5 September 2006 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

5 September 2006 Dearborn County Commissioner Meeting Notes

Present: Hughes, President, Benning, and Fox
Also present: Pickens, Auditor, Ewbank, Attorney, and Messmore, Administrator.
A uniformed police officer was present.

Ralph Thompson, Republican Candidate for D-3 Commissioner was also present.

1. EMA- Bill Black- told commissioners that at the end of Sept. all NIMS training should be either completed or in process in order to be compliant. Grants besides homeland security are also dependent on this training being completed. Over $600,000 in grants are being funneled through Dearborn county as the fiscal agent for the district on Homeland security. We are getting a $450,000 mobile command unit also which will be based here. About $11,000 is left of 2005 money from a GIS grant which will be used for laptops from Dell. [NOTE: It wasn’t clear who gets the laptops and what they will be used for.]
There is also a $50,000 grant for mitigation plan to be created. Margaret Minzner will help write that.

2. Mike Mulcahey asked Todd Listerman to report on the status of Woods Edge sub’n road issue. Listerman stated that the bond in place since 11/17/2000 runs out in May 2007. If the road is not completed in Sept or a good faith effort in process, the county will exercise the bond and complete it with asphalt themselves.

3. Transportation Report- Mark Seiler reported that ROW was donated by Lighthouse Yacht Club (about .2 acres) and Riverview Cemetery (about 2 acres) for the Triple Whipple bridge project. They got the paperwork signed showing that federal guidelines were followed in acquiring the ROW. Hope to finish by Dec 2007.

Todd Listerman updated commissioners on his dept. Bridge 15- Bells Branch also to be started in Summer 2007. He is getting a 4-year cycle of bridge replacements in order for federal funds.
Striping is finished except for Sawdon Ridge, which will be done when road repair and paving is finished. Paving schedule will go to the paper and radio to help avoid traffic issues. They will be working around school bus schedule as much as possible.
All flaggers are required to have reflective safety vests or the yellow shirts.
After attending a seminar on traffic control devices, the highway dept will be on a 10 year schedule to replace all signs with prismatic reflective ones. SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY signs will gradually be eliminated- they are no longer in the manual as they are considered to be encouraging kids to play in the street. [NOTE: Do you think we could eliminate DEER CROSSING signs too so they won’t think about running in the road?]Most signs will be symbols and not words anymore.
Salt quotes coming in for winter. About $2 more per ton than last year. ($45/ton)
Speed counters are being purchased to set the speed at the actual average being used on a road at the 85th percentile of drivers. [NOTE: Do we set speed limits by democratic methods? Or general road safety?]Listerman is also working on road inventory as some road lengths are inaccurate in the files.

4. Architura- represented by George Brunner and Patricia Romiti presented their introductory materials and asked to be considered for future projects in the county. They are from INDY and seem to specialize in fixing problems in buildings – at least from their oral presentation.

5. Old Business- The Credit Card Ordinance prepared by Ewbank was presented, read, and signed. This ordinance was to correct issues that remained from the old ordinance. [NOTE: I have seen credit card policies revised at least 4 times now.]

6. New Business- Pickens presented the Low Contract which Commissioners will vote on next meeting- this is to replace the $250,000 computer system and software in the Auditor’s office as it no longer is complaint with the reports the state requires.

Commissioners also voted to deny the heath care claim they reviewed in executive session prior to this meeting.

7. Claims and Minutes signed. One set of minutes sent back by Hughes as he didn’t think he was quoted correctly in part of it.


8. Messmore- Administrator- presented the Health Benefit Plan for signatures. Commissioners want to know why it takes 8 months after the plan is in effect to get it signed. Ewbank thinks independent insurance audit will address this when completed.

Messmore presented the Vieste and London Witte contracts for approval after “much debate.” [NOTE: There was NO PUBLIC DEBATE at any commissioners meeting on this subject.] Messmore noted that there was a representative of Vieste- Level 5 Engineering there tonight. (Dick Robertson). [NOTE: Robertson was previously with another engineering company CEA (Congdon Engineering Associates) who worked on the North Dearborn Road realignment and was pursuing federal funds for that project.]
Messmore said Council approved $30,000 for 2006 and $30,000 for 2007 of this contract and Ewbank noted that there was no funding allotted should it go to the third year.
[NOTE: Is there something that was discussed or in the contract about a 3rd year?]
Messmore noted that there is an exit clause they can use if they don’t like what Vieste proposes.
Commissioners signed the professional services agreement with Vieste, LLC and then the professional services agreement with London Witte. [NOTE: Why does this remind me of the house of cards that Enron was built on? WHY didn’t commissioners publicly set goals for this and let these discussions be out in the open? Do they really know what they are signing or are they taking someone’s word for this as being a good idea? Who is that someone?]
Messmore said the Plan Commission has reenergized the land use plan and that this Vieste work will be an asset to that work also. [NOTE: The land use maps are to be finished in March of 2007. Vieste has a 2-year contract. It seems like we are out of synch here.]

The Shumway Building was appraised at $550-560,000. Commissioners voted to purchase the building pending council approval and building inspection. If all goes as planned community corrections, prosecutor, probation dept., etc will move in there.

The 2007 OKI agreement was actually $16,198 and was budgeted at $16,032. Will have to get additionals in January of $166 for that contract.

Pickens suggested they set the holiday schedule for 2007 soon so the courts could set their dockets.

9. Nancy Weldon of CASA told commissioners of a luncheon with Sodrel Sept 11 at DCH at 11:30. Sodrel will be there when their grant is presented for Drug Free County. The topic will be methamphetamines and Prosecutor Negangard and Judge Blankenship will be presenting. Ewbank also noted teh big problem that crystal meth is creating and its highly addictive nature.

10. Ewbank noted 2 tort claims and the lawsuit by Diehl, Wolgamott, and Baylor on the zone change at 48 and 148 for Tom Kent.

11. Benning gave her usual social secretary report. They rec’d a “nice letter from the Honda people” and a work force development letter.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township