26 October 2010 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

26 October 2010 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Dennis Kraus. Sr., President, Maynard Barrett, Liz Morris, Bill Ullrich, Bryan Messmore, Dan Lansing, and Tom Cheek.

Bill Ewbank- Financing presentation from Umbaugh and associates. She (could not catch her name) has been associated with the County for the years, she is talking about the financing regarding the jail etc. She was a confidant of Cary Pickens and Bill said he was more than willing to listen to anyone Cary talked to. This will also affect any other capital project the county undertakes.
Put together a few schedules to talk about. Debt limit at 2% of the tax base- or about $15.6 million. There is also a building lease option. All the numbers we will talk about are maximums or worse case scenarios.
If we assume the bonds are at 5% repaid over 20 years- $16.9 million bonds could occur.
$1.445,000 is our annual payment on current bonds (courthouse and jail rental payments total this.) The last jail payment in 2011 and $339,000 set aside for this project.
$18million in bonds could be supported.
In 2011 you could issue general obligation bonds to pay for preliminary costs for the jail. Bonds cannot pay for roads and bridges.
If lease financing were approved- those payment would go for another 18 years.
Approached this to not raise property taxes.
RQAW has done preliminary study. Our role is to present different financing options for your consideration. We can then help this thru the referral project.
Construction manager supervises the project . County attorney will work in conjunction with bond counsel.
Underwriter is the bank.
May or Nov election to do the referendum. Timetable is driven by the county. Jan or July determines the May or Nov election.
This assumes there will be property taxes pledged to the jail project.
DLGF will tell them to give the maximum annual financing on the ballot. Courthouse came out of RR and jail came out of property taxes.
Bill Ullrich said the tax RATE will stay the same- but if the assessed value goes up- you will pay extra taxes. Council took this as information.

Art Wenzel- SDRSD- presented Jeff Stenger needs to be legally reappointed retroactive to last January., He was actually appointed to fill out an old term. Council approved his reappointment.

Reassessment- per Kraus- needs to be decided. Council decided to keep the reassessment rate where it is. Tom Cheek and Messmore voted against that. Vote was 5-2. Passed.

Park Board and 911 were not present for their request. ( see end of meeting notes)

Wesley Holt asked for more money ($6,000) to make payroll for coroner- his office has been hit hard. Approved out of Riverboat revenue. Holt also passed out an update to show what the coroner’s office has been working on. Coroner has to review hospice cases- considered deaths at home. 69 out- of- hospital deaths and 59 in the hospital. Already 50 more than last year. Out of 127- only had 37 autopsies. He has issues with getting doctor records for these cases. Often requires a subpoena.

Steve Renihan- DCRSD- needed to get something ratified regarding their budget. Gayle Pennington said they needed to do this- Council didn’t know about it. They tabled this till November. Guilford study will also be discussed then.

No Veteran’s Service officer present- but Bill Ewbank presented the $4,000 needed to get to the end of the year for vehicles and drivers. This will come out of Riverboat- approved.

Tom Cheek asked about mowing costs for August for Park Board. They will wait till the park board shows up. Capital projects to non-reverting fund for Parks was approved.

$32,000 requested for 911 to get to end of the year, and he’s collecting $40,000. Charley Ashley was not here to discuss. Messmore said that it appears 911 collection is shrinking. Liz Morris said the cell phones need to raise 911 fees- on prepaid ones. Only the state can do that- not locals. Council talked to Ashley on the phone. This is the trunk line contract. This covers to the end of 2010. This will come out of Riverboat revenue. Messmore said we have to find out what other depts. are doing as we are dipping into riverboat a lot. The council said that they will give him $32,000 with the understanding that when he gets his funds they will reimburse Riverboat revenue. Approved.

Meeting adjourned at 8:05

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township.