20 September 2011 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

20 September 2011 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Jeff Hughes, President, Tom Orschell, and Shane McHenry
Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Bill Ewbank, County Coordinator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

Hughes congratulated County Attorney, Baudendistel on the arrival of his new baby.

Commissioners denied the Med Ben appeal from executive session that preceded this meeting.

OLD BUSINESS:

Private Real Property Rights Preservation Ordinance- tabled again at Hughes’s request

Revised Jail Expansion Project- Orschell met with RQAW and judges, etc. Judges want to focus on prevention and treatment such as J-cap. Footprint is the same. He also called Jud McMillin to check on legislation on Class D felons coming back to the county. He hopes to have something to the commissioners soon. Tabled for now.

Shooting Range- tabled – Commissioners scheduled to meet out at the site on Thursday 4:30 PM per Ewbank. McHenry and Orschell plan to be there. Ewbank to announce it in paper for the 48 hour rule.

NEW BUSINESS:

Gerry Bruns- January Prayer on the Square- Knights of Columbus requested this as their 2nd annual Prayer on the Square. It’s an ecumenical service – not just Catholics- on Jan 20th at 11AM. Approved.

Med Ben Wellness Program- tabled as rep is unavailable this morning to answer questions per Gayle Pennington.

Sick Time Donations- Gayle Pennington brought it back as it continues to bring up a lot of questions and problems. She wants them to reconsider it. She said it was put into place as a compassionate way to address catastrophic illnesses. It’s time consuming. She wants them to either change the procedure or not allow donation at all. She wants the Personnel Board ( HR, Auditor, 2 Council, 1 Commissioner) to decide it and have the employee get all the paperwork together. Food for thought- she said- Dearborn County is very generous that they have 1 day per month sick time- most have ½ and we pay out ¼ for unused, others don’t and we have an opportunity to bank time- it doesn’t disappear at the end of the year. Commissioners thought it would curb requests that were not critical or catastrophic to have the requests go to the Personnel Board. Baudendistel said they needed to notify employees first and have it effective the first of the year. Suellen (HR) said that the employees did get the handbooks etc. McHenry said that maybe we deny things if employees don’t abide by the rules. Part of the problem is the employees are paid on Fridays and that paycheck includes that Friday. [NOTE: Perhaps the county needs to become more like a real world employer.]

Todd Listerman- asked to speak- he noted that employees who save their days aren’t the ones asking for donations. If we pay ¼ for unused time when an employee leaves- but pay 4 times that when it’s donated- this affects the bottom line. There is disability insurance as an option for all employees.[NOTE: Are employees who save time pressured to donate?]
Thirty days of accumulated sick leave – 240 hours is the cap on what the county pays on departure.
Salaries paid by grants- they cannot give or donate sick time. Commissioners will wait to hear from Personnel Board on recommendations.

Candy Yurcak- Whitewater Canal ByWay Association- Grant Administration Information- 8 counties. INDOT said they can use any county as the LPA- (Grant administrator)- they are requesting Dearborn County be used as the administrator. They are to administrate the $60,000 grant. Pennington said it was OK- they have a whole file cabinet of people they help- administering grants. They are developing an amphitheater and working to tell the story of the whole Canal route. It will also promote what they have as assets in the valley. Approved for county to be administrator.

Parking Lot Island Regulations –discussion- Hughes brought this up as having attended a PC Meeting on this. Trees in the parking lot cost the business more to plant and to maintain. Mike Hall spoke also against the ideas of trees as impediments and also to allow PC to meet on it.
I also spoke in concurrence with this and Orschell would rather let PC come to them with the recommendations.
Hughes wants to send the recommendation to delete that section to PC to force a 45 day response. I suggested they not force the decision in a hurry. There doesn’t seem to be much county construction going on just now- at least not new projects. It was noted that PC could not vote till the Oct meeting- though they can discuss it at the Sept meeting under administrative.
Mark Scheper of Maxwell Construction said they have several projects and people are concerned with so many regulations.
Hughes said there are more rules he wants to look at. Commissioners voted to table this- with Hughes as a nay.

Transportation Department Priorities- Barnes and Thornburg Lobbyists- Bill Ewbank sat with Listerman and also the 2005 25 -year plan from INDOT and the OKI 2011 Major Freight Transportation. This is his recommendation:

1. Improvement of SR1 from 74 to 50, including Schuman Road intersection, Sawdon, Mt, Pleasant, and Salt Fork intersections.
2. 3rd lane on SR 1 hill
3. SR 1 corridor by Belleview road and the bridge access
$8,600,000 total cost.
4. Wilson Road to meet arterial standards for $10 million.
5. Stateline Riad from US 50 to Salt Fork Road to meet arterial standards for $10million
6. Pribble Road from SR 1 to SR 48 to be straightened. $9 million
7. Complete improvements on US 50 from L-bg to Aurora- some has been done. $70million remains about on the total $100million cost.
8. Commissioners want him to send the list to the mayors to see their reception.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Todd Listerman, Highway Engineer- gave the following report:

George Street Bridge will be ready for Farmer’s Fair.

Federal gov’t change on signage updates allows more time to change signs that have not run through their lifecycle. This saves some money for street signs like those in Aurora’s that are red, which isn’t allowed in the new rules. Hughes asked what happens if they don’t change. Listerman said they would lose federal monies if they don’t comply with federal regulations.

Bridge 34 and Lower Dillsboro bridge- he has been working with Baudendistel on acquiring ROW. Property owner wants the county to take it- as he does not want to sell it. The owner is getting tax credits on the land and does not want to jeopardize that if he sells it. Thus he is requesting we condemn it.

Permanent basketball goals in county ROW need to be addressed. Safety hazard for obstruction in ROW and kids playing in the street.

Ewbank is working with Tucker on Stateline Road ROWs and they have about 1/3 done so far. Hope to have then acquired by 2012 for 2013 construction.

McHenry asked about issues on Aurora Lumber and the intersection work. Mike Hall spoke and gave more details on the work there with the lumber barn moving and the lighted access. Waiting on Aurora Lumber to complete their section to finish up. Part of the problem was Bob Evans got theirs done faster. The access to Aurora Lumber is there- just go through the light and to the right. When it’s finished they will have a better access all the way around. Aurora has access thru the back for trucks. The county was at the mercy of the construction of the barn as Aurora selected their own builder. Can’t make it look good till the barn gets removed. State would not allow both openings once Bob Evans was done.

Listerman cited several changes that Aurora Lumber asked for and they accommodated. In reality they had a Sept 1 date originally. Commissioners asked for this in documentation form. Listerman and Hall agreed to get it to them.

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- Bright EMS approved for $40,000 contract.
Claims were signed with Hughes not reviewing them. Minutes were signed from May 17, July 19,and Aug 2. McHenry looked over May 17 and they approved it after he did.

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- discussion for sheriff’s dept to handle evidence for Dillsboro for $2500 for 25 cases. Additionals are at $100 a case. Oct 1- Sept 30 2012. Cover letter from Krienhop on the top. Approved. Pennington to get a copy to Kreinhop of the signed agreement.

COUNTY COORDINATOR: Bill Ewbank-Work Force 1 needs a local rep to it for Region 9 for economic growth. They will serve on the executive council. This serves till Dec 31, 2012. They also sign a local officials agreement. Hughes serves on it. He thinks it will help stimulate IT business. Commissioners reappointed Hughes and approved the agreement. Hughes thanked them for allowing him to sit on that board again.

County Animal Control will open around October 1. Animals will be moved Sept 23. Adoption closes until the inmates transfer to the shelter. Ribbon cutting and open house is at the shelter tomorrow.

Renovation of Hoosier Square bids will be due Sept 29. They have been able to tour it this week. Hope to have it done by end of 2011.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS - none

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT- Mike Hall- surveyor – Cook Road want to fix it with the big rock baskets (Gambion baskets) and clearing all trees on 400+ feet of the creek bank. No geotech and the soil scientist tests are not enough. His parents and his concern is that the baskets will sit in a 6% creek bank, 20 feet high. The option was a core drill and piling rock. The baskets are not a permanent fix.
Hall’s parents are declining to have it done or give up the ROW. We will lose the grant money. He has to give Listerman an answer. Rip rap with concrete over it might be an option. The proposed fix when it fails will actually make a problem worse. The failure rate of other sites like this cause them grave concern. Bats fly in by November so nothing can happen there. We would have to use their design to get the money and this is not a good fix. They have to tell them today. Deadline is here. This is not a big priority- but we will figure out a way to get people in and out, said Listerman. Hall apologized for the turn down of the grant.

Meeting adjourned at 11:00 AM.

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township