3 June 2014 Dearborn
County Commissioners Meeting Notes
Present: Shane McHenry, President, Art Little, and Kevin
Lynch
Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Teresa Randall, County
Administrator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.
OLD BUSINESS:
Proposed Animal
Control Ordinance- Baudendistel made the changes discussed at the last
meeting and incorporated the language that “it is strongly advised” that cats
and dogs over 6 months old be sterilized as advised by Penny Shroeder of PAWS.
He thanked all the groups for their input and said that he believed removing
the pit bull as vicious dogs and allowing vicious dogs to be determined on a
case by case basis was the right thing to do. Commissioners adopted the
ordinance and Baudendistel will work on interlocals with the cities and towns
in their jurisdiction. He will work on monetary contributions for enforcement
and getting their laws in accord with ours.
Happy Hollow Road-
McHenry asked for this to be tabled until Mr. Engle could be present for this.
Tabled.
NEW BUSINESS:
Maxwell Construction-
Jeff Lyness- Jail Project Update and Change Orders- things started in the
addition. Flooring, ceilings, mechanicals going in. Security walls going into
jail for next 3 weeks. Working on the exterior this week. In about two weeks there
will be some asphalt on one side for parking soon on one side of the building.
They hope to have the August opening of the addition weather permitting.
Lyness presented Jail Change Orders: Commissioners approved
ceiling types changed for security reasons from Jails Correctional Products –
for net of $ 5290. They approved Valley Interior Systems for $3370 for changing
ceiling types in 2 rooms. Commissioners approved for Avenue Fabricating a
change order of $11,508 for reinforcing sky lights, floor slab thickness and
structural steel issues and coordinating with HVAC units and guardrail issues
for them as code required. We are still in line with contingency. $739 also approved for Avenue Fabricating for
smaller mechanical items.
EMA Director- Bill
Black, Jr. Grant Signatures- $15,000 for mitigation going to have several
counties go together to get one company do the grants. This is a plan that has
to be redone every 4-5 years. This is for 2015 money. Commissioners signed the
grant.
He is also glad to hear the jail project is getting some
blacktop down soon. Highway also helped fill in with gravel and dirt for other
access to their EMA building.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Todd Listerman, Highway Engineer- Signatures for Bridge rehab Title Sheet-
Commissioners signed theses sheets. Council has approved the money for all the
box beams he presented there and the steel bridge on Johnson Fork Road. Hope to
open at first July meeting and start in July. He has been notified by INDOT
that they have notice to proceed on Collier Ridge Bridge. They should start
before the end of June.
Tim Grieve, Highway
Superintendent- Quote for Emergency Repair on West Laughery- it slipped
into the creek down there. They are working under a 5 year warranty and repair
costs $290,220.It had some repair in the past. They are getting the whole thing
fixed at once. It’s either fix it or close it. Commissioners approved him going
to Council. Art Little told Tim that the lady on Stout Road appreciated the fix
they did up there.
ADMINISTRATOR:
Teresa Randall- has nothing for today.
AUDITOR: Gayle
Pennington- Claims approved. Settlement distribution approved. This is the 2nd
time we were first in the state to get our settlement completed and she is
proud of her staff. No minutes were brought up for approval.
ATTORNEY: Andy
Baudendistel- wanted to thank them for passing Animal Control Ordinance. We
have been seeing more public records requests and we need a procedure in place
to handle this. Lawrenceburg requires a form to be in writing to request these.
This is a way to streamline everything so they can be sure they are handled
correctly. This form will be in the Auditor’s office so that it is centralized.
Pennington is OK with being the point person- as most of the records are in her
office anyway. Discussion which I and other audience members participated in
covered getting records on the web page so that requests for simple items like
minutes and plans could be accessed without a special request. Someone also
suggested putting the request form on the
web page as well. Permission given to Baudendistel to start working on a form
for release of public records. He also stated that he needed to get with
department heads so that they could be instructed on the Public Access and Open
Door Law and our new procedure for handling requests. [NOTE: Digitized public records are simple to produce. The county web
page can house many of them. It is unfortunate that the county has no IT person
to manage this. Generally speaking, the
county is open to public document requests and no printing costs are even incurred
when they can be sent over email. It is interesting that the county
commissioner’s recent annual report states that they are open and transparent,
while they are now putting obstacles and delays into the process of obtaining even
simple public documents like minutes from meetings. The Public Access Counselor
does NOT require a specialized form to file complaints with their office. And
the public access law states that when there is a gray area about a document,
the decision should always leans towards being more open- not less. ]
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS-
Lynch was recently appointed to IPSC (IN Public Safety Commission). McHenry
said that Animal Control is having trouble covering vacations in June with
their small staff- there is one weekend and one Saturday in question. The
commissioners directed back to her that they need to get coverage for that.
Baudendistel said the sheriff dept also had to be notified.
LATE ARRIVAL
INFORMATION- Restricted access bill goes
into effect July 1st to have law enforcement and judges and victims
of domestic violence etc. to have their addresses removed from public access
like on the assessor’s site per Baudendistel.
PUBLIC COMMENT- Bill
Black also congratulated Lynch on appointment – good to have a voice there from here on IPSC.
Meeting adjourned at 9:19 AM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
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