6 March 2012 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

6 March 2012 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

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

ABSENT: Bill Ewbank, Acting County Administrator (see below for Administrator appointment)

OLD BUSINESS:

Appointments- County Farm- County farm board was dissolved at their last meeting, per Orschell. Earl Dawson and Board members want the 4H to have a home forever on County farm if they choose. Park Board has county Farm now per Baudendistel. He wants to see a copy of the memorandum with County Farm to see what it says. No appointment necessary as the board no longer exists.

Sponsorship/Letters of Support for Grants for Local Businesses- Hughes is willing to write the letter of support for Starlight Reception Hall to Lawrenceburg as long as they are not involved in the grant writing or have any legal part of this. The county does not want the administrative duties either. Commissioners agreed to write the letter before the March 25 deadline.

DCRSD- Appointment- Orschell says Renihan has board meeting later this month and they will bring a name to us after that. Tabled.

NEW BUSINESS:

County Administrator Appointment- Hughes said they had over 100 applications and commissioners interviewed 9 of them. Hughes wanted Teresa- (Terry) Randall as county administrator. McHenry motioned for Randall as Administrator. Orschell won’t 2nd as his pick is Bill Ewbank. Hughes 2nded it. Approved. Gayle Pennington will contactf Ms Teresa Randall and tell her she’s been appointed as the new county administrator.

Cathy Dwyer- Support and Advocacy Services – Clothesline Display on April 26th at the Courthouse Lawn- from rape crisis center. This gives voice to violence against women. A tribute to courage of women everywhere. The T-shirts of the victims healing process is what they hang. April 12- Take back the Night at the Tate St Adult center with a speaker and refreshments. They have more than 50 shirts they hang. Approved. McHenry thanked her for her community work. She said that Dearborn County SCU and the local police are the best at working to end violence. Approved for the clothesline project.

Hoosier Square Update and Change Orders – Orshell presented - $ 11, 518.19- new carpet coming out of Eric Hartman’s maintenance budget. $625.15 is a credit back. Completed April 11th on schedule. Orschell said depts want to move the April 14-15 weekend and have inmates help. He wants to have a dept head meeting on April 4 at 10 AM to get everyone on the same page. Commissioners will be there and they will advertise this. Orschell will get the new administrator on board with this project and the Votaw and Shumway agreement. Baudendistel has the interlocal agreement that transfers this to the county finally. Votaw got it to him from the Lawrenceburg. Approved. Commissioners approved the change orders also. [NOTE: What was it that they signed about a year ago on this deal with Lawrenceburg?]

Chamber of Commerce- administrative contract- already approved by Council per Pennington. Commissioners approved the contract for $25,000- the same amount as previous years. The county’s only expense in this is the $25,000 for the Redevelopment Commission. The CVTB pays for an additional amount in this contract also from their innkeeper’s tax.

Bill Black- EMA Director- Proclamation for Severe Awareness Week- commissioners signed the proclamation for March 11-18th. They will repeat drills etc. like last week. Black took the command truck to Marysville as it was requested. They passed 4 areas hit hard on the way. Lambert from Greendale was willing to send people as was Fortner from Dillsboro. They are not requesting any more donations of goods- just money to Red Cross now. Pennington said to keep in mind our GIS for some of this also.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Todd Listerman, Highway Engineer- Todd Listerman is at Purdue- so report from Tim Grieve. He said he told council about slip on North Dearborn hill and they are OK to fund this. He said this is more a “have to” project. He also said we need to get a program set up on paving and chip seal. Orschell said we need to look at the cost differences on these too. Grieve told them Weisberg is the worst road in the county, Hughes said we should send you to Council to get this one project done. Grieve said we have trouble plowing it and it is a series of patches. He will look at it for May council meeting- first he’ll bring it to Commissioners first with numbers. Can’t use chip seal on Weisberg- chip seal is used on better roads.

Marlene Underwood- Animal Control truck is completed and is in Texas. Smith Traveler transport in Oklahoma can bring it here for $1200. McHenry said as long as he doesn’t bring anything else back from Texas. He does not require any money up front. He is insured. References checked out. She has $1800 left in the grant- so this is covered. Commissioners approved.

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- minutes from Feb 25th signed. Claims signed.
Pennington said the commissioners are the owner of the tax sale certificate for the Moores Hill property discussed last month. Commissioners can assign this to another political subdivision. Then they have 120 days to wait. Moores Hill will have to release their sewer lien on this. The IRS has one for $1200. $7698.37 of taxes would have to be written off by commissioners. This will be Sparta township revenue that Moores Hill loses. Moores Hill had a conflict with tonight’s meeting time. If this gets settled this will get no new taxes paid as it’s going to be tax free as Moores Hill’s property. McHenry and Orschell both agreed that they don’t like to lose the taxes- but in its current condition it is also a safety hazard. Commissioners will get Ms Emery ( Clerk Treasurer) and Moores Hill to the next meeting to decide this. Baudendistel has been in contact with John Watson- the Moores Hill lawyer. Pennington will have tax numbers for how this affects the school there too.

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- nothing more.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- McHenry talked to Phil Weaver about Miller 1 Precinct to see the affects and he will mail something to the voters out there.

Per McHenry, Bill Ewbank had requested to keep his cell phone- which is of no value per McHenry and Verizon. They will get him the necessary forms and then he assumes the liability of it.

Orschell said opening for Kelso township trustee per Jake Hoog, Democrat Chairman. The current one resigned and he was an Independent. Hoog said David Alig ( has a Shell Station up there) is willing- and Orschell will talk to him to confirm if he’s willing. Commissioners get to appoint the replacement. The current trust resigned Friday via email. Tabled until next meeting.

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT-Don Albert and Jeff Smith of Bright. They want to bring the trash and litter problems along the main roads in the county. They see it along Jamison, Stateline, and North Dearborn. They have talked to Grieve in Highway and Orschell. They realize it’s hard to get it collected safely. He said it makes the county look really bad. They may see about getting inmate help. They want the commissioners to consider and formulate a plan to fix the problem. Smith collected 55 bags of trash in ½ mile on Jamison. Also a gas grill and tires etc. Commissioners thanked them for their effort. Orschell will talk to them after the meeting also.

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township