18 March 2026 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes
This set of notes were made from the videotaped Meeting. I was not in attendance due to a flat tire on the way.
Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Dan Lansing, Doug Baker, Tim Doll, Mark Dole, and Glenn Wright.
Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor and Andy Baudendsitel, Attorney
Title VI Statement read as legally required by Baudendistel
TRANSFERS:
Highway- (7303 Riverboat) Transfer $500,000 presented by Leah Bailey
from 7303.32962.000.0125 Lower Dillsboro Rd Small Structure #533
into 7303.32984.000.0125 Van Wedding Rd Small Structure #533 - Approved
ADDITIONALS:
Probation-Steve Kelly
$5,943-Wage Increase plus PERF included (2101Probation User fees)- this was a position from merged depts. She will be helping to directly oversee standards Jamie is highly qualified. Approved
$15,000 Education & Training (1238 Opioid Unrestricted)Working with consultants that put on leadership training on 6 month program to be better leaders and employees. It was beneficial to him and he is getting a reduced price by sending 17 people thru this. JCAP therapists, probation officers and case managers. He and Judge McLaughlin decided to do this. This is from the opioid settlement. Have $4.1 million - In restricted and unrestricted funds. Approved.
$13,500 Middle School Prevention Program-(1238 Opioid Unrestricted)- for Lynn Deddens- she is taking the Chris Herron and his dad was famous basketball coach. Chris played for Celtics- Sober for 20 years from opioid addiction. Gives this talk. Going to 3 Middle Schools in Dearborn County. It’s coming out of prosecutors office. Approved
Veteran Services-Dave Currence - we’ve seen 89% increase in office visits and even more in claims.115%
$29,066 Part-time Assistant Veteran Service Officer (1001 County General) - Approved
$600 New Mandatory Training for VSO’s (1001 County General)-new legislation is increasing training for 4 days so this is for travel to that. Assistant will need this also when selected. Approved
Health-Amy Rose
$3,627.43- (1161 Local Public Health Services) Local Government Match 2026 Local Public Health Services approved at a higher amount. This goes into General Clinic operations. Approved
$100,000-(1161 Local Public Health Services) Backup generator for vaccines in lieu of power outage.- They want it to use natural gas when needed. Roll back whatever is unused. These are state funds. TABLED until they get 3 quotes.
$4,000-(1159 Health Fund) Funds earned from Baby Steps Participation for Community Baby Shower with hands on education.- Approved.
$10,000 (1159 Health Fund) Oral Health Program for Youth.from a donation received from Soil and Water of $50,000. Approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
BZA Appointment-Andrea Shuter- Approved again.
Park Board Master Plan- Nicole Daily- printed the same resolution that Commissioners signed yesterday also. This supports the Park Master Plan for 5 years. Park Board will approve theirs in April. County Farm- 4 H still uses the shooting range. Archery improved. Solar for lighting also. Approved and signed.
Conservancy District-($4,200,000 1001 County General) Jared Ewbank & Paul Seymour
Resolution for Support and Discussion for Monetary Support for Grant. Ewbank pushed hard to get the resolution and money commitment. He had an amendment to make sure that the financial support is attached to this to get the OK from FEMA. The council held firm on not having the funds at this time. Without the county share it will reduce the grant by about $16.8 million. Without the amendment it just says that the county supports the levee. No one was prepared to approved $4.2million per Liz Morris. Ewbank said there were 4 things needed- interlocal agreement, formal grant award from FEMA. We know that you cannot do it now- but want you to pledge to find it over some time period. Morris said we cannot afford it in 2027 either as there is even less money coming in. Ewbank stressed this was generational project. It’s probably the most important project I have ever done. It’s life and death. We are scared of SB 1 coming out. Morris- SB1 has already been approved. Without the amendment it is useless for our meeting with FEMA- coming nearly April or May. They only give us a few weeks notice to get this.Three to four years from now before we ask you o write for this money. Ewbank says you do not have to have the menu in hand. But we might be on the hook for whatever the county doe not contribute. This is a 12/1 ratio - For every $1 you give , we get $12. Morris said when they did their 2026 budget there was a shortfall in LIT of $400,000. The county is in even less of a position to take care of anything beyond county government. We can only agree to an amount we can afford. Kittle and Ewbank talked to auditor and there is other options. There is $10 million in teh hospital fund- restricted. Morris said that there is $5 million. Not $10 million. This was a ONE TIME REVENUE STREAM. That cannot be all released before 5 years. Liz Morris was that it may be needed for county needs. There was discussion about why the rest of the county should care about the levee. Ewbank talked about US 50 and being to get out when there is a flood. Over 57 ft the courthouse, jail, etc would all be evacuated without a levee. We are trying to keep your nose out of water. In 1941- this was built- the 2nd most complicated system with relief wells etc. We need to keep these levees solid or we will have to shrink the cities and the county would have to move etc. Rep Erin Houchin brought this to us- as a perfect vehicle to get this fixed. How do we set this up to be financially secure into the future.
Morris asked how it would work if we couldn’t come into the funds. It has to be $4.2 million or nothing. Subject to these contingencies.
Baudendistel- The resolution is not binding without the interlocal agreement. It os also not binding without getting the grant.
Glenn Wright- What about flood insurance? Lawrenceburg doesn’t have to pay that. $4,000 per year and homes $1,000 per year for those outside the levee in the flood areas. He asked if some of stakeholders in Lawrenceburg chip in also. He knows that Lawrenceburg has paid for extra things like dumpsters, and amounts of concrete per home in the past, tuition, and so on.
Lawrenceburg and Greendale per Lansing pay more taxes than the township people though.
Ewbank- I live in Greendale, work in Lawrenceburg , and represent the city of Aurora.We are all part of Dearborn County.
Morris said again- that we will not have that money. Dole said that if the 4 entities are not even - he thinks that if others are able to put in more - he does not think it matters that they are even.
Dillon Liddle- imagine if the casino has to close if flooded. How does that affect the county?
Doll- strong support for the levee and I am not comfortable with that amount you want from us.
Ewbank- What number would you be comfortable with?
Doll- said he wants to see why it has to be an equal contribution?
Morris- we had this tonight, because it was a deadline- now you are say it isn’t.
Ewbank- We have the commitments from 3 entities and we are on a hot roll.
Jim Kittle- If the county does not give their $4.2million - the others committed theirs only if the county did the same. ???Then the whole project falls apart.
Ewbank- We need to see if we can get the grant. He had gone over the county budget.
Morris- thank you for auditing our budget.
Ewbank- backtracked— that was not the purpose for looking at it.
Morris- We have passed several LITs and we have been as good a stewards as we can. There are many number of things that go south in a county like ours. Like bridges going out. I am just a little bit taken aback about you saying you can tell us how we can afford this.
Ewbank- It’s one of teh most important things I’ve ever touched. We are not here to audit your books.thank you for giving us time to talk.
Greg McAdams- Conservancy. If we lose our accreditation- we lose our businesses and you will not see new businesses comes. You will lose tax dollars too. Then how do you cover your budget?
Lansing- I would be willing to commit- like we did when we did these projects. Jail and annex. I have voted other tax increases down. But I think I would vote for this.
Dole- We can adopt the resolution and we could amend the number at May meeting.
Resolution failed to get a second. Also no monetary support for the grant.
More discussion ensued. 700 houses in Lawrenceburg and 80 in Greendale protected by this system. So why do they each owe the same. The engineers say it is all one system. They want us to look it as all one piece. TIFs came into the discussion as the business and industrial tax base doesn’t offset the residential taxes. [NOTE: Is anyone here now beginning to see some unintended tax consequences of all these TIFs?]
Baudendistel said that commissioner (Turner) was concerned about a contribution number being binding when we know we cannot afford it. Dole- said he understands the significance of our responsibility. But no bad faith number. What number will we be comfortable with? If they won’t come to the county for 3-4 years- what can we do?
Discussion reopened to pass the resolution.
Ewbank - lives in Greendale, $36 million in LCD for maintenance? Yes. Ewbank- we took away the levee tax- never should have done that. ( How much did that levee tax cost and how much did it generate? ) Looking at the current problem. Want to have levees to last beyond
Jim Kittle- $1.7 million from Lbg on the lease of Riverboat plus $1,5 million in revenue and attest on the $37 million. The only way would be tax to have revenue stream per Kittle to Dole’s question. Used to be $500,000 lease but now is the $1.7 million.
Baudendistel- said he has not seen the signed version of the resolution. $4.2 million was contingent on 4 items.
Dole said- If we are going to pass the resolution with the words UP TO $4.2 million. He would not want to sign this- until it had a number that was realistic with respect to what the county feels is realistic with what they can afford. Morris also reiterated that they are supportive- but the $42million is not realistic for the county. We cannot come near the $4.2million. Why did they say all 4 entities were equal.
Paul Seymour - LCD Superintendent- Part of our grade for the grant is can we get the entities to commit. It is going to cause problems if I cannot get the full amount. We will have to find a way to work thru this- and I don’t know if we can. Me and Jim Kittle got a call for Erin Houchin’s office- this morning- and this is the most encouraged he has been about getting the grant. We have to have it ready when that call comes.
Doll said - he wast 10% of that number $420,000. He cannot commit more than that- not knowing what the next Council members will want to do.
Morris- We need to be responsible in a fiscally responsible way. She supports $420,000.
Paul Seymour was worried that the other entities might not stay in at their commitment. 25% is needed to get the grant. We have to figure out a way to keep this grant alive.
Baker- how often does certification come up? Seymour- every 10 years. It’s expensive this time because of the 80 year old pumps etc. Seymour thinks that whoever has my job in the future will have the same problems I have getting the public to understand the maintenance costs.We can put this in place to last 50 years or more now. After the phone call today- Erin Houchins wants to put this project infant of some important people. We would hope to start construction. It’s all about a score that shows community partnership. We have cost benefit analysis and all that. Letters of support from businesses. Dole wanted to have that info to the council. This will help others in the county benefit from that.
Glenn Wright. - Flood insurance is $0 now. With no levee - it is $2800/ year for a new home in Lawrenceburg. There will need to be tax to handle the maintenance if we get this done. Seymour- agrees. Everyone came together to build the levees- we need to do that to keep them.
Doll motioned to adopt resolution with adjustments and the number donated be not to exceed $420,000. 2nded by Dole. All ayes. Passed.
Council also voted to approve the $420,000 from County General to be held by the county. Doll and Kraus made the motion and 2nd.
Interlocal between Ohio and Dearborn County- Andy Baudendistel- This is the one that pays the Ohio County Circuit Court employees same as Dearborn County, but Ohio County reimburses the funds. Council approved the resolution and then the interlocal agreement itself. All ayes for both.
Morris thanked the Council for all their attention and time spent on the levee project grant.
Auditor- Connie Fromhold - Leah Bailey proxy for Auditor- Minutes presented and approved. Also the updated salary ordinance was approved.
Late Arrival - none
Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
