20 February 2007 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

20 February 2007 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Hughes, Chairman, Fox, and Thompson
Also Present: Pickens, Auditor, Ewbank, Attorney, and Messmore, Administrator.

1. Commissioners preceded this meeting with an executive session. At this public meeting they decided to deny one Med Ben claim and table the other for further information. They also decided to give ranking information to Messmore on assistant candidates and he will then be authorized to hire the appropriate candidate.

2. Hughes then read a memo about hearing the people AFTER the public meeting is closed. He said it might violate Open Door Law. Thompson asked for some clarification- and Hughes explained that the meeting would be adjourned and then he’d stay to hear the public. That means only he could be there and no other commissioner could, because it was no longer a public meeting and they’d be receiving information.

[NOTE: Jeff Hughes stated in a recent editorial in the local newspaper:

“I thought I had made myself as accessible as possible. But I realized after the meeting, that if there still is a perception that my fellow citizens cannot reach me then I must do more. Therefore, at the next commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, Feb. 6, I will make the following proposals. First, to keep the current procedures in place for the official commissioners’ meeting, giving those on the agenda the attention they deserve. Then, after the agenda is completed and the official business is closed, WE open the podium to anyone who wants to voice concerns on any issue they desire. This format will allow US to conduct the county’s business and also give time to those who want an opportunity to speak to their elected OFFICIALS.”

Notice he says WE, US, and OFFICIALS, all plural.
Will the real Jeff Hughes please stand up? Does he want to hear the public or not? Did he write the editorial and then take some heat from his fellow “I -don’t- need-to- hear- from- the-public- they- elected- me- to- do- the- job- for- 4 –years- so –they- must –agree- with –everything- I- think-and- do” commissioner? Is Hughes afraid to stand by his words?]

3. Ruth Ann Batta received permission to approach Council for Youth Funds for the summer art programs she runs.

4. Ron Timms gave a presentation on the workings of Region 9 Workforce One and Commissioners appointed Richard Craig to fill out the unexpired term of a member who had moved out of state. Terms are for 2 years. This one ends July 2007.
Work
Region 9 is bounded by I-74, I-65- and the Ohio River essentially. They bring over $1 million into this area and do retraining, job searching, aid for disabled workers to find jobs, etc. They run it through grants funding programs in embedded systems, Jump Start, Dream and Do It through Ivy Tech, and so on. Their grants are significant sums. Some are about $1 million, others as much as $23 million spread over their 11 regions in the state.

5. Mark McCormack- Zoning Control Ordinance Changes for section 520 on zone change application clarifications and on Article 10 and 27 for Animals being kept in Residential Zones were both tabled for more information. Fox was concerned about the animal issues and wanted it coordinated with Animal Control and Health Dept. The Zoning Board wanted to get out of that enforcement altogether. Commissioners seem to want to be sure nothing is left out. A resident of Miller Township spoke on the issue of a neighbor with 5 dogs numerous cats, 40 rabbits, 2 goats, and mini horses- all on ONE ACRE. He noted he got no help from Health Dept or Animal Control- only the zoning board. Ewbank suggested they define the terms and animals better- look at it as if you were the judge in a court. McCormack is going to seek input from Health and Animal Control.
Commissioners did approve the certification changes for survey’s to match the Auditor’s office certifications. Pickens approved of it also.
McCormack noted that any changes they wish to make have to be forwarded to him at a public meeting, before he takes it back to PC and also noted that there were time issues. If they didn’t take action in 90 days from certification, the changes go through as the PC recommended- by law.

6. Margaret Minzner- GIS- they did NOT discuss IT services contract as listed on the agenda- the commissioners did approve her doing more research on the parcels project as there were more needs than originally advertised.

7. Lusby requested commissioners approved both commissary bids for the jail- Approved. He also commended Listerman and Highway dept. for snow removal.
Thompson also thanked Lusby for the professional manner that the sheriff’s officer exhibited in notifying him of his brother’s death last week. Lusby will thank Officer Fogel. (sp?)

8. Bill Ewbank- Veteran’s Officer received permission to decided to accept the DAV donated vehicle for one of 3 in their veteran’s services fleet. There are issues with the federal gov’t wanting it returned and the having a verbal OK to keep it. Ewbank ( Att’y) suggested to his brother that he hold the van hostage and make them come for it.

9. Animal Control Board- Fox decided to stay as Commissioner appointee on it.

10. Bill Black- EMA- received approval for 10 people to be reappointed to his advisory board. They meet 4 x a year. He’s also getting costs of recent snow emergency form all municipalities etc to submit to the state. If state exceeds $7 million they can get federal aid. He also commended Listerman and Highway as well as the 3 shelters that opened to help those without heat. REMC seems to be the biggest problem area in electricity. There is also a weather spotter’s class Wed evening. (Feb 21)

11. Todd Listerman- Transportation Dept-
Hughes congratulated him- “accolades to you and the dept.” thanking them for implementing the rules that the commissioners had already set up last year on snow days.

Commissioners OK’d Bridge inspection contracts with American Consulting Engineers of INDY with Thompson abstaining as he has done work with the Cincinnati Office of this company.
Cost is to be $97,670 for phase 1 in 2007. They will also get another one in 2009. 80% gets reimbursed but Listerman has to pay up front, so he needs to approach Council for an additional to cover this till federal highway funds come back on it. OK’d to go to Council also.
This project includes the 8 fracture critical bridges out of 103 total.

The Stateline Stephens intersection work was awarded to Rohe paving- the low bidder on Listerman’s recommendation. Rohe was $238,854.48 and O Mara was $343,332.65. Project to be completed June 15, 2007.

Listerman finished the pavement grading report- copies are available in Excel format form the highway dept. County has 495 miles of roads.
404 miles asphalt full depth, 13 miles less than 4 inches asphalt, 41 miles gravel, 36 miles chip seal, and ½ mile concrete.
Listerman will try to get a system of maintenance set up. Only has $650,000 to $700,000 to work with annually.
Fox praised Listerman- saying how far the county has come in their highway work and that Listerman was exceptional.

12. Jim Kinker gave a follow up on Jenny Lynn- he met with Tucker and they agreed to fix drainage issues. Neighbors are OK with that.

13. Carl Bohman- NW Quadrant resident:
wanted to give commissioners a little food for thought. He gave figures showing that for every $1.00 of taxes taken in that government services pay out $1.50 for houses, $0.70 for industrial, and $0.20-.30 for agriculture. He is originally from Decatur County and also owns land there. He noted that Decatur County is largely industrial with Delta and machine shops, and also Ag. Their taxes are as high there as they are here. He heard on the radio that Honda doesn’t support the NW Quadrant, it affects their labor pool, and that their infrastructure and suppliers are already in place. He stated that directly contradicts what Vieste and west are telling them. He thinks the commissioners should talk to ordinary Decatur citizens regarding Honda. They know their taxes will go up to pay for services and schools. The common ordinary citizens pay for this. Local citizens here are losing control of the policy makers because the big boys have the money and the power. He says his opinion of politicians is that if you give them a $1million they will spend $1 million and one.
Bohman then asked Hughes if he was in favor of the NW Quadrant. Hughes said he thinks there are things to consider there and it might be a good thing. Hughes said the actual landowners will make the decision.
Fox’s reply was he was in favor if we get the right thing to move there. “We need willing sellers.”
Bohman said that this is “God’s country here and this will affect our lives.”
Thompson stated that he was opposed to it as constituted. He doubts there are willing sellers- so far the evidence seems to indicate the opposite is true.
Bohman said there have been no formal information releases from Commissioners or Council- they are just getting 2nd hand info. We want to be updated. “I get scared.”

Pickens said Council is meeting next Tuesday the 27th at 6PM in Adm Building to decide whether or not to fund the NW Quadrant.

[NOTE: Commissioners have already accepted the report. If Council funds it- then it does not come back to commissioners. They already decided to spend the money if Council funds it. Vieste has been paid $22,500 in previous claims and just received another payment approved last night on their original contract.]

14. Existing zoning ordinance 2576 on water supply and sewage disposal is being reworded and commissioners will look over Ewbank’s wording for advertising and approval at a later meeting. [NOTE: By law, Commissioners may initiate this change, but it still has to go to the PC for a public hearing and recommendation before commissioners can approve it. This change is an attempt to change the blanket policy of Health Board inspections on septic tanks when a permit is being sought for a pole barn or other structures where septic capacities are not pertinent. Surveys or sworn statements as to locations of leach fields, alternate fields available, and the tank showing they are not in the building site area should be sufficient.]

15. Auditor: Claims signed – minutes for last meeting were tabled. Fox had issues with something that was in them. Thompson had submitted changes and corrections prior to the meeting and those were completed. There was some discussion about the tape going off in the meeting also by Hughes.
Lewes and Kappes contract signed again for lobbyist services. Contract with OKI signed. Contract with St Leon emergency services signed.

16. Messmore- Administrator- ESCO recording services will be completed next week for the commissioners meeting room. [NOTE- Will this fix the microphones and speakers?]

17. Ewbank- water easements around the hospital are not ready for signatures. Only one small claims case filed against the county.

Letters signed for Lifetime Resources because they were under a deadline for a federal grant. These letters attest to the fact that the homes being rehabbed are not on historic preservation lists.

Commissioners OK’d State NCIC and IDACS management control agreement and 911 dispatch for Charlie Ashley.

Thompson announced his first "Conversation with a Commissioner" is Wed. Feb 28th at the Lawrenceburg Library 6:30-8 PM.

Pickens read into the public record the following facts on their annual report:
County General 200 had $16,005829.70 in receipts and $14,218,553.67 in Disbursements.
Gross Receipts for the County in 2006 were $119,062,801.58 and Gross Disbursements were $122,579,797.30. The deficit is made up from excess from the year before and/or money that the state still owes the county per Pickens.

Meeting adjourned 9 PM

People stayed afterward to converse with Hughes and with Thompson SEPARATELY.
Fox left immediately.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township