Present: Jeff Hughes, President, Tom Orschell, and Shane McHenry
Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Bill Ewbank, County Coordinator, and, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.
OLD BUSINESS:
Reaction PC Maintenance Renewal-Bill Ewbank reported that with the $1600 vs $3,000 fee he recommends using the $3,000 fee and have Reaction PC train the dept heads individually based on their needs and level of expertise. Reaction PC agreed to do it that way rather than a group training. McHenry agreed that this was a pretty fair price. Ewbank said that the dept heads will be responsible for content on their sections of the website. McHenry motioned and Orschell 2nded. Commissioners approved renewing the one year contract for the website maintenance at $3,000. All ayes.
Purchasing Agent Ordinance- Andy Baudendistel said that the ordinance does not add anything to what we do already. McHenry said that he’d had 4 dept head not want it. Hughes didn’t want an extra law if we don’t need it. They wondered if there had been a problem with this before- then laughed and said – well a long time ago maybe. Commissioners decided to TABLE this for further clarification for Hughes. McHenry motioned and Orschell 2nd – all ayes . Baudendistel to further research. Hughes kept asking about whether or not they could get rid of the original ordinance.
Committee of IT renewals- Gayle Pennington and Ewbank received about 12 responses mostly from the adm bldg. All were happy with Hi-tech. Ewbank said that because we don’t have an IT person on staff. He wants to look at all options- there are 3 vendors we are using- Reaction PC, Hi-tech, an individual helping the sheriff’s dept, and Midwest Data. He thinks we should finish out this year and look at options for next year. Ewbank said we also provide services for other groups like Solid Waste, etc. He recommends renewing Hi-tech’s contract for this year. McHenry said the judges and prosecutor have their own group and they are very comfortable with that. Ewbank said that they are not reviewing their services in the Courthouse. Hi-tech is being paid monthly right now. Orschell and Ewbank both said they can ask the Courthouse their thoughts- not forcing anything. Ewbank said they should have survey results in 60-90 days.
NEW BUSINESS:
Ruth Batta- Summer Art Program- request to go to Council- this will be her 24th year. They keep getting more kids every summer. She outlined some of the trips (Ball State last year) and project they work on. She tries to go to a college each year. Marion is a possibility this year. Commissioners approved her going to Council to seek funding again from the Youth Fund.
Bill Shelton – Building Dept Staffing- Orschell said Shelton was ill tonight. This was for 1 position and the money has already been appropriated. He wants permission to go to Council. McHenry said that Shelton thought there was a need – and it would take a couple months to fill it anyway. Commissioners recommended they let Council look at this- they have been pretty cautious. They will probably try to recommend cross training or sharing a person with another dept.
Contract Amendment – Votaw Building Purchase- Ewbank said the current tenant by agreement was to continue rent free. Votaw has asked for a delay to April 30 to close on that building to accommodate some tax issues related to his new building. Andy Baudendistel can’t comment as he works in the building with Votaw. That is why Jack Gay is handling this. Gay was not present tonight. The commissioners will wait for Gay to decide.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT- Todd Listerman, county engineer, gave an update:
Stateline design is complete and acquiring 32 right of way parcels. Tucker has 4. Fifteen appraisals completeand working on appraisals for the last 13. This should take 12-18 months to secure all ROW.
Orschell and Listerman have met with 2 owners on North Dearborn and concerns have been addressed. Reinhardt wants to go to court and not meet with them. Larry Smith to meet with them in near future.
Holt Road bridge 219 has been started. The project will be completed by mid April weather permitting.
Short Ridge Road Bridge 34 plans are complete - they are still acquiring parcels.
North Dearborn bridge 102- plans are 80% complete. They will start to secure ROW soon. That should be ready to let sometime in June- if ROW issues are resolved.
Will need to get funding from Council for the closed bridge 212 on Lower Dillsboro. Plans complete- working on permits. Letting inn June- subject to funding. McHenry said he has heard from constituents wanting that to get opened.
Cold Springs- Bridge 24- they are seeking federal dollars for that. Environmental has started. Letters to 8 property owners to get right of entry to survey. One has replied so far.
Collier Ridge Bridge #55 meeting was held. The plans to do several alternates and the consultant asked to do a minimum design of a 25 mph design instead of a 40 mph design. The 25 mph might be able to get fed dollars used. The existing alignment won’t qualify for fed dollars. The other alignment to check is a 35 mph alignment. Three total designs would be considered. One option has a dead end as part of it. It will be less than 1300 ft so it won’t violate the planning laws on cul-de-sacs. Commissioners motioned and 2nded and approved the design option changes.
Listerman will meet with INDOT on the flashers at schools. If all goes well they will be installed in spring of 2012 if the funding comes through. He has received 4 RFPs so far on the designs for these.
T,W Th next week Listerman will be at road school at Purdue with Kraus Jr.
Hrezo Engineering and Listerman will meet on the new salt buildings. They will be ready for next season.
Listerman personally thanked Grieve and crews on the job they did for the snow removal. McHenry reiterated that and wanted the crew to know also.
AUDITOR- Gayle Pennington- claims and minutes approved.
Manchester EMS contract and Sunman EMS (2 squads) and Moores Hill (2 squads) all approved at $20,000 each squad.
ATTORNEY- Andy Baudendistel- Lewes and Kappes interlocal agreement for lobbyist and consulting services- signed by Commissioners.
Marlene Underwood was happy with the letter designed for owners of vicious dogs for Animal Control. He will be working with them also for an ordinance relating to that.
Orschell asked Baudendistel about the research on the $25,000 that was asked about last meeting. He said that he was working on the backstory – that there was more he needed to check than just the law. He will have it for next meeting.
COUNTY COORDINATOR- Bill Ewbank-
Clothes line project by support and advocacy services- Cathy Dwyer- Rape crisis team- outlined the campaign to bring awareness of crimes of sexual assault. The T-shirts are created by survivors of rape and sexual assault in our community. There are about 50 shirts now. Commissioners approved the clothesline for April 21 on the courthouse lawn. At the Community center there will be a Take Back the Night program also.
Community Corrections Grant Application-annual application for $499,417. Commissioners signed for their approval and support for this grant.
Approval of a grant for study of county’s fire and ems program. This was requested by the fire and ems groups. Ball State can do that study- Hughes signed it today and commissioners ratified that signature. Planning and Zoning helped get the grant. Both Orschell and McHenry were very supportive of this idea.
Bill Black- EMA- Every March we have Severe Weather Awareness Week – commissioners signed the proclamation for March 13-19.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS:
Orschell asked how they want to proceed with Hoosier Square. He thinks they need a predesign done. There are 3 buildings/spaces available. They have a contract for $12,000 with RQAW already. He thinks we need a professional to get on this. RQAW has the stats in their computer already. Bill Ewbank said that Hoosier Square would be the first done. They could bid out sooner if they get his started. He hoped to get the agencies over to that building by the fall. These will be an important pressure reliever on this bldg and the courthouse. RQAW is from out of town and they can mediate space needs discussions between judicial and executive branch. The contract with RQAW can be signed now because we now own Hoosier Square. They’d like to plan it out before “squatters” move in.
Hughes asked commissioners to agree to get Ewbank to negotiate with another company to take a 2nd look at the numbers for the jail project and bring that option to commissioners before signing a contract. Ewbank said they don’t want to complete that until legislature finishes up with sentencing reforms etc. He will bring something to commissioners in an upcoming meeting.
McHenry asked if they could designate some visitor parking so that employees wouldn’t tie them up in front all day. They will think about that. Listerman said that he can make signs like he did last year for certain depts. and handicapped areas. Hope to have vacant lot soon for parking across the street.
LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION: none
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Chris Mueller- asked if the research on the legality of a payment made by the prosecutor for legal fees relating to a grievance that was filed against him would be done by the next commissioners meeting. Baudendistel said YES.
Mueller asked what the problem was with the research and he said he needed more background info. Mueller offered and gave him 2 more opinions from the disciplinary board and state supreme court relating to who pays legal fees in these cases.
Meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
5 comments:
Thanks Christine for your report. Sad that you have to feed them the info that they should have in hand
Thay have the info thay are just stalling hoping it will go away. This is 25,000 dollers that has been caught. I wonder how much more there is that has been spent that no one nows about.
Ask Hughes how much he spent on Vieste debacle and how much the county spent on the anial shelter project with architect fees. Money thrown away. Never again.
anial = Animal
lets not for getting the RANDALL AVE 1.500.000 BUILDING that is a waist of more hard working peoples money whats it up to now?
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