21 JULY 2026 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES
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Present: Jim Thatcher, President, Duane Bischoff, and Kevin Turner
Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney, and Sue Hayden, Administrator
TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE was read by Baudendistel as legally required.
OLD BUSINESS
Discussion on Citizen Review Committee- Duane Bischoff was appointed by Commissioners to be on the Citizen’s Review Committee.
How to appoint people to the committee. The resumes were printed out for the applicants. Solar is the first ordinance to work on. 6 anti 17neutral 4 pro.
Bischoff suggested they rank their choices each from the 3 categories of pro anti and neutral. They would ultimately choose 2 from each of those 3 categories. They have points for each of 5 categories to consider for each candidate. An alternate would be next on points of someone couldn’t fill the spot.
Baudendistel said that he recommended that Sandy Whitehead and Ken Gunkel remove themselves from the candidates as they will be overseeing MS4 permits and other items for the solar farms.
Chris Mueller- asked if that same reasoning applied to Commissioner Bischoff as he will also be deciding on the final ordinance.
Commissioners felt that they Bischoff was necessary to control the group and he was there only as a tie breaker if the vote was 3-3 in the committee.
Thatcher - thanked Sandy.
Sandy- said that she understands- but she is a citizen and she does have technical background.
Commissioners decided to try to get their choices and score the candidates before the next meeting. They can then make a decision at the next meeting. They should adopt option 1 to do the scoring. We need people to know that they are chosen or not soon so they can make plans to attend when they are ready. They voted to approve optin 1 for their method of choosing and scoring.
Update: Solar Ordinance Information Only - Nicole Daily, Director of Planning & Zoning- Daily said the PC decided to focus on solar first, but will continue to accept input and comments on data and BESS too.She will also be putting together the setbacks and what they will look like at various lengths. There are 4 parcels in the county that are at 250 acres. Can’t use 1500 ft because the solar farm would be too small- like 20 acres. Bits and pieces from Boone County ordinance.
By Friday or Monday- the Plan Commission will have more data to look at. Commissioner Thatcher wanted a timeline for each ordinance. If it takes extra meetings - do that. He wants the timeline for each ordinance. She will have some dates for the PC to choose.
Baudendistel got info from Bascom and Kisor lawyers for Franklin County - 140 ft from road centerline, 150 from non-solar adjoiners, 650 ft from any SESS outer edge and any dwelling. 250 ft from any cemetery. She will have 150 and 500 ft examples. Solar that won’t require a permit examples.
Bischoff asked about the experts coming to the PC meeting- Nicole told them they were brought in by Brandon Lang. Bischoff asked who was paying for that. She had no idea. They couldn’t come for July as past the deadline- but they could still have the 3 minutes that public gets. We had nothing to do with getting these experts. Its like people bringing their attorneys in - when the experts show for the August meeting. The deadline for getting on the August meeting agenda is this Friday
Update: MS4 Stormwater Utility Study - Sandy Whitehead, MS4 Coordinator- Commissioners asked questions about what a stormwater utility would do and what the fees were for, 5 counties said the fees were on the tax bills. Floyd County had another company that they use for this. If we get a stormwater utility- who would do the work. It would be hired. $45,000- $117,000 is the range for this job. They need a rate study. She needs permission to go to Council to get the permission to hire them and then money.
Amendment to Education/Certification Reimbursement Agreement- Took reimbursement off the title of the ordinance. There is a 3 year work period in Dearborn County required of they have to reimburse the county. There is. $50,000 fund for this. The applicants will sign the agreements from Jason Sulliivan whem the applicant fills it out.
NEW BUSINESS
Changes for Environmental Health Fees- Doug Baer said they are raising their fees incrementally-His Board approved that and it has been 3 years since they were raised before. They added tattooing and microblading to their fees. Bischoff said that fees were more than fair. They also will be effective Sept 1st to get it to the paper and published. Approved.
Final Acceptance Letter for Bridge #33, N. Hogan Rd. - Todd Listerman, County Engineer - This was part of federal aid. This is required by federal law. This was completed and opened last fall. Approved this and IC-639.
Todd Listerman Reported- INDOT - Governor suspended gas tax and they are going to make it whole per a letter they received. This may happen each month till gas prices come back down.
ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden: Update on Website Progress- thanked Nicole Daily for all her help. Whites blues and a splash of gold and green seal on every page. Cedar Rapids Iowa and Largo MI were other sites this company did.
Update on CGI Digital Video Project- Sue Hayden- thought Duane Bischoff would be good to do this to do this video press release. Here will be 4 - 1.5 min videos. 4 press releases. Gage Pace who used to work for One Dearborn and working with tourism bureau down on Walnut Street now- will be helping.
AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold -Claims/Payroll and July 7th Minutes- Approved
ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel-nothing
LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION: none
PUBLIC COMMENT: Ed Yelton- thanked Nicole Daily for her efforts. Took a vacation to Alabama and saw a couple solar fields and they were huge. I’m not against it - but we need rules before our time runs out.
Gillian Collins- came to ask for a documented timeline to get us to February and appreciated them getting to that info tonight. Was concerned about the experts coming as it felt “lobby- ish” to her. Thanked Bischoff from doing research on that.
Lisa Lake? - Weisburg Rd asked about the 2 removed from advisory group. Do they have to live in the county. Yes. Bischoff clarified that the 2 candidates removed from citizens advisory group came the 17 neutrals. So it didn’t take from the smaller groups.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Thatcher (getting emotional) on a personal note wanted to thank the Beacon and PG Gentrup for doing a story about his dad - a veteran in WW II. He was the only survivor from his squad.was shot in the back and left for dead under other bodies for a day. He managed to get back to to camp. He would be humbled and honored by this. And I’,m just a proud son. Then he quickly closed the meeting.
ADJOURN- 6:55 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
