18 January 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

18 January 2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Vera Benning, President, Rick Fox, and Jeff Hughes. Also present: Cary Pickens, Auditor and Bob Ewbank, Attorney.

This meeting was videotaped, as was the last one.

Several people, including officials and the newspaper reporter, thought the meeting was at 7:30 PM as in the original newspaper notification and not 6:30.

Old Business:

[NOTE: Under Old Business several items were discussed that were not listed on the agenda. Only “Minutes” was listed on the agenda under Old Business.]
1. Whites Hill Project has issues with O’Mara and St. Leon Sewer Board. Bob Ewbank has exchanged information with Lisa Lehner and with St. Leon’s attorney, John Watson. He suggested that the Board allow him to do pre litigation mediation. Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to allow Bob Ewbank to set up a meeting with O’Mara, St. Leon, and the County to mediate the conflict over the sewer line issues. Passed.

Appointment of Citizen Member to BZA- Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to TABLE this for further review.

Regarding the issue with the previous commissioner’s two appointments to the plan Commission, Bob Ewbank gave his opinion (subject to further research) that the one appointment that was made “in futura” was in error, but that the other appointment for the position that had been vacant for some time was probably OK even though they were “lame duck” commissioners. [NOTE: Rick Pope was the appointment that is possibly in error. It should be mentioned that Vera Benning actually motioned and voted for Pope in December. She also praised him during that discussion. The other appointment was Jane Ohlmansiek. Ohlmansiek is a Republican and Pope is an Independent. If Pope is not reappointed that position will have to go to a Democrat according the Indiana Code regarding balancing boards politically.] Ewbank is going to do further research and get back to the Board on this.

Juvenile Board- Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to appoint Vera Benning to this Board. Passed.

Issues regarding the signing of the December minutes seemed resolved with Cary Pickens, Auditor attesting to their accuracy per Ewbank’s opinion, but Vera Benning wanted to match them against the tape to be sure. [NOTE: It would seem that the other two outgoing commissioners might be consulted, since they were part of these meetings, if there were any accuracy concerns.] Tabled.

January 11 meeting minutes were approved with a spelling correction.

Bryan Messmore- new County Administrator arrived to watch the meeting at this point.

Vera Benning wants the website updated more frequently- the county minutes are only up top October 2004. Cary Pickens informed her that that was the commissioner’s office’s job to handle. They will contact Jeff Zoller.

Claims were voted to b paid. Pickens told the commissioners they would have to come to the office to get individual claim details- the printout they were getting was as good as it gets. Apparently the new software bundles all the claims to each payee, so that departmental breakouts are not shown. This causes one check to be cut rather than several to the same payee from each office.

New Business:

The Yes Home Shelter Project Report will be on file in the Auditor’s Office.

Vera Benning announced an invitation the statehouse for a reception and luncheon with legislators.

Dearborn County Building Dept. Annual Report is on file in the Auditor’s Office.

HVL POA wants two excess police cars. Their last two cars were given to them in March. Hughes motioned and Fox 2nd to Table this pending a review of the county’s needs for these cars first.

Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to allow Ewbank to meet with the Auditor to review the county ordinances and update them as necessary. Ewbank wants to recodify them and put them out in a format for the public to use.

Redevelopment Commission is meeting Jan 24th at the Chamber Offices- meeting open to the public.

Dick Robertson- CEA gave a report on the North Dearborn Road project. The BAD NEWS is that we were denied federal funds for the 2nd year in a row on this. Carter Keith at INDOT told him that this project came in 2nd in the Seymour District. The GOOD NEWS is that Keith is putting it in the system and assigning it a number for $1.00. That way they can proceed with design, engineering, and environmental studies to show INDOT that the county is serious about pursuing the project. This is the FIRST time that INDOT has ever done this sort of thing. Robertson is just thrilled to death with this and will come back after the design number is assigned. [NOTE: Where is the money coming from to show INDOT that the COUNTY is interested? County road dollars seem scarce now.]

Valley Rural Utilities NPDES Permit application needed signatures to show County backing. Fox felt uncomfortable signing this even though the deadline was this week. They weren’t sure how this affected other entities. Mark Mitter, Plan Commission Chairman and County Councilman, told Commissioners that Wed night (Jan 19) 7-9 the Plan Commission was having an open working meeting and had invited all the county sewer districts to it. They were welcome to come also. Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to Table.

SEIRP sent over the YES HOME Project renovations paperwork. Fox motioned and Hughes 2nd to allow Vera Benning to sign it.

Vera Benning reported that the highway director brought in a report on his progress. The other two commissioners hadn’t read it yet. They would review it later.

Al Werner arrived (thought the meeting was 7:30) with his Building Department report and gave highlights. Included was an 18- year chart comparing permit records. He also stated that they collected $275,360.60 in fees and budgeted $215,354.70. That left a “profit” of $60,005.90. These were record highs.
Al Werner also turned his resignation in today noting that his vacation time would carry out to his final retirement date in February. Commissioners thanked him for his work all these years. The entire room broke into spontaneous applause.

Vera Benning reminded the audience again that anyone wishing to speak at a commissioner meeting needs to call the office one week in advance and be placed on the agenda. [NOTE: How would anyone know if they needed to speak to an item on the agenda if: 1. the agenda doesn’t list all the items which will be discussed, and 2. the agenda is not known to them a week in advance?]

Meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township