Present: Thompson, President, Orschell, and Hughes
Pickens, Auditor, and Witte, Attorney, were also present
NOTE: THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER WILL BE AN EVENING MEETING, AS THERE IS A CONFLICT WITH A JURY TRIAL NEEDING THE COMMISSIONER’S ROOM DURING THE DAY.
OLD BUSINESS:
County Campus Plan remains tabled.
Web site discussion – Hughes is happy with the current web site manager- says they need direction and we have not given them any. Hughes said he may have contacted them once (Hughes was the president of commissioners) Orschell thought McCormack’s proposal was the most economical and he already works for the county, so he is accessible. Orschell thinks the website for the PZ Dept is excellent. Thompson noted he could not get information and response time from the current provider was poor. Hughes has problems with McCormack’s website links- there are some he does not think should be there. [NOTE: Hughes is referring to a link to the Dearborn County Public Forum Site www.dearborncounty,blogspot.com - the one you are reading this on!]
Hughes asked if there was ever a board motion to direct the current web person. Pickens said not that he recalled. Thompson said it should not take a board motion to keep the website up to date. Hughes wants an independent agent. Thompson was concerned that web site duties might take too much time from planning for McCormack. At the end of the meeting at Orschell’s request for advice- Witte advised them to avoid that potential conflict and also that McCormack could be approached during regular hours by staff to help with the web and it would lead to ghost employment issues. TABLED for further review.
Animal Control Policy Review remains tabled.
Jewell DeBonis- Lobbyist- State House updates- the gambling revenue is safe for the time being. School districts are able to get loans from riverboat communities for construction or renovation- but not for ongoing expenses.
Governor Daniels still wants to bring county government reform back to replace Commissioners with one executive, but she does not think it will pass. He will continue to bring it back she said- sometimes it takes years for bills to be passed.
There is a bill for a Gaming Study Committee with a report to be due by Dec 1. Gary Indiana wants to move one of its two boats to I-94- which will require legislation. This brings up a lot more movement and wrangling as Ft Wayne wants one, Terre Haute wants one, and others are worried that moving boats will cut into their current revenue. Grand Vic moving to Jeffersonville or Madison or wherever has Harrods and Belterra worried. Racetracks get into the mix as well. Etc. DeBonis said with eth tracks it is not about the horses, just greed.
Casinos are complaining that they are treated like any other business with regard to admission taxes etc.
State revenue shows a $74 million shortfall for July.
DeBonis urged Listerman to follow up on one of our road stimulus projects being pulled from letting and to get Nugent involved. The county did get two through already with stimulus money.
NEW BUSINESS:
Norman J Crampton- US Census Bureau- urged the county to push residents to return census reports next year as it affects MPI- Money Power and Intelligence. He can provide speakers and materials as well as put something on our website. Forms will be mailed mid March and April 1, 2010 is Census Day. The amount of money is grants etc is determined by population stats- so census numbers are important. Short forms will be sent next year.
911 Dispatch Governing Board was revised to add Aurora Police Chief Brian Fields when Dana Cotton resigned from Aurora.
Bill Black EMA- Commissioners signed to return Homeland Security Money for the district to them to the tune of $109,594.10. This money was already at Homeland Security- signatures released it back to them.
Black said- GIS can get a 2-year grant for $14,000 if the state can use info from the site. Federal gov’t will not give disaster assistance as75% range if it is the 3rd time and no mitigation has occurred- it drops to 25%. Orschell and Black are still working on safety committee. Lawrenceburg wants to give the county 3 sirens they no longer use. Currently it costs $10,000 to maintain the 33 we have. Lastly- Black wants to get rid of the junk cars and rec vehicle in their parking lot. County needs to have a sale soon.
Eric Wolf- and Jack Kraus – Construction Control Inc gave a pitch to be considers to manage the county’s construction projects. They use subs in eth community. Their ties to the area include knowing Fitches- of Fitch Denney Funeral Home, The Lawrenceburg school projects including the new middles school and the elementary renovations. He criticized range estimates that RQAW provided and said an estimate should be an estimate. He also does not like value engineering as it cheapens the project and puts dollars in the contractor’s pockets. They work on a straight fee. No decision.
Denise Knueven- Purdue TAP- ( Tech assistance program)received approval to seek money from Council- they work with local businesses all over the state. This money helps them maintain their office and continue to help businesses grow. They have worked with Honda as well- looking for $50,000 for this area with L-bg and the county. Jim Kinnett told them L-bg could not fund it, as this is not part of their action grant. [NOTE: However L-bg could possibly fund it another way.] Commissioners allowed her to go to Council, though doubted there was that much money to spare.
LuAnn Male- received the signature for her revised CBDG from last meeting- the county is not providing money for the match on the rehab Housing Grant.
Hogan Water Corp- tabled for further research with Susan Craig of SIRPC- they need the county to be lead agency to administer their $600,000 grant application to repair pipes etc.
Todd Listerman- Highway Dept- gave a 20-minute report:
1. Change order for Bells Branch signed- $4254.95
2. Bridge rehab completed for Johnson Fork, Sagamaw, and Salt Fork.
3. Asphalt finished on Pribble hill, Carolina Trace and Stout Roads.
4. Striping completed and also added centerlines to Stout Road, Mt Pleasant, and Huseman as recently paved and black at night. ( added $7,000) Centerlines reduce accidents by 33% and edges by 11%.
5. Old 52 paving starts Monday and we will get millings from that as well as SR 46. Paving with those is 25-30% of hot mix costs for Ennis Ridge and Mossmeier.
6. Dearborn County has 7 bridges listed as Scour Susceptible in floods. We have until Nov 1st to get a plan or revision to get them off the list. Calling the bridge inspectors to get that done. If we have to fix- they are 80/20 with federal funds.
7. Ohio Cty Commissioners are sending us a letter to get an ordinance prohibiting jumping off Triple Whipple Bridge.
8. 10 AM next Wed- the Triple Whipple will be dedicated and the plaque for John Graf will be dedicated also.
Pickens- Auditor-Claims ( Hughes abstained- he had not reviewed all the claims) and minutes signed.
EMS contract for Manchester signed for $20,000.
Witte- Attorney- Will check on the bridge ordinance- though he sees no liability. He has jumped off a few in his youth in Bloomington.
Council has to set up a fund for H1N1- funds for the vaccine.
Aurora City Attorney asked if the county wanted to partner with them on code enforcements- Aurora has staffing issues- this is just a preliminary contact. Greendale has asked about it too per Thompson.
Witte said YES home has lease issue-as their 25 year one expired in 2006 and insurer will not carry them without one. Commissioners extended a 90-day lease effective immediately, under the same conditions, until they can research the issue. There may be a 99-year lease that was done after renovations out there in early part of the decade.
Witte clea
red up the issue on the accident victim buried on his family farm. He had given statutes to Thompson and Thompson helped them navigate state agencies. Final conclusion was he was allowed to be interred in a mausoleum on the farm- per State Rules.
Hughes proposed the Commissioners recommend 0% raises for the Council budget hearings until the recession is over. All agreed.
Orschell received clarification from Witte on McCormack serving as web site manager and also being employed- see notes under old business.
Thompson noted conflict with Sept 3 meeting in the morning- so it will be an evening meeting still.
Thompson read seven Animal Control Shelter Bids ranging from a high of $2,526,000 to a low of $1,749,900 ( Maxwell) The average bid was $2,097,769.07 No decision.
Thompson said RQAW requested $2,000 to evaluate the Shumway building for renovation for county offices. TABLED
No Public spoke.
Meeting adjourned at 9:40 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
1 comment:
admirable that the county officials are sticking to no raises given the economy
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