23 February 2016 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

  23 February 2016 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Dan Lansing, Charlie Keyes, Ryan Brandt, Alan Goodman, and Bill Ullrich. 

Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor and Teresa Randall, County Administrator

Liz Morris - said that she wants to have all questions or comments at the microphone as a policy from here on. 

PROSECUTOR – Aaron Negangard - Corrisoft Software - wants to be part of a few counties in the state to be part of a pilot project for child support. This company is very good at employing people even those with felony offenses. He wants to use this program to have people owing child support get jobs to pay the support. Dearborn, Vanderburg, Boone Counties have been asked to be part of this pilot project. He thinks this can be done in lieu of jail for non payment of support. Incentive money goes to the clerk, the prosecutor, and the county. Now that money can only be used for child support. there is $90,000 in that fund and he wants $50,000 of that to use for this project for one year. If our collections increase, so does our incentive money. He will serve about 25 people with this $50,000. The tracking software will ferret out if someone is working under the table. They get contacted 2-3 times a day thru the tracking system. There shouldn't be an excuse as to why they can’t get to their job. Disability payments can be used to support the children in some cases depending on which type of disability payment they have. They are looking for people who is able bodied and unemployed for this program. Ullrich motion and Lansing 2nded. Passed.  

REDEVELOPMENT – Jim Deaton -  2^nd reading The verbatim reading is not required at this meeting as they read it at the January meeting. Tom Pippin from Barnes and Thornburg is present to explain the ordinances he authored. The county would have no liability on the bonds. The DCRC would. The series A ones for Skally’s who  would produce  a TIF stream. If they don't do the activity that produces the money, then etc county does not owe them a dime. Max of $800,000 principle and can only be paid off with 65% of the TIF taxes. The other 35% goes to the TIF funds for DCRC. After 10 years this is paid and then 15 more years of TIF money goes to the DCRC TIF funds. 

The 2nd on is $3million paid from the real property tax TIF stream. the incentive is provided to West Harrison LLC. It has access to chunks of the incentive as it brings projects to the DCRC and they get approved by the DCRC. In a sense it is a conditional relationship. There were economies to the county. The developer is not entitled to the incentive unless approved by DCRC. The access to the funding kicks in only when a project is assessed and approved. Kraus asked if the construction would be taxable property. Yes. 

Kraus 8 business locations with buildings available now- Why are we wanting to build now? 
Randall- not aware of any locations. 
Council - in the county or the cities?

Goodman said- that every project has to be approved by DCRC. Yes. 

Lansing said- he would like to see term limits for jobs and staying there. Not talking about Skally’s they have irons in the fire. I;m talking about the other building project. I want to make sure the is in place before we go any further 

Kraus- if we approve this tonite we will have $12,200,000 worth of incentives out there. The incentives are 10 years but the revenues are 25 years before the other taxing entities benefit. 

Goodman- hoping more COIT and other taxes and jobs. And more house being built. Then the schools will have to open as more students come in. 

The Board entertained a motion on this: AN ORDINANCE OF THE DEARBORN COUNTY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA, TAXABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2016B (WEST HARRISON, LLC PROJECT), AND THE PROVISION (OR DEEMED PROVISION) OF THE PROCEEDS THEREOF TO WEST HARRISON, LLC, AND AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING OTHER ACTIONS IN RESPECT THERETO

Goodman motioned and Ullrich 2nd, All ayes except for KRAUS NAY.

The board entertained a motion: AN ORDINANCE OF THE DEARBORN COUNTY COUNCIL  AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA, TAXABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2016A (ODETTE, LLC PROJECT), AND THE PROVISION (OR DEEMED PROVISION) OF THE PROCEEDS THEREOF TO ODETTE, LLC, AND AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING OTHER ACTIONS IN RESPECT THERETO

Ullrich motioned saying try their bagels at Meijers and Goodman 2nd. All ayes. 

HEALTH DEPT – Dr. Scudder/Mary Calhoun

New Ordinances - Mary Scudder contacted 6-7 other public health depts. We were out of line and now the health board approved the new fee schedule. Money generated goes to the health fund. This will help with the recent shortfall in the health fund. ( in answer to Ryan Brandt’s question) Goodman abstained from discussion or voting as he sits on this board. Kraus motioned and Lansing 2nd . All ayes. Goodman abstained.

Heath Dept wants to pursue a grant for rural health care. This company contacted them regarding what they pay for broadband and phone service. They will pay for 50% of what the county pays. It’s federal money- but NO match. It runs July 1- June 30. This company does all the paperwork. Ullrich motioned and Kraus 2nd. All ayes with Goodman abstaining. 

FUNDING - Source for the annex building. ($10,925,000) In the August meeting they ( Council) approved the funding. $275,000 was approved also at that time. Brandt wants to see it funded with cash or savings- no bonds. Brandt motioned to fund it out of infrastructure fund 49.4. Keyes says he is for it- but we really need to start determining our future. Out RR is going down over $3million since he’s been on Council. Down about $900,000 a year. This is the worst budget wise that our county has ever looked. I’ve heard from our senators and reps that they will not be able to protect our riverboat funds. I don’t think anyone realized how bad this is or what these numbers were. We will only have $2million left after this.

Lansing half of what we spend is RR. And now we are draining it.

 Brandt says this is something that should have been acted on sooner than we have been acting on it. Would you rather spend $10 million on a building or $50million for a lawsuit? 

Lansing- we always hear about these lawsuits… 

Kraus - the insurance pays for the lawsuits. 

Ullrich- hoping we have other entities helping to get funds.

Kraus- we are paying a Construction manager ( Maxwell) who recommended 21,000 sq ft and now it is 36,000 sq ft. building. 

Morris said Maxwell is a CM and is a man of integrity and I feel comfortable with him managing this. He does good work. 

Terri Randall- I don’t have the numbers so I am not prepared to discuss that. But we did do all this discussion before. This board voted to do this and we agreed to disagree on some of this. This board can meet with the architect next week. If you want to go over the square footage.{Note: Pointless.] The motion was not to exceed the $10,925.000. That is not the budget- it was $11,200,000. We used $275,000 of this. We will give updates periodically. 

Brandt motioned and Ullrich 2nd to fund out of infrastructure fund 49.4 Votes were 4 ayes and two nays Lansing and Kraus. 

BUDGET - Transfers to repair 2016 budget cuts- Morris went on at length about the approved budget falling to this low level. The cuts were made for the $1.9 million last month Now we need to restore the amounts from other funds. Pennington said we cut the funds from General Fund and the items we cut are still needed. Tires, gas, etc. Keyes- We thought we were getting $9 million and we only got $7 million. Pennington- we will get event center taxes now that Lawrenceburg doesn’t own it. But we lose I & M per Lansing. Kraus says we need to take it of riverboat  growth and development funds and rainy day funds. 

Kevin Lynch- taxpayer- we need to either raise funds or cut costs. I challenge Council to identify areas where potential cuts can be made. I think we need to take a really strong look at areas where cost savings can be made. [NOTE: OK- now explain to me how the commissioners just asked for all this money to spend on the annex and redevelopment and now he calls himself a taxpayer and says this!??]

COMMISSIONERS – Terri Randall - Annex Project- $500,000 needed as a draw down. Since it is already funded tonight. I am to work with the auditor and put these draw downs into the commissioners budget to start paying bills. The investment rate on this is really small- but we should still try to not transfer money until needed. She wants to know how they want her to work this. 

Pennington said there is a difference between approving a NTE ( Not To Exceed) and an appropriation. The approval is in the line item of riverboat revenue. Not commissioners budget.

Randall asked for the $500,000 appropriation and she will work with the construction manager ( maxwell) to work on a timeline to get them advertised for Council meetings as needed. 

Kraus asked if the Council will get monthly statements on annex budget. 

Randall said she can have the spreadsheet sent to you monthly. If you want to see more detail then we can tweak that. The next May meeting is OK with Randall for the next appropriation. 

Keyes asked for the final costs on jail to be sent to all of them. Goodman motioned and Brandt 2nd for the $500,000. All ayes with Kraus and Lansing Nayes, 

PARK BOARD – Jim Red Elk

Repair/Maint. Bldg. & Grounds $6,000 requested. Kraus motioned for $4000 and if need more, come back. Ullrich 2nd. All ayes with Lansing Nay.

BM Park Improvements- Lansing motioned and Ullrich 2nd to approved them all below for $10,300.  All ayes. 

GR Park Improve

CF Air Compressor

Guilford Improve

PLANNING AND ZONING – Mark McCormack- not present. Discussion on Dillsboro Interlocal- Lansing said they got a computer given to them by 911 and they will get $7200 up front and they will do the final $2800 if needed for the total $10,000. 80% is for part time help of the $7200. 

Kraus said- there may be some strings attached to that computer from 911. 

Lansing said that the project for 911 has to be done by June or July. Pennington said that 911 gave them a computer so they can get an intern in there. Goodman motioned. Only 2 counties in the state without centerline data. This goes back to Cary Pickens days. The company hired did not get it done. Big mess. Andrea is looking into using the perpetuation fund to contract this out. Schneider does a lot of work like this for other counties. That will take care of the 911 work maybe.

Goodman motioned and Ullrich 2nd. all ayes to approve the interlocal agreement. 

AUDITOR – Gayle Pennington

Discuss alternate on the PAC committee- Morris wants an alternate for her or Kraus to be Brandt in case she or he is unavailable. Approved. 

Minutes from January 26, 2016- approved

Create line item in PUF budget for Superior Court. to fund a salary from probation user fees for JCAP. Ullrich motioned and Goodman 2nd . All ayes. 

Amendment to the salary ordinance- Humphrey takes $25,000 out of his budget for guardian ad litem. GAL line in Circuit Court budget – Beth Blair $5,762.00 increase to $6,762.00 This was approved- but one employee is getting a $1,000 raise. Still within budgeted $25,000. Goodman motioned and Kraus 2nd All ayes. Ohio County helps fund this per Pennington. There are two GALs running the dept. the actual GALS are volunteers.

Morris said Safe Passage thanked Council for $5,000 in budget

Meeting adjourned at 8:22 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township Meeting