October2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

4 October2005 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Benning, President, Fox and Hughes.
Also Present: Messmore, Administrator, and Ewbank, Attorney
Absent: Pickens, Auditor. Stephanie Disbro was subbing for Pickens.

1. Sawdon Ridge widening bids were opened and taken under advisement until the Oct 11 meeting. O’Mara bid $96,878.52 and Rohe bid $149,475.50. [NOTE: Bid numbers this far apart should be checked out- something in the specs might be a problem.]

2. Work Force One- tabled from the previous meeting was reopened and the paperwork signed. DL Ransom from Dillsboro is the business representative and Vera Benning is the Elected Official Contact.

3. Burns Road issues with signage at SR48 due to Carlee Acres subdivision were finalized. Tom Kent redid the signage per INDOT and MTCD (federal Manual for Traffic Control Devices) guidelines. Residents expressed concern over stopping at he top of the hill in bad weather times and would prefer a yield sign. Safety issues with the new subdivision however require the new stop signs.

4. Janet Luebbe of PAWS and Daryl Sears of Creative Shelter Architects (Montgomery Ohio) presented the drawings and plans for the proposed new animal shelter. PAWS would run fundraisers for the 17,00 sq ft $1.3-1.6 million project. Issues discussed included geothermal heating to lower costs and have a 5-year payback time and sewage issues. Animal Shelter Director- Cheryl Lohmiller noted they would need one more full timer by 2007 and some part time weekend help also. Fox was concerned with costs of utilities, etc and the taxpayer consequences if we are also building a new jail complex. There is about $100,000 in the county funds for the shelter use and $40,000 in PAWS account. Benning wanted to be sure they consulted Council as well. PAWS noted that they needed to see commissioner’s first- which was why they were there. Ewbank suggested they set up fundraising through the Dearborn County Foundation to avoid any potential improprieties and also to maximize donations from wills and bequests. Fundraising is starting in October. Commissioners took this under advisement until Oct 11 commissioners meeting.

5. Minutes and Claims- claims were signed except for Felling Hotel $8,000, Michelle ??? a public defender, and a Voyager Fleet card bill. Because the claims were around $4 million, Benning stated they needed to go through them carefully. [NOTE: Shouldn’t they ALWAYS go through them carefully?]

6. Messmore- Administrator- announced that the Transportation Steering Committee met and the PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE FINAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN is set for Oct 11 from 1-4 PM in the Commissioners meeting room. The plan then goes to OKI by the end of the year.

Residential and Commercial Focus groups meet for the future land use plan this month and the PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN WILL BE A WORKSHOP on NOV. 5th form 9 to 3 at Lawrenceburg High School.

Messmore stated that even though it was not on the agenda- they had met with AFLAC and Colonial insurance for the county health care supplement and wanted to move forward with Colonial. Commissioners approved that choice.

Travis Miller will come to the Oct 11 meeting to go thru the supplemental study to the US 50 Corridor study to focus on the land use portion. Council approved $400,000 with the stipulation that a site for a 2nd bridge across Tanner’s Creek be found within 3 months of the study being started. OKI will manage this study. The idea is to make the road and bridge plans coincide with land uses that exist and are planned. This was tabled until Travis Miller presents on Oct 11. [NOTE: INDOT has totally stalled on the US 50Corridor Study. It should be noted that the scope of work in the INDOT version falls far short of what is needed to do a comprehensive plan of US 50 and any bypasses or alternate routes. This is why the county is stepping in to assess the needs that INDOT won’t.]

6. Ewbank reported that Barnes and Thornburgh is proceeding through the court system with the federal lawsuit case against the county for the sign on Barber Road. No new tort claims.

7. Hughes wanted the county to put taxes on a website so that the office staff wouldn’t have so much time away from tasks. Residents could look up their own taxes online.
Messmore reported that GIS committee is working on this by assessing the needs of each office staring with the assessor so they can fix this comprehensively. The goal is to improve customer service via the Internet.
Stephanie Disbro is getting a list of all county appointed Boards and members together. Hughes wants resumes on file for people who want to be on these boards.

8. Fox discussed county road issues- he wanted to be sure that roads we have approved at a public meeting should be done. He doesn’t want the dollars going elsewhere. “We have to be people of our words…money should be locked up on these…HANDS OFF for other projects…the safety net has to be big enough to finish the projects.”
Hughes wants a turn lane at Stateline and HVL/Stephens road so as not to have cars stacked back to US 50 for Left turners. Todd Listerman reiterated the long term plans. Ewbank noted that Greendale controls Stateline to HVL. Davis said they are working with Greendale. The developer paid for the light- BUT NOT THE TURN LANE! [NOTE: How did THAT happen? Usually a development that changes traffic counts to that degree is required to help with the costs of improvements to the infrastructure.]

9. Benning reported Triple Whipple Bridge and INDOT meeting is on Oct 6. Records destruction committee will oversee the blueprint destruction from the Building Dept. at 11:30 on Oct 6 also.

Meeting adjourned 8:40 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township