6 December 2004 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

6 December 2004 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Dan Batta, Acting Chairman, Karen Shell, and Vera Benning. Also present: Cary Pickens, Auditor, Lisa Lehner, Attorney, and Lorie Howard, Administrator.

1. Bill Ewbank-Veterans Service – reported briefly that the hospital has agreed to schedule veteran’s tests at times more appropriate to the hours they can be driven to their appointments.

2. Bill Black- Emergency Management - reported that he is working on a draft copy of the tri-sate agreement and that OKI was getting survey results to them soon. They received a $34,483 Homeland security Grant for the Sheriff’s dept. on fingerprinting equipment. He also presented a $8184 HAZMAT contract.

3. Mary Burris –CASA – Received approval on the CASA proposed grant distributions.

4. Mike Davis – Transportation – Gave the road slip lists to the commissioners- same as what he gave Council. Commissioners approved $76,960 and a potential $11,970 for guardrail out of the 147 account.
White’s Hill – road bed is cut in, slipping bank is shored up. They are putting gravel in and hope that they’ll get 2 days of no-rain to pave. In spring they will finish the culvert at the top f the hill. Sewer lines are protested.
Phase 2 paving is proceeding. Rohe Paving has had some slow down due to rainy weather. Still need to do North Hogan from SR48 to Hogan Hill, Shangri La sub’n, Probst Road outside Wilmington and the street by Hogan Fire Dept.
Line striping is waiting on weather also.
Three sets of subdivision roads were accepted by commissioners into the county maintenance lists: 350 ft of Piper’s Landing, 694 feet on two road in Deer Trails off Priest Rd. (Reids Lane and Curtis Court), and 1720.18 ft. of Fox Chase Sub’n.
Documentation and plats etc. will be completed and recorded per Mark Seiler.
Highway maintenance is proceeding in all districts with ditching to keep water off roads this winter. Bridge crew is trying to get the West Laughery Bridge in. Bills are being paid out for the year, and they are working on next year’s road plan with the new commissioners and Vera Benning. There will probably be more maintenance than paving next year.

5. Travis Miller- Planning and Zoning – Housing Assessment Study was presented by Scott Burgins. (100 pages with a 9-page summary). He recommends starting a Housing Council to keep the plan alive and updated. Info of interest:
1990-2000 there was 19 % growth in Dearborn County- twice the state average and 12th fastest growing county in the state. Surveyed houses for sale in Dearborn County: $184,000 was the average price. 30% of homes are under $150,000. 5% are under $100,000. Average rent in the county was $508/month.
Realtors and developers reported that lots used to go for $15-20,000 and now are priced in the $40-60,000 range.
Travis Miller (Planning director) and Ellen Davis (Lifetime Resources) were a big help on the study.
Suggestions included starting a splash project to keep interest high- such as THE YEAR OF THE HOUSE. Also suggested a Housing University to bring community services together rather than duplicating them. Example: Combining the Home Ownership Classes by the Extension Office and Lifetime Resources.
A Landlord Expo- to improve the conditions of rental housing.
The Fair Housing Ordinance was approved as required by the IFA. Enforcement will occur via the Ind. Civil Rights Commission, as referred by the CEO of the Commissioners (who may delegate Lorie Howard as the contact locally)
Travis Miller also presented the Comprehensive Plan copy to the commissioners- hot off the presses.
Vera Benning was concerned about checking out the criteria of the proposed board appointments before appointing anyone to the Plan Commission. No more than 3 members can be of any one party. [Note: Currently of 5 slots there are 2 Republicans (Feiss and de Maynadier), 1 Democrat (Hall), and one Independent (Rick Pope), with one seat open.]
Commissioners reappointed Rick Pope to the Plan Commission for 4 years. Benning noted that Pope had served well in the past and Shell concurred.
Karen Shell motioned and Vera Benning would not 2nd Jane Ohlmansiek as the replacement for Dave Schmidtgoesling’s seat on the Plan commission. Batta 2nded it and Ohlmansiek was approved with Vera Benning voting Nay.
They will have to find a citizen to fill and empty citizen spot on the BZA. Ohlmansiek is slated to be on BOTH boards.

6. Lorie Howard- County Administrator –
Mike Kraemer of Pinnacle presented the renewal proposals for employee health plans. United of Omaha was approved to help with keeping outlining claims in line.
Brett Dodd of RQAW gave a presentation of the jail and courthouse space needs. See the notes under the previous Council meeting in November- it was the same presentation. They have done some further work on the juvenile center’s needs also with Judge Humphrey and Lorie Patton and Steve Bradley.
Contracts (3 year) for fire and EMS with the city of Harrison were approved unanimously. It was noted by Lorie Howard that the per diem costs would be more expensive in the long run as they do 4-500 runs a year for the county. Benning stated that she’d checked with Council and was in agreement with this.
Bids were opened for annual services and the appointed and elected officials of the dept’s were approved to award the contracts as they see fit.
Bidders were: Ritzner (sp?) Oil Co, Newpoint Stone, Rohe Paving, Laughery Valley Fuel, O’ Mara Paving, St. Regis Culverts, Troy Gas, Midwest gravel, CSC (Corp. services Co), CPI Pipe, Beyers Pharmacy, GFS Food Service, Ellenbee Leggett, Knueven Food Service, and Diamond Prescriptions.
The lobbyist contract will be reviewed for next meeting.
Dearborn County Hospital Board invited all the commissioners (present and new) to their Jan 26th dinner meeting in the Ohio Room.
OKI was approved to do the air quality performance study for $5500 of which 20% is the county match for $1100. It was noted that Greendale and Lawrenceburg are expected to contribute part of the $1100.
MPO Boundaries were approved to include all of Dearborn County. They commissioners approved sending a draft letter to INDOT noting this boundary inclusion. Lisa Lehner noted that at the meeting where this was decided the following were present: Tom Steidel ( L-bg City Manager), Jim West ( Econ. Dev. Director), Scott Fortner (Dillsboro Manager), and Doug Hedrick (Greendale Mayor). Neither Aurora nor St. Leon sent a representative.
Lorie Howard found spaces for the new surveyor and his deputy in back of the hwy. Dept. The GIS tech will go to Kin’s desk in hwy and Kin will move one desk up closer to Denise’s desk.
Lorie Howard was approved to start advertising again for the county engineer. She is to use her judgment on advertising costs.

7. Lisa Lehner- Att’y - was covered under various departments

8. Cary Pickens – Auditor- presented claims and minutes.

9. Public Comment- Sheriff Lusby reported the overcrowding at the jail- see Council notes in November for more on this. He also received approval to manage his own employee’s vacation and sick time.

Lusby thanked the outgoing commissioners for their services and said it had been a pleasure working with them.
Cliff Eibeck- citizen- also thanked the outgoing commissioners- Karen Shell and Dan Batta.

Meeting adjourned at 12:10 PM