahe (Board member) said we should be talking about education not bus maintenance. I told her we can’t educate them if they can’t get to school.

Daryl Cutter (Board President) said people should ask for help when they need it. (That’s much easier said than done.) The bus replacement plan was unanimously passed.

The third item of the public hearing was the proposed budget. The budget will be voted on September 12 at 7:30 PM.

I cited a $429,000 increase in funding for Instruction Regular Programs. I asked if staff had been cut this year. No one appeared willing to answer the question. With an increase of that magnitude cuts cannot be justified. Tom Book indicated there are four more Prime Time Aides than last year. He indicated that desired class size for kindergarten is 18 students and class size for grades one, two and three is 21 based on Prime Time Rules. (This information is incorrect. The state determines the projected student teacher ratio based on several different factors. In the past Aurora’s student teacher ratio was under 16. Cuts have been made at Aurora. There are four rather than five second grade teachers. Both kindergarten teachers do have a Prime Time Aide. First grade classes are all around 15 students, so no Prime Time Aid is necessary. The second and third grade student counts are around 84 students. The rules indicate Prime Time Aides count as 1/3 of a teacher and can be assigned to a maximum of two classrooms. At Aurora the four second grade classes share one aide and the four third grade classes share one aide. If the corporation were to fully follow the Prime Time Rules five teachers and one Prime Time Aide would serve the each of the second and third grades. Prime Time is a state grant program that pays for necessary staff to reduce class size.)

I also indicated a concern that our schools lacked adequate councilors. The state recommends one school councilor for every 600 first through sixth grade students and one councilor for every 300 secondary students. (South Dearborn has three Guidance Councilors at the High School and the Middle School shares a Councilor with the Elementary Schools. South Dearborn ought to have at least two councilors for grades one through six and five councilors for grades seven through twelve. South Dearborn is three councilors short of the recommendation.) I indicated we have wonderful teachers, but they can’t take care of some student needs. We have children who have lost parents and who have witnessed the death of siblings. These children need someone more to help them in the schools. (There is $390,857 in the student support services budget. With our unmet needs couldn’t more of the 2 million-dollar increase in requested general fund money be spent on student services? We also need RNs on each campus.) Tom Book indicated the state only recommends this staffing. It is not required.

Other budget concerns included the $80,000 grant for the Area Wide Network. Rumor is the money is nearly gone, but the network is not operational. Some administrators and board members tried to claim they hadn’t yet received the money. Bob Rollins spoke up and said Servers and Software have been purchased, but the connection has not been made yet. It appeared a mistake had been made in seeking out a wireless connection. He seemed to indicate they are working on it and the project will be completed once the 2005 capital project monies become available.

Additionally, I asked how over $100,000 in Title II teacher improvement funds were spent. I provided the DOE financial statement to the board that showed the expenditure. The spending worked out to nearly $603 per teacher. No one answered this question. Teachers I have asked don’t know how that money was spent on their professional development.

I cited the net increase in Budget Request for 2006 from actual Budget Expenditure in 2004 is $6,299,588.45.

(I don’t object to increases that improve student services. I do object to increases that simply waste money.) Tom Book indicated that they present large budget increases, but expect them to be cut by the Department of Local Government Finance.

The hearing came to a close with no public comment other than mine. Of the seven board members I felt that Terry Luhrsen was the only board member to seriously consider my concerns.

Other business included the acceptance of an employ resignation who has taken a position at South Ripley, the ratification of the teacher contract, administrative raises, and support personnel raises.

At the close of regular business, two representatives from Verkler (the Construction Management Company overseeing the building project) addressed the board and apologized for construction problems that led to the three day delay for South Dearborn Students.

Terry Luhrsen let it be known he was very unhappy with their performance and indicated there was no reasonable excuse for the delay. He was also very displeased that the administration failed to let the board know the delay of school was even a remote possibility. He heard from parents that school would be delayed before he heard it from the administration. He suggested that school should have started for the other buildings in the corporation and the increase in transportation costs should have come out of Verkler’s pay. (It is good practice to include financial penalties for late completion in construction contracts and incentives for early completion. South Dearborn should have learned from their experience with the Middle School. That project was not completed on time.)

The only comment Rodger Ullrich (Board Member) made during the entire meeting was in support of Verkler. He indicated he still believed the board made the appropriate decision when they hired their firm. He said the firm had saved the corporation a lot of money.

(The contract with Verkler is somewhere in the neighborhood of $900,000 and South Dearborn is paying Schmidt and Associates around Two Million for this project. The Occupational Outlook Handbook indicated median annual salaries for Construction Managers in 2002 ranged from $58,860-$66,280. The median annual earnings for architects were $56,620. The middle 50 percent earned between $44,030 and $74,460. How much could have South Dearborn saved if they would have hired a single architect, who worked for the school...not as a consultant or contractor, but as an actual employee and also hired a construction manager under the same scenario? Additionally, millions in interest could have been saved if the corporation would have adopted a capitol project plan that made improvements and facility additions in phases, rather than one huge project.)

The final discussion was on finding ways to make up the three lost days of school. The final decision will be made at the next board meeting.

(Written and submitted by Karen Loveland, the only South Dearborn Citizen to testify at the Budget Hearing.)

Attention Taxpayers - 9 fold increase in tax valuation??

Attention Taxpayers, Parents and South Dearborn Faculty and Staff:

Please note South Dearborn’s Tax Hearing Monday, Aug. 29, 2005 at 7:30. This meeting will be at the administration building and public comments are allowed.

You will find the proposed budget and tax rates in the August 23 Journal Press. You will find the 2004 Annual Financial Report in the August 11 Dearborn County Register. Back issues of the paper can be purchased at Register Publication’s Office. It is important to carefully review these documents.

I am currently analyzing the budget and financial report. I am concerned that $141,341 was spent from the School Bus Replacement Fund while no buses were replaced. Additional concerns include no plans for replacing buses. Please note the high failure rate of the South Dearborn Fleet at the last bus inspection. Other transportation concerns include $391,696.84 of spending in excess of the approved budget in 2004, yet no significant increase in transportation funding proposed.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of these documents is the significant increases in estimated assessed valuation. The 2004 Documents show a 7.3 million-dollar increase from 2004-2005. The Capital Project Fund Plan shows a 12.3 million-dollar increase from 2005-2006, at $63.2 million dollar increase from 2006-2007, and a 13.0 million-dollar increase from 2007-2008. I believe these estimates are less than realistic.

I have heard no plans for any significant additions to the Industrial Base within South Dearborn’s Corporate boundaries. And, if the expected increase in valuation can be attributed to expected new housing, South Dearborn Schools will be beyond capacity and we will face the undesirable class sizes now plaguing Sunman-Dearborn Schools.

If you feel funding practices at South Dearborn do not adequately meet the needs of our students and community or the tax rates will be detrimental to our community, please voice your concerns at the budget hearing.



Respectfully,

Karen Loveland

22 August 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

22 August 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Mark Mitter, Chairman, Jeff Hughes, Mike Hall, Jane Ohlmansiek, Robert Laws, Patrick deMaynadier, and Dennis Kraus, Jr.
Absent: Nick Held and Tarry Feiss
Also present: Travis Miller, Plan Director, Mark McCormack, Enforcement Officer, and Arnie McGill, Attorney.

Two out of three requests for Ag subdivision lots approved.

1. Carol Vassil’s request for 2-lot panhandle division of Francis Estates on West County Line Rd in Jackson Township was discussed at length with representation from attorney, John Watson. 4 neighbors spoke in opposition, similar to what was mentioned in previous requests for this land division. (Desire to keep it large lots, open, drainage issues, bought their lands with understanding this was one lot. De Maynadier motioned and Ohlmansiek 2nd to deny. based on failure to meet the standards of Sect 165 of the sub’n control ordinance. Unanimously denied, chair had to vote to get 5 votes. (They did not prove extraordinary circumstances.) Mike Hall and Dennis Kraus Jr. both stepped down for this request.

2. Robert and Jane Statlander’s request for 1 lot subdivision (Spotted Horse Acres) on Bond Road in Miller Township was approved quickly. No public opposition. Archie Crouch representing the owners showed that all potential shared driveway options had been exhausted and Bond Road was shown to have no major traffic issues. APPROVED.

3. Paul Weaver, represented by Roger Woodfill for a 3- lot minor division on Chesterville Road was also approved unanimously. No public opposition. Kraus, Jr. motioned and Hughes 2nd. APPROVED.

Administrative:

1. Karen Rolfes is retiring on Sept 2 due to health reasons. Travis Miller is running an ad in the Enquirer. Travis went on at length about Karen’s organizational skills, procedures, and managerial capabilities, stating that trying to fill her shoes will be difficult. Rolfes has been with the Planning Office for 9 years.
[NOTE: I personally have seen the Planning Office both before and after Karen Rolfes was on staff. A good part of the success of that office in maintaining continuity and also in their technological ability to handle the increased development in the county is due to Karen’s work ethic and skills. The public users of that office will miss her as well. Her professional behavior and attention to detail are legendary!]

2. Miller was pleased with the public turnout for the Future Land Use meeting last Thursday. He presented the proposed Advisory Board for approval, which was granted by the Plan Commission. City and Towns have also added representatives to this part of the master plan process.

3. Focus Groups are needed for each of the 4 land use types (Ag, Commercial, Residential, and Open/Greenspace.)
Brainstorming with the board and Mark Neff and myself produced a list of potential citizens and professionals for each focus group. Travis Miller and staff will follow up on those leads.

4. West Harrison and St. Leon are still working with our planning office to get various levels of expertise to handle their permitting and zoning issues. McGill is reviewing language of agreements with them and potential fee schedules.

5. Sept 8 – Decatur County- Travis requested a rep to go with him to present Dearborn County’s report. Purdue’s Bob McCormack is presenting a land use video as well.

6. Performance reviews of staff were performed again in July prior to the budget hearings and Miller passed those out to the board.

Meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

16 August 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

16 August 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Benning, President, Fox and Hughes.
Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, Messmore, Administrator, and Ewbank, Attorney

1. Executive session preceded this meeting concerning a Med Ben appeal. Commissioners tabled any decision on this.

2. Transportation Dept.- Mike Davis introduced Todd Listerman, the new engineer.
Davis recommended that Paul H Rohe be given the paving contract. Commissioners voted to do so
A-tech (sp?) from Lawrenceburg was granted the contract to do the oversight and inspections for paving in the county on Davis’s recommendation.
Davis also asked for permission to go to Council for the following amounts of money from the 147 Riverboat Revenue account: (Commissioners granted permission)
$80,000 for stone to widen roads prior to paving
$50,000 for pothole patching
$14,000 for crack sealing in D-3
$150,000 to widen Sawdon Ridge to 20 ft throughout from N-Dearborn to SR1.
[NOTE: potholes and patching are maintenance- not special projects- it is unclear why Council has to be asked regarding those, unless there is no money elsewhere.]

3. Dennis Kraus, Jr, County Surveyor- talked about recent work updating plats for taxes and the county farm survey. Several issues surrounding some cemeteries in the county that need to be surveyed and fenced in Bright and Lawrenceburg and also some major work on the one at the County Farm, which requires $5000 to do penetrating radar to locate all the unmarked graves. Commissioners approved going to Council for that money.

4. Steve Walker- County Park Board gave an illustrative and illuminating power point presentation of the 5 parks in the county and their facilities and improvements needed. The 5 parks have 4 stewards- Scott Fortner- Dillsboro Park, Shawn Simon- both Bright Parks, Terry Stephens- Guilford Park, and Steve Walker, Gladys Russell Park. Park Board can be contacted at parks@dearborncounty.in.gov
Vera Benning questioned why the restrooms weren’t always open. Walker explained that with no staff really, there were maintenance and vandalism issues, so they were opened for events mostly. The master plan for the parks is also available for viewing.

5. Leroy McCluskey of Southeast Indiana Media Arts Center gave a presentation on getting a public access channel available to the three counties of Dearborn, Ohio, and Ripley. The county would need to approach SUSCOMN to provide the public access to get a PEG (public, educational, and government) station. Other local counties have these. They can also do public service announcements for non-profits. They do no advertising. This is supported by HHH and the commissioners voted to table it until Ewbank could review it.

6. Health Dept- will present at the 9/6 meeting.

7. Claims and minutes signed. RFPs for recording device cameras for sheriff’s dept. were accepted for the sheriff to review. HNB systems was $74,400 and Norcom was $72,611.

8. Ewbank noted that the county was being sued by Dorothy White in US District Court for violating her freedom of speech and some 1983 civil rights claims. Ewbank and the county hired Barnes and Thornburgh in INDY to assist in the county’s defense. [NOTE: This is over a sign saying STOP THE GREED- COWS AND HORSES NOT CARS AND HOUSES that she placed in her yard. John Maxwell filed a complaint against with the Zoning office. She was asked to remove it. Coverage on this issue was in a recent Register Publications front-page news article]

9. Bryan Messmore- County Adm- reminded the commissioners that he’d attended the Transportation Plan Kickoff and the appropriate paperwork was mailed, that there is a Future Land Use meeting at the adult center on Tate St on Thurs. 7-9, and that the budget hearings are Aug 29-31.

10. Hughes and Fox had nothing to add. Benning read a series of letters and meetings that were hopefully in their packets, because she gave no real particulars on them.
Drainage Seminar, Work Force Development meeting being subbed by Messmore for Benning who is out of town that day, CINERGY and DCEDI requesting commissioners to attend their meeting on Ag 17th (for what???), and the new cell # for the engineer.
Benning also would not second Fox’s motion to stay within the 4% guidelines that Council recommended for payroll. She felt that some employees needed more of an increase than 4%. Fox said he understood and wasn’t offended by a lack of a second from her or Hughes.
Pickens reiterated that it was a formality and Council does whatever they want to do anyway.

Meeting adjourned 7:55 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

Dearborn County Transportation Steering Committee's First Meeting

10 August 2005 Dearborn County Transportation Steering Committee Notes

The meeting was moved from the Tate St. Adult Center to the L-bg Firehouse due to paving at the Center. Representatives from many of the cities and towns as well as the county, OKI, INDOT, and a few citizens attended.

Travis Miller gave the background of the Transportation Plan and it’s relationship to the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization).

Bob Koehler from OKI outlined OKI’s role in the regional 2030 Plan and how it will help to obtain federal dollars and political support for projects, if we consolidate plans and gain public consensus.
He noted the public basically wants their roads to have three qualities: be smooth, be safe, and be congestion free.
OKI will not be mixing the three states as far as dollars go. It was noted that the timeline for the US 50 Corridor study indicates a finish date for the STUDY of spring 2007. [NOTE: They certainly are dragging their feet.]

Mark Seiler from the county highway dept. presented the draft version of the county Roadway Infrastructure Improvement Plan. He noted that the cost estimates for federal projects were more accurate that local ones.
The meeting was then opened to get comments and additions or deletions from that list.
Improvements to add included:
SR 1 at Belleview (where it meets Ridge in G-dale)
I-275 entrance ramp needing to be three full lanes (safety issues as cars jockey for position)
Kaiser Rd guardrail (already on list)
Spangler Rd.
Several bridges which are too narrow.
Woliung Road by Happy Hollow.
Consider NEW roads around Stateline and North Dearborn to divert traffic.
North Dearborn and the Dover area to McCann Road
White’s Hill
Schuman and Trojan Road- get real lights
Hyland, Kraus, and Ennis Roads.
Blister lanes and turn lanes on SR 1.
Convert Pribble Road access to SR-1 to a perpendicular alignment
SR 350 at South Dearborn.
Dearborn County needs a N-S highway. (or roadway- to get to Dillsboro)

Jim Ude from INDOT said they were looking at Belleview and Nowlin Road where the New Connector study terminates.

Anyone wishing to add comments or suggest areas needing improvements can send a DETAILED description of the type of improvement needed and road way to Mark Seiler at the county highway dept.

The next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 28 at 10 AM at the Greendale Firehouse on Ridge Avenue.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

2 August 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

2 August 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Benning, President, Fox and Hughes.
Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, Messmore, Administrator, and Ewbank, Attorney.

1. Bill Black- Emergency Management Director- got the signature for another Homeland Security Grant Application for about 25% less than last year. He also noted that on Aug 1st Lawrenceburg Council committed to $1 million to be used for the 800 MgHz radio communications system.

2. Don Townsend- Building Dept presented the final version of Ordinance 2005-10- the New Commercial Fee which was approved.

3. Lisa Lehner attorney for CMHC requested the commissioner’s sign off on restrictive covenants for the CMHC building as part of their HUD grants. The county owns the land that is leased long term to CMHC for the building. County is held harmless per Lehner, in this transaction. Ewbank reviewed the agreement and commissioners approved it.
Lehner also slipped in (THIS WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA) the revised DCEDI contract, which Ewbank said he’d reviewed and that the funding was already in place. Commissioners approved this contract. There was no answer to Benning’s question about how the dollars will flow.
[NOTE: This contract revision reportedly contains language making the DCEDI a provider of services to the county, thus making their inner dealings LESS TRANSPARENT to the public. In other words their books will not be open to the public, so the public will not know HOW THE PUBLIC’S DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT! It’s truly amazing to me that taxpayer dollars can be spent and the private entity getting them does not have to account to the taxpayers for those dollars. Though it is understandable that DCEDI would have to keep business negotiations private until deals are struck, it still makes me wonder why the DCEDI would be so secretive about their economic development expenses- as in detailed summary reports similar to what Redevelopment Commissions are required to file.]

4. Mike Davis- Transportation Dept. noted that Bridge 37 was finished (“the worst bridge in the county”) and that Macke Development was paying for the new light at Stateline and Stephens Rd.
Bids for paving were opened but not awarded yet.
O’Mara- $888,121.65
Rohe - $852,334.76
[NOTE: This is far less money than has been spent in past years (since gambling revenue) on paving, when each district typically ad $1million.]

5. Cheryl Lohmiller- Animal Control got her ordinance change (2005-11) so that meetings are quarterly rather than monthly. She also noted that they have a possible free architect to help with designing the animal shelter. She showed the brochures (designed by Becky Foster, staff) and talked about the pet cages bought with $10,000 PetSmart grants. Center closed Wednesday to unload and assemble cages and also do plumbing repairs. She noted that August Ladies Home Journal carried a story about their animal rescue efforts.

6. Edna and Paul Chase and their neighbors from Rumsey Road and Coyote Run in Manchester Township asked to have their road paved. Per Mike Davis it is on the list NEXT to be improved and then widened and paved. Fox went on at length about how the county wants to do things right and not pave until all the improvements (culverts, ditching) are done.

7. Byron Lewis- Timber Ridge in Miller Township- has a large problem with numerous cars parked on the street blocking the fire hydrant and his mailbox. Postal service held his mail at times because they couldn’t get to the box.
Road is private as Tucker has not had it accepted into the county inventory. Davis, Ewbank, and Messmore are to review this with Tuckers and render a legal opinion to commissioners on their options.

8. Claims and minutes signed

9. Bryan Messmore- Administrator- received permission to go to Council to get $1675.32 for Wanda Treadway to finish out the part time receptionist for the year.
Vehicles were requested to be donated to Soil and water, Moore’s Hill Fire, and the Building Dept. Bryan is handling these requests with a prioritized list of needs.

Pinnacle Advisory Contract for 2005 was presented- they are waiting to sign it, as there is confusion on why this wasn’t signed earlier.

EWBANK also requested permission to get an independent insurance consultant to appraise and audit the county’s ins. needs. He will get back to commissioners with a fee for that before they approve it.

Messmore reminded commissioners of the Land Use Meeting on 8/18 at Tate St Adult Center from 7-9. He also noted the 8/10 Transportation Steering Committee meeting at 10 AM at Tate St. also.

AT LAST- Messmore presented hiring the county engineer- Todd Listerman. All references were checked and pending his physical, the commissioners approved the hire. Listerman was not present. [Note: J. Todd Listerman is an IN licensed engineer (so the county can get $20,000 per year from the state for part of his salary.) He formerly worked at INDOT’s Seymour district. He has worked on INDOT projects in Dearborn County.]

10. Hughes noted that DCEDI asked about bringing in someone from Boone County to discuss their economic development with us. [NOTE: KY enacted legislation that allowed for a lot of state money to be spent that IN does not have.]

11. Benning brought up approval for Jim West (DCEDI), James Helms (IVY Tech), and Pat Sutton (DCH) to be appointed to the Region 9 Consortium per Mike Rozow’s request. As no one knew what Region 9 Consortium was, they decided to table this item. Mark Neff was going to find out and report back to them. (Neff is liaison with Chamber of Commerce)

The state of IN is disposing of real estate in the county along Meyer Road. Ewbank to look into this. [NOTE: This is related to SR48 and Meyer Road closure along the new route.]

Benning wants to get salary reviews and forms by Aug 19 to Council. Per Pickens these are never done, because Council does whatever it wants to do anyway. Ewbank noted that they still should do it.

Ewbank also sent a letter noting that the county would like smoke detectors in schools, but intend to comply with the IN building code requirements on this issue.
[NOTE: This is in reference to issues that the building dept is having with South Dearborn having sprinklers but no smoke detectors. It would seem that whatever system is in place, they still need to be alarmed to call the fire dept. If the sprinklers work, they would seem to over-ride the need for detectors, depending on how sensitive the sprinkler detection is.]

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

Are we finally getting a county engineer?

County Commissioners Meeting agenda for tonight (8/2/05) lists "Highway Engineer- Todd Listerman."

Dare we hope that after several years limping along without one, we are finally hiring an EXPERIENCED engineer?

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

25 July 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

25 July 2005 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Jeff Hughes, Acting Chairman, Mike Hall, Jane Ohlmansiek, Nick Held, Robert Laws, and Dennis Kraus, Jr.
Absent: Mark Mitter, Patrick deMaynadier, and Tarry Feiss
Also present: Travis Miller, Plan Director, Mark McCormack, Enforcement Officer, and Arnie McGill, Attorney.

Primary approval of 1- lot replat for Cooper Run Estates in Harrison Township off Johnson Fork Road was approved unanimously.
This subdivision consists of 31 lots plus a lot for access to the next property. It was originally approved in 1991 and is an Ag subdivision on 71.37 acres. No public commented though there were about 8 people present.
Once the access to the collector was revised, the staff had no problems with this replat.
Hall motioned and Held 2nd to approve. All ayes. Dennis Kraus Jr. did not vote- he stepped outside for this presentation as his father Dennis Kraus Sr presented the application.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

The Plan Commission approved a draft of a letter that Travis Miller presented with some slight corrections to be sent in response to the county residents who were informing the Planning office of their objections to being forced to hook onto St. Leon Sewers. Even though the plan Commission has no jurisdiction in this matter, they did want to explain their position to the residents who have been sending them letters.
Mike Hall mentioned that Mel Davis from Lawrenceburg Utilities had asked him if the county would be interested in becoming the central governing figure in the sewer plans rather than L-bg. This would not affect the St. Leon Sewer decisions however.

Jeff Hughes brought up the idea of an area Plan Commission rather than an advisory one like we have. This would include municipalities. Travis will prepare an updated executive summary of this- pros and cons- for the next Plan Commission meeting. Mike Hall noted that he didn’t see the bigger cities and maybe not even the towns wanting to give up jurisdiction. “They want our help (administratively) but they want to keep final word on decisions.”
St. Leon will be ready by early 2006 with their intergovernmental agreement on county planning services.

Travis Miller presented the general structure of the Future Land Use Map Committees and wanted to make the August 18th meeting at the Adult Center on Tate Street a kick off meeting rather than a working session. They plan to resurrect the advisory board for the master plan as a part of this and also have 4 focus groups on Commercial/Industrial, Residential, Agricultural, and Open Space/Parks. They also plan to invite members of the municipalities including their utility managers. Letters will go out soon for this. The plan is to have the map finished by the end of 2005 for recommended approval by the plan Commission and then the Commissioners.

Travis met with the US 50 Collaborative last week (cities, towns county council, and Bischoff and Nugent, etc) to propose a scope of services to study the land uses next to US 50 Corridor. The US 50 Study that INDOT is doing does NOT have Land Uses in it’s scope of services- they are only concerned with traffic flow.
[NOTE: This seems shortsighted, since traffic flow is directly related to the type of land uses that feed into the road!]
Because the US 50 study is stalled at the “order to proceed” stage, the Collaborative felt that this might be an opportune time to get this done concurrent with it. Lawrenceburg may have dollars to fund this land use study to the tune of possibly $300,000. OKI has helped considerably with this as well.

NOTE: The meeting on August 18th 7-9 PM at The Tate Street Adult Center on the FUTURE LAND USE MAP FOR THE COUNTY is open to the public.

Meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

Sad State of Traffic Control on US 50

I would like to offer comments on the sad state of traffic control on the US 50 Lawrenceburg/Aurora corridor. Though I have no formal traffic control expertise, I feel that my observance of the poor traffic flow conditions on my commute every weekday morning and evening for the last 10 years qualifies me to comment.

First - this isn’t rocket science folks. Lots and lots of cars go east in the morning, and lots and lots of cars go west in the evening. We don’t need a huge, costly study to figure out what the problem is.

Second - in consideration of my first point, allow a dramatic increase in directional flow by timing and lengthening traffic lights appropriately. Businesses may object; i.e., this may slightly delay an evening eastbound WalMart patron from turning left(!), but I believe in the long run, more folks would be willing to make the trek to these businesses if they knew they wouldn’t have to face snarled traffic (myself included). Feeder routes would undoubtedly face somewhat of a delay, but quite frankly, the only feeder routes that I currently see jammed are those used in attempts to evade US 50 in downtown Lawrenceburg.

Third - to take full advantage of the lengthened and timed traffic lights, allow large trucks to travel in one lane only - left lane or right lane; I don’t care. How many times have we all been stuck behind two side-by-side trucks that, because of their slow acceleration, only allow a half dozen or so cars to follow them through the green light? (Tho’ we all know about the success of controlling large trucks; i.e., Rt 1).

The cost? No studies, no consultants, no contractors = no tax dollars.


Richard W. Hartle

Greendale Council Faces Three County Based Issues at 13 July 2005 Three Hour Meeting

Greendale Council Faces Three County Based Issues at 13 July 2005 Three Hour Meeting

[Note: These notes only address issues discussed that are pertinent to the county at large]
7 council members present along with Attorney Butler, Clerk Treasurer Lynch, Police Chief Uhlman, and City Manager Lampert. Mayor Hedrick was absent- Al Abdon presided. (Jeff Hughes- D-1 County Commissioner was also present in the audience for part of this meeting.)

1. Annexation requests for three potential subdivision developments on Stateline Road. The room was full (standing room only) for this portion of the meeting. Abdon carefully lead this part of the meeting to insure all concerns were heard, even though the citizens were non-residents of Greendale.
Classic Properties (Blossom Hill) under Joe Farrugia requested consideration for annexation along with previous requests from the Villages of Sugar Ridge and Heritage Ridge. The County Plan Commission has repeatedly denied Blossom Hill primarily for road access and safety issues along with impacts to Stateline rd, which is not on any county list for major improvements, sewage access issues, storm water and the single entrance for 292 units. Farrugia seemed to change his mind from meeting to meeting on how much he was willing to do to alleviate those concerns.
Farrugia went on to say that this was a PRIVATE development and so costs to Greendale would be minimal- roads etc would be the HOA’s concern. [NOTE: We’ve heard this before- and then when they can’t meet their obligations, who bails them out? Even HVL POA, as large as it is, is struggling with costs for road repairs and sewer line maintenance and now a treatment plant possibly. The county needs to watch these proceedings carefully.]
IDEM has held a public hearing in the county concerning Blossom Hill’s request for a private sewage treatment facility (that would have dumped effluent into a creek bed that was dry much of the year.) [NOTE: Both IDEM and the county sewer board are no fans of private treatment facilities, particularly when public sewers are available.]
Butler gave a brief overcap of annexation proceedings so that county residents opposed to being annexed could understand their rights in this potential procedure. He discussed notifications and remonstrance rules as well.
Greendale is already servicing Sugar Ridge with sewers for phase 1 built to their specs and turned over to Greendale at no cost. Property owners in Sugar Ridge are not allowed to remonstrate against annexation as part of the deal that Greendale had for providing sewer service to them. The citizens surrounding these developments do not wish to be annexed. Some of them live in areas between the requested annexations and so they feared they would be included.
The Greendale Council consensus was that the cart is before the horse and that no decision can be made for any new development until the IURC issues and CTA for sewers are resolved over Sugar Ridge first. They also were adamant in their concerns that RESIDENTIAL annexation costs all the taxpayers of their unit more to provide services to those areas. [NOTE: The only way this can possibly come close to break even is if the homes are high end with NO KIDS for schools.]

2. Steve Lampert gave the SR1 SR48 Connector status report. He showed the old interlocal agreement to council members, and discussed the bat and soil conditions that lead to the demise of the first Greendale by-pass to an area attached to Industrial Drive.
He noted this new connector is NOT A BY-PASS and even the consultants and INDOT acknowledge that it won’t work as one. It goes through a lot of county land also. It also has ballooned from $8 million to $20 million estimated cost. [NOTE: And won’t get the job done for traffic- it may even worsen issues particularly at the 2 endpoints- Belleview at 275 and Scenic at 48.]
The US 50 Corridor Study is needed to look at this all comprehensively and unfortunately it is moving at “glacial speed” as Lampert stated.
Lampert noted the environmental study was being done and a huge bat study was involved. He also stated that the county was real favorable towards this. [NOTE: The county was favorable toward the Corridor Study- they want a comprehensive look at US 50 problems- they did not seem favorable at all toward the connector as it didn’t help US 50 traffic issues, potentially hurts Scenic Drive which is not adequate even now, and puts a bridge and hospital traffic too far down to be of help to county ambulances.]
Abdon asked me about public involvement in the process. I told him that there was a session at Lawrenceburg’s Plan Commission and then one at Tate Street Adult Center. The latter was an official meeting for public comment on the routes that SIECO Strand had already chosen.
Funding that is available for this is feared to be lost if we don’t proceed.
Greendale’s support is based on a desire to get traffic off US 50 but is conditional on having Belleview become 4 lanes first. Greendale will not sign if Belleview is not addressed.

3. VRUC for Hidden Valley received a provisional grant of approval from IURC for Sugar Ridge, where GREENDALE IS ALREADY PROVIDING SERVICE! Butler questioned the IURC board’s ethics and bias in this matter. [NOTE: I later learned that Parvin Price was HVL’s attorney in this matter. Price is essentially the guru for anyone wishing to get past the IURC….]
IURC apparently didn’t read or understand the briefs given to them because they decided the matter contrary to the facts as presented. In any event- it seems ludicrous that a city which has invested their taxpayer’s money to form a regional sewer district, then offers to help out a large COUNTY development like HVL, when HVL was in trouble is being turned into the bad guy. HVL now thinks they are going to go on their own. If HVL VRUC has to build a plant, and install lines, are they going to treat it all their or pump to SDRSD? There is a cost savings in pooling resources with utilities. [NOTE: HVL- though large- is not large enough to absorb the costs of this utility in the long term. The county should be concerned. The county sewer board should REALLY be concerned. The best thing for the county residents both in and out of HVL is to cooperate with the adjoining municipalities and pool resources.
Greendale is still considering their options at this point. Annexation of Sugar Ridge might make theVRUC utility claim a moot point. One would think that current service provisions would trump a future claim on territory, but perhaps common sense is not being applied at the IURC in Indianapolis.]

There were other Greendale matters that came before Council that I have not reported here. Register Publications covered this meeting- watch the newspaper for further details on the Alternative Plastics fire costs, the Greendale EMS budget and possible partially paid squads and squad billing, budget requests, and Rumpke increases for garbage pickup.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township

5 July 2005 County Commissioner Meeting Notes

5 July 2005 County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Benning, President, Hughes, and Fox
Also Present: Ewbank, Attorney, Pickens, Auditor, and Messmore, Administrator

1. Commissioners voted publicly to deny the insurance appeal they discussed at their executive session prior to this meeting.

2. Travis Miller presented info on creating the County Housing Council as recommended by the Housing Needs Assessment done in conjunction with the Master Plan. Lu Ann Male (Lifetime Housing) and Craig Beckley (Heart House and member of original committee) also answered commissioner’s questions.
The council was recommended because it was clear that several groups were working on similar projects in the county and a place to coordinate communication was needed. The council would meet at least annually. Benning asked about housing financing. Beckley explained the loans and grants available for affordable housing. Fox wanted to table it to talk to some of the stakeholders. Benning thought it was a good idea and supported the council as a means of getting grants. Lu Ann Male explained that the council strengthens the positions of each stakeholder when they seek grants. The council itself won’t get grants. Hughes wanted more time to research it.
Tabled.

Miller also told commissioners that the county is 10th in the state in growth rate and 4th in the Greater Cincinnati area .

3. Building Department- Don Townsend- presented the commercial fee schedule along with a justification for increasing fees up front, showing large volumes of plans associated with each commercial project. Fox wanted less categories and more simplification of the schedule. Purpose is not to make a profit- but to keep the department in the black even with the possibility of needing more inspectors for the increased projects. Townsend will get with Ewbank to implement the commissioner’s changes, rewrite the ordinance, and advertise it for a future hearing date.

4. APEX Benefits Group- Brian Elson- introduced himself and requested the OK to get county info to break apart the health insurance plans and bid for the business. He is essentially an insurance broker- and so uses the info to go out and see what’s in the market to serve the county. His fee comes from the company that the county selects to serve the employees. If they don’t select them- he works for free.
Commissioners essentially shut him down- with a “just stay in touch with Bryan Messmore.” They did not give permission to have access to the county health insurance demographics.
Pickens was in favor of having the insurance plans bid out. He also stated that the HSA accounts were essentially a wash- no real benefit from them in his opinion as only 1 person switched and 3-4 others signed up for it who never had any insurance before, so it cost the county $1200 each for them also…

5. Claims and minutes signed. Annual contract for brucellosis and TB for cattle through Dr. Hubbard signed.

July 19th meeting will ONLY BE FOR SIGNING CLAIMS – no other business per Cary Pickens. The next regular commissioner meeting is in August.

6. Bryan Messmore- Administrator:

Commissioners signed off on title to a car that was totaled under Community Corrections.

Letters for the Transportation Plan Steering Committee were sent- meeting on August 10th at 10 AM.

The one-stop permitting process is beginning with a realignment of the applications in the various departments to coordinate and streamline the process. After getting a standard application they will test this model first for a while to see how it works. Eventually they may rearrange workers and tasks to become more efficient.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM

[NOTE: It seems that in a county of just under 50,000 people there is very little happening that affects the citizens’ daily life- at least nothing that is being PUBLICLY discussed.]

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township