3 MARCH 2026 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

 3 MARCH 2026 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

  Livestreams can be found @

https://www.youtube.com/@DearbornCountyGov-47025/streams

Video failed at 9 minutes but audio works.

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 (tabled until March 17, 2026)

Use of "old County ROW" / Dog Ridge Rd. - Dennis Kraus, Jr., Surveyor 

Use of "old County ROW" / Old Houston Road off of Bloom Road - Sean York

NEW BUSINESS

Travel Advisories - Jason Sullivan, EMA/EMS Director- Feb 26th 7011AM and March 1-March 2 advisories lifted- Approved. 

Circuit Probation Grant- Juvenile Problem Solving Court for $16,000- Approved.

ADMINISTRATOR - Sue Hayden

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims/Payroll and February 17th and 24th Minutes- Approved

Ratify Signature of CommissionerThatcher - Riverboat Revenue Fire and EMS Revenue Sharing Contracts- Connie Fromhold- Approved

Kevin  and Duane- Get community more involved in the Solar - get Nicole to report to them 2nd meeting of every month Approved.

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel-nothing 

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS:

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION: Todd Listerman- INDOT closing SR 1 south of Cook Rd sometime this month.This is for when PNS closes. Using an unofficial detour. So they can track any damages due to the excess traffic. INDOT video tapes the official detour. There will be NO TRUCK signs on the unofficial detour. Sawdon Ridge, North Dearborn, McCann, North Gaynor and Sawmill.- Approved to restrict trucks for 60 days from when SR 1 closes. 

Also doing bridge on Yorkridge in May. Also in the summer SR 1 has 2 small structures north of Dover to do. 

PUBLIC COMMENT: Bobby Rauen- Thanked them for supporting the moratorium on Solar Farms. Have about 2300 petitioners now. People have faith in him to led this. Part of this is to have a Citizen Advisory Board to participate in the ordinance revisions. He talked about how his group has done a lot of research already. This could take more than a year- should not rush this. There seems to be resistance to having a Citizens Advisory Board involved. 

Baudendistel also noted the plan commission is in charge of how that is set up. Will we have a meeting that is open to the public or with less public officials it may not be open to the public.

Rauen- What would your recommendation to get the public involved?

Baudendistel- Thinks everyone is taking a step back to catch a breath and there is no meeting items on March agenda. 

Thatcher- Nicole did indicate she would take input from the community. We will be monitoring this to when they bring a report to us on the 2nd meeting of every month. 

Rauen- Can we get a March meeting with PC to just address this idea of citizens advisory committee.

Turner- We cannot just mark up to Denny like we’re on the yellow brick road- but individually we can talk to him. 

Duane said- they  would see if they can reschedule March to get Andy there.

Sam Mortenson - learning on Planning and Zoning. Asked who is in charge of the group? 

Baudendistel clarified that the PC can legally create the citizen Advisory Committee. The PC is in charge of creating the ordinance revisions and then sending on to the Commissioners for approval. Commissioners could recommend to PC. So the PC has to decide about that Citizen Advisory Committee/Board. They can do this without Commissioner approval. 

Sam Mortenson- Are the Commissioners able to recommend this citizen advisory  board? 

Baudendistel Yes. 

Kevin Turner- reflected on what was done with etc EMS LIT group. Try talking with all sides to see how this will work.

Denny Kraus Jr. and Nicole Daily just showed up to the meeting. They both said that they were hearing that PC was being discussed on Solar ordinance. 

Denny Kraus Jr- Said this was up to them PC to decide. 

Nicole Daily said she wanted to present this to the PC first. 

Denny Kraus Jr- He is not saying he doesn’t want public participation.

Duane Bischoff -asked about anything that was his big before?

Both Denny and Nicole talked about several items this big.

Bischoff asked about being able to reduce the conversation to representatives versus a roomful of them. He also asked about the comments on social media to get input. 

Nicole Daily - There are people being afraid to speak from the other side calling some the Manchester Mafia. We are trying to steer away from that. Don’t want people to be afraid to come forward. 

Bischoff- Well then they won’t come to a public meeting either. 

Daily- But they will send an email.  

Thatcher- the decision rests with PC. They will talk to Nicole Daily.

Baudendistel- I know there is concern about only 12 months. But we already have a baseline ordinance on both solar and Data Centers. We are not starting from scratch.He s not concerned as we have really good start.

Kraus Jr. - I welcome the recommendations, but we ask that you let su do our work.

 Bischoff- get 2-3 from the Solar group- find others that are not necessarily pro solar- to do this.

Kraus, Jr- It won’t be simple. Another county did not recommend the citizen advisory group. Try to do it on your own. We are not going to make everybody happy. There are companies all the time. 

Turner- People still ticked off on.  group that had to decide on the LIT money.

Commissioners decided to monitor the progress as discussed earlier and let the PC do their job. 

Thatcher- If any one else steps forward, I am going to shoot them. I am only kidding. Is there any other public comment?Tried  to adjourn.

Chris Mueller- Only have a short comment- If you want a model of Citizens Advisory Committee -you can look at the Master Plan from 2004- the way that board was decided, was not by just using people that had done research. They picked people from each of the townships in the county to sit on other to try to get a cross-section of everybody in the county. There were people who were really interested in the master plan and also people who were just representing their townships and maybe had 2 from more populated areas. 

Thatcher -All right - thank you- anyone else? Asked for adjournment. 

ADJOURN- 9:15 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

AGENDA- 3 March 2026 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting

                                                         Livestreams can be found @

https://www.youtube.com/@DearbornCountyGov-47025/streams

AGENDA

DEARBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

March 3, 2026 

8:30 a.m. Henry Dearborn Room

Dearborn County Government Center

165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE

VI. OLD BUSINESS (tabled until March 17, 2026)

• Use of "old County ROW" / Dog Ridge Rd. - Dennis Kraus, Jr., Surveyor 
• Use of "old County ROW" / Old Houston Road off of Bloom Road - Sean York

V. NEW BUSINESS

• Travel Advisories - Jason Sullivan, EMA/EMS Director

• Circuit Probation Grant

VI. ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden

VII. AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold

• Claims/Payroll/Minutes
• Ratify Signature - Riverboat Revenue Sharing Contracts

VIII. ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel

IX. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

X. LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION

XI. PUBLIC COMMENT

XII. ADJOURN

25 February 2026 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes

 25 February 2026 Dearborn County Redevelopment Meeting Notes

Present: Jim Deaton, Chairman, Dennis Kraus,Jr.,Tom Tepe, Trevor Bischoff, Jordan Hoffman, Doug Baker 

ABSENT:Jim Mansfield and Daryl Cutter (non- voting school board member)

Also present: Sue Hayden, county administrator and minute taker, Anthony Smart, attorney, Connie Fromhold, Auditor and DCRC treasurer and Mike Perleberg, One Dearborn.

Title VI statement read as legally required.

This meeting was preceded by an executive session at 5 PM that ended at 6.

Executive session was called for discussion of strategy with respect to a real property transaction including a lease as lessee, a transfer, an exchange, or a sale by the governing body to to the time a contract or option is executed by the parties.

For interviews and negotiations with industrial or commercial prospects by a governing body of a political subdivision.

To have communications with an attorney that are subject to attorney client privilege.

Certification of Executive session- Board certified that they only discussed what was advertised.

Action on executive session - Trevor Bischoff- motioned that the commission authorize the Board of Directors, staff, and counsel to move forward with appropriate preliminary steps related to a potential real estate matter with the understanding that any required approvals final decision will be brought back to a to the commission in a public meeting and handled in accordance with applicable law.  Jordan Hoffman seconded. APPROVED

HOUSEKEEPING: 

Claims: $17,370.04 approved for the following:

Ewan Law $1325 for 1/9/24 thru 5/17/24

Bayer Becker $6,815.00 for Task 5B permitting and certified surveying Task 8 Clay TIF and attending meeting

Bayer Becker-$4030.04 for Task 5B permitting and certified survey, attending meeting and advertising

Jeffrey Thomas- $1200 for 2 surveys ($600 each)

Pillar Valuation $4,000 for 2 surveys at $2,000 each

Election of Officers for 2026

Hoffman motioned and Bischoff 2nded to reopen the election of officers. Approved to do that after discussion. Tepe said he was not prepared to do that and hadn’t  had the to think about it

Deaton wants there to be full board to vote.

Hoffman and Bischoff stated that they wanted to get the officers settled as they were now 2 full months into 2026.

Hoffman nominated Trevor Bischoff, Kraus 2nd

Tepe nominated Jim Deaton. No 2nd 

Deaton took the vote then starting with Baker

Baker, Tepe, and Deaton voted for Deaton.

Kraus, Hoffman and Bischoff voted for Bischoff

Tie vote again- questions about Roberts Rules of order.

Questions about the chairman voting if there was not a tie. Anthony Smart- attorney said Deaton can vote for himself. 

Will revisit election at the March 9th meeting per Deaton. 

Deaton brought up an LOI- Letter of intent-  for Project Fork. Board Approved. 

PUBLIC COMMENT- none

ADJOURNED 6:10 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

24 FEBRUARY 2026 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING NOTES

 24 FEBRUARY 2026 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING NOTES

  Livestreams can be found @

https://www.youtube.com/@DearbornCountyGov-47025/streams

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.

Andy Baudendiatel- Had already produced the certified favorable recommendations of the Planning Commission for a  one year moratorium on both Solar Farms and Data Centers. All three Commissioners had been present at last night’s Plan Commission meeting. The following ordinance is the result of last night’s recommendation. 

Duane Bischoff said it was great seeing the public  come out for this last night. Kevin Turner said- there was a lot of work ahead on this too. 

Commissioners Approved the following ordinance.  They also asked Nicole Daily to report each month to them on the status of the Zoning Ordinances on Solar and on Data Centers. There will be nothing solar on the March PC agenda. There will be info gathered on the PZ website and they will be categorized by topic - such as setbacks, for example. Those will be biweekly reports. They will try to incorporate workshops after April to incorporate suggestions. There will be community involve,emt before a draft is drawn up. We need to see all the concerns of both sides per Bischoff. April 27th at 6 PM is the PC meeting that will discuss some of this. No commercial solar applications will be accepted during the moratorium. The ordinance accepted and signed by Commissioners is below: 

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA

ORDINANCE 2026--_____

ORDINANCE ADOPTING A STRATEGIC MORATORIUM ON 

CERTAIN PROCESSES OF THE DEARBORN COUNTY ZONING ORDINANCE

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County, Indiana, as the executive and legislative body of Dearborn County have the power to adopt ordinances relating to the administration of Dearborn County government, including zoning matters governed by Indiana Code § 36-7-4; 

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners seeks to foster desirable growth in an orderly and well-considered manner within Dearborn County; 

WHEREAS, Dearborn County adopted Article 19 of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance pertaining to “Solar Energy Systems” on the 7^th day of September, 2021 upon the Favorable Recommendation of the Dearborn County Advisory Plan Commission; 

WHEREAS, since the adoption of Article 19, legislative changes at both the Federal and State level as to solar energy systems, as well as State legislation that is currently pending that may impact local regulation, and numerous concerns raised by citizens of Dearborn County resulted in the Dearborn County Advisory Plan Commission holding a Public Hearing on the 23^rd day of February, 2026 to consider a citizen request that a moratorium on all processes related to Solar Energy Systems – Commercial (SES-C), as defined by Article 19, Section 1902 and also including battery storage facilities associated with SES-C’s, as outlined in Article 19, be put in place for a period of time not to exceed one (1) year, with said moratorium to include the acceptance and processing of any SES-C applications under Article 19 as currently written;

WHEREAS, additionally, the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance does not explicitly address “data centers” and the construction of the same would require applying for a Variance of Use through the Dearborn County Board of Zoning Appeals.  Additionally, there is State legislation currently pending that may impact local regulation of “data centers”;

WHEREAS, the Planning & Zoning Department is drafting an Ordinance to address “data centers” and, in the interim, has recommended that a moratorium on the processing of Variance of Use applications for the construction of any “data centers” be put into place until such time as the “data centers” Ordinance may be finalized.  For the purposes of the moratorium request, a “data center” is defined as: “A facility used primarily for the storage, management, processing, and transmission of digital data and that houses computer or network equipment, systems, servers, appliances, and other associated components related to digital data storage, processing, and related operations.  Data center uses include data storage facilities, server farms, artificial intelligence training or processing, image processing, cloud computing, email servicing, and similar uses.”;

WHEREAS, at the conclusion of said Public Hearing, the Advisory Plan Commission did, by a vote of _____ in Favor, _____ Opposed, and _____ Abstaining, vote to forward a Favorable  /  Unfavorable  /  No Recommendation to the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners as to the adoption of this Ordinance which would put in place a moratorium on all processes related to SES-C’s, as defined in Article 19, Section 1902 of the Zoning Ordinance and including battery storage facilities associated with SES-C’s, as outlined in Article 19 of the Zoning Ordinance, for a period of time not to exceed one (1) year, with said moratorium to include the acceptance and processing of any SES-C applications under Article 19 as currently written; 

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners seek to ensure that Dearborn County utilizes the most recent Federal and State standards, best practices, and the most up-to-date information that has developed since Article 19 of the Zoning Ordinance was adopted; 

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners believe that a strategic moratorium on the processes outlined in Article 19 for SES-C’s, including the acceptance and processing of applications related to the development of SES-C projects including battery storage facilities associated with SES-C’s, is necessary to ensure that Article 19 of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance aligns Federal and State regulations including, but not necessarily limited to, Indiana Code 8-1-42 and any pending legislation that may be adopted, and incorporates the most recent best practices associated with SES-C installations, their construction, maintenance, and decommissioning;

WHEREAS, at the conclusion of said Public Hearing, the Advisory Plan Commission also did, by a vote of _____ in Favor, _____ Opposed, and _____ Abstaining, vote to forward a Favorable  /  Unfavorable  /  No Recommendation to the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners as to the adoption of this Ordinance which would put in place a moratorium on the processing of applications for a Variance of Use under the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance for the construction of any “data center”, as defined herein, for a period of time not to exceed one (1) year;

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners believe that a strategic moratorium on the processing of applications to obtain a Variance of Use in order to construct a “data center” is necessary to ensure that “data centers” are thoughtfully and reasonably regulated in the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance, that Federal and State regulations, both currently in place and pending legislation that may be enacted, may be incorporated into Dearborn County regulations, and that citizen concerns are properly taken into account prior to the construction of any “data center” in Dearborn County; and

WHEREAS, the recommendation of the Advisory Plan Commission has been certified to the Board of Commissioners as required by Indiana Code § 36-7-4-605 and -607.5.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County, Indiana, as follows:

 

1. A moratorium shall be, and hereby is, enacted within Dearborn County commencing on the 25^th day of February, 2026, as to those rules and regulations contained in Article 19 of the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance pertaining to the filing, processing, review, and/or acceptance of all applications related to Solar Energy Systems – Commercial (SES-C) as defined by Article 19, Section 1902 and including battery storage facilities associated with SES-C’s, under Article 19 of the Zoning Ordinance as currently written.  Said strategic moratorium as to processes related to SES-C applications under Article 19 of the Zoning Ordinance, including the acceptance and processing of any SES-C application under Article 19 as currently written, shall remain in full force and effect until no later than February 24, 2027, unless said moratorium is terminated by the Board of Commissioners prior to this date.

2. A moratorium shall be, and hereby is, enacted within Dearborn County commencing on the 25^th day of February, 2026, as to those rules and regulations contained in the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance pertaining to the filing, processing, review, and/or acceptance of all new applications for a Variance of Use related to the construction of a “data center”, as the same is defined herein.  Said strategic moratorium as to Variance of Use applications under the Zoning Ordinance for the construction of a “data center” shall remain in full force and effect until no later than February 24, 2027, unless said moratorium is terminated by the Board of Commissioners prior to this date.

3. An EMERGENCY is declared for this Ordinance and it shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners.

ALL OF WHICH IS ORDAINED by the Board of Commissioners of Dearborn County, Indiana this the _____ day of _______________, 2026.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA

______________________________ ______________________________

JIM THATCHER, President DUANE BISCHOFF, Member

______________________________

KEVIN TURNER, Member

ATTEST:

______________________________

CONNIE FROMHOLD

County Auditor

I affirm, under penalties for perjury, that I have taken reasonable care to redact each Social Security number in this document, unless required by law. /s/ Andrew D. Baudendistel

This Ordinance prepared by:  Andrew D. Baudendistel #28212-15, County Attorney, VOTAW & SCHWARZ, 60 East High Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025.  Phone (812) 537-4500.  Fax (812) 539-4500.

ADJOURN- 6:13 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township