Final Meeting for Hughes and Orschell -18 December 2012 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

18 December 2012 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Jeff Hughes, President, Tom Orschell, and Shane McHenry

Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Teresa Randall, County Administrator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

Commissioner-elect Lynch was in the audience. Art Little was not.

Shane McHenry asked to observe a moment of silence for Councilman Jim Hughes who passed away .

Baudendistel thanked commissioners for taking a chance on him as county attorney and wished them well. He will be leaving the meeting early for court hearings. Commissioners also thanked him and wished him well. Orschell told a funny story about asking Baudendistel for his support in his first election but saying he wasn’t sure he was old enough to vote yet.

OLD BUSINESS:

OKI Citizen appointment tabled until January

NEW BUSINESS:

Planning and Zoning- Mark McCormack- Zone Map Amendment request from Hirlinger Motors, Inc.- McCormack presented the information showing maps of the area and the adjoining Highway Interchange zoning that Hirlinger requested as well. They want to get their M-2 with restrictions changed to H-1. They don’t need a full blown traffic study per McCormack . They may need some variances if the rezone is granted- concerning landscaping requirements. The one neighbor sent a letter saying they had no problem – but please don’t run water on me. ( this area is in the flood plain)

Public hearing was opened  but no one spoke –so it was then closed.

Commissioners had no questions. Jeff Lyness of Maxwell noted for the record that they were not part of that development- just contracting for the construction. Orschell motioned and McHenry seconded to approve the zone change to H-1 saying it met all the considerations of a zone change without specifying how it did. Approved.  The ordinance was signed.

 Hughes said he wanted Mark to pass along his thanks to the Plan Commission after having served on it for many years.

Assessor- Gary Hensley- PTABOA Board –wants to reduce the board to 3 persons. It will cost less and be easier to convene. He wants to spend more on his appraisals. He gets independent appraisals on commercial properties. He said he’ll use about $20,000 for that next year. He said they were getting beat up at the state on appraisals and he wants to beef up their evidence on this. Baudendistel agreed that a 3 or 5 member board is possible. McHenry asked if he was comfortable that 3 members is enough. Hensley was and noted the commissioners are a 3 member board. And then someone piped up that Council is 7 members. Baudendistel pointed out an independent appraisal is helpful in hearings. Hensley said sample size can be a problem showing statistical results from the neighborhood. Hensley wants 2 Level 2 appraisers on this board. They plan to have  the next board decide this with an ordinance prepared by Baudendistel. Tabled for January and also asked Baudendistel t o prepare the ordinance. ( as if it is already decided)

2013 Commissioner Meeting Dates – Randall asked them to have the first meeting moved so it’s not on the day after New Years. The first Commissioner meeting will be Thursday Jan 3^rd at 6 PM. The new board will figure out their meeting dates for 2013 after that.

Emergency Management – Bill Black- Contract with Greater Cincinnati Hazmat- this is their usual contract- $6,380.99 – which is actually lower than in previous years. Baudendistel had seen it. Commissioners approved. Bill Black said it had been great working with Orschell and Hughes who are leaving office.

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- Bryan Messmore- DC Prosecutor Office- $8,000 additional to their grant Indiana Family and Social Services Division of Aging  used for Adult Protective services . The grant runs from July 1 2010 and concludes June 30 2013. They will use it to cover office supplies, travel etc. thus relieving the county general fund. Salary ordinances stay the same- it is not used for that. McHenry said they have a lot of attacks on the elderly with scammers. Commissioners signed the grant agreement amendment to get the additional $8,000.

DC economic Development director asked for permission to go to Council to ask for money to purchase land in West Harrison TIF and this deal has to close before Dec 31. $550,000 has already been appropriated to buy this Stone Property. They will sign this over to redevelopment after they give the one piece to new business.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Todd Listerman, Highway Engineer- there is a public hearing on the Collier Ridge Bridge- Thursday at 6 PM at EMA building.

Collier Ridge Bridge- amendment to original design contract and was approved by INDOT. It’s all 80/20. $25,800 is the additional. The total is now $355,610 to American Structurepointe for design. Commissioners approved.

Separate contract with Structurepointe for ROW for not to exceed for $24,375 for acquisition of ROW on Collier Ridge Bridge.  Commissioners approved and signed.

Listerman thanked Hughes who hired him during his 8 years in office and he thanked Orschell for all his support of the highway dept. Orschell thanked Listerman for doing all he did to keep our roads safe.

Tim Grieve, Highway Superintendent- no business- he just thanked them for their support and appreciated the commissioners. He wished Orschell and Hughes good luck.

ADMINISTRATOR: Teresa Randall-

Shumway Contract- asked to table this until after Council meets and hopefully funds this. TABLED until January.

Vehicle policy Update- worked with the Auditor and she thinks they need to tighten procedures on mileage documentation logs. She thinks this will save in fuel costs etc. She wants to table this also until next year. TABLED. She also added to the “farewell party.” She said she’d try not to get emotional saying this but she said that they spent hours with her getting her up to speed. She appreciates what they did for her career and the county. Orschell thanked her also.

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- set first check date for vendors on Jan 17^th with claims schedule cut off at Jan 11^th to start her claims schedule.

State policy says they have to have disclosure of contracts with relatives. The next Board of Commissioners will have to sign the affidavit saying they will not contract with relatives. This is part of the Nepotism bill.

Claims signed. No minutes were presented for signature.

Hughes said he appreciated her organization and efficiency. She thanked Orschell for keeping her straight. And noted to Hughes that she wasn’t so sure about the efficiency since she didn’t get the minutes done!

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- see above- he left early for court.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS-  Orschell expressed sympathy to Hughes on the untimely death of his brother, and said that he knows how bad that feels. He also said that serving  8 years- is  unusual and to be noted.

Orschell said also- Shane – pleasure to work with you and I always took your comments to heart.

Orschell – IAC ( Indiana Association of Counties)  asked for  nominations for Auditor of the Year and we put Gayle Pennington up for this. Randall wrote up the recommendation. She started with the sudden death of Cary Pickens in 2010- she left treasurer and took up the task. Leader in expense reduction and efficiency. She cross trains her staff. Leads by example. Ready to run with any assignment- taking on GIS and Human resources. She also had to change payroll for state law and she did it in pieces across several pay periods to mitigate the effects. Even though she didn’t win- the county recognized her. Randall had flowers and the Commissioners all got hugs from Pennington. Orschell said to Pennington at the end-  don’t feel so bad about coming in 2^nd- I know the feeling.

Tom Orschell also thanked Randall- for all that she did and he thanked everyone in the room. And BTW everyone gets  a pay raise 1^st of year.

Orschell wanted to tell a story about an elderly couple, Richard and Betty Waller- he found a note- when he cleaned out his office. He met them at one of his early meetings. They had a lifetime agreement with the railroad to maintain their crossing. The railroad said they would no longer do this. She had brain and he had lung cancer. She said it happened in the 1970s and Congressman Hamilton had fixed that for them when RR tried it before. Orscell said that the County att’y said it was a federal matter. Orschell visited them and contacted Congressman Hill and they sent all info and Hill did get it fixed that RR would maintain it still. He said this gave him a feeling that the system worked. These two both have passed away now- but they told Orschell that they wanted to be sure not to pass the problem to their kids.

Hughes also said he was lucky to work with a fine set of commissioners and dept heads. He said Orschell was a tough act to follow.

McHenry gave a speech that as a board they put personal feelings aside and came in and conducted business. Randall presented Hughes and Orschell each with a clock plaque. He said they were a great team and they accomplished some things, He said they left some good things that will be going on beyond their time. He couldn’t be prouder than to call them fellow commissioners.

PUBLIC COMMENT- none

Everyone was invited to have cake afterwards.

Meeting adjourned at 10:20 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township