17 November 2020 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes
Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Dan Lansing, Kevin Turner ( sick - so was present via phone), Tim Doll, Alan Goodman, and Bill Ullrich.
Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Leah Bailey, Comptroller, and Sue Hayden, County Administrator
Title VI Statement read as legally required
ADDITIONALS:
SUPERIOR COURT II-Judge McLaughlin-
Public Defender- $30,000 (1001) asked for $60,000 in August. Estimates $10-15,000 needed not the $30,000 as requested. $15,000 approved to finish the year.
McLaughlin also said they had added more for public defenders at budget for $60,000. She wants to give them a health insurance option. She’s trying to get experienced people to commit and stay for public defenders. She would deduct the health insurance from their pay. Morris said that they need to be an employee to qualify for county health insurance by Med Ben. At the most it would be 3 people that she’s trying to retain. Judge McLaughlin said that she would have to try to get one of these as an employee. McLaughlin will check wit the other judges on ways to do this. She thought this would have been a simpler way. But Morris and Goodman said it would violate the contract with Md Ben. Raising the hourly wage may be a better choice and they get their insurance from the exchange. They had about 800 people that had public defenders. Probably spent $200,000 on them this year. Lansing asked if the Public Defenders were mostly young. She said they don’t last as long. She has a few regulars in the local lawyer pool that are more reliable.
MAINTENANCE: Eric Hartmann
Janitorial Supply- $10,000 (1001 & 1136)- Leah Bailey said he has run out of supplies and needs his to finish the year. Approved out of County General.
CLERK ELECTION- Gayle Pennington
Supplies, Overtime, Ads- $20,254 (1001)- Connie Fromhold presented and hoped the Secretary of State might reimburse some. Approved.
Transfer of funds for Employee payout $4,478- Approved.
COMMISSIONER- Sue Hayden
Lighting-$ 508,900 (1001)- almost completed
Touchless Bathroom Fixtures- $181,464 (1001)- almost completed.
Asking for them to be paid out of County General as it is being covered by COVID funds. Approved.They are also going to refund contingency as some were paid out of that to. $609,000 roughly going back to that fund
Sheriff- Shane McHenry- John ?? presented
Holiday Pay- $ 24,959 (1233)some of this has to do with the extra week of pays this year. Approved out of Jail LIT (Local Income Tax)
Overtime- $5,943 (1233) Approved out of Jail LIT
People are stepping up to cover COVIDs etc. per Tim Doll- appreciate that.
update- Looking at beginning of December for building the wall in jail.
ATTORNEY- Baudendistel presented his resolution (that was passed by Commissioners earlier tonight ) for having an option to file violation cases to Lawrenceburg City Court. He told them about fines and fees that will be split 50/50 with Lawrenceburg Court. Joe Johns is the Judge of that court. They had to wait to do this until a cooling off period as he and Joe were in same office up to 6 months ago. Now that’s past the 3 month cooling off period. There is no cost to us. Turner said it wold save money for us. Council adopted the resolution and the interlocal agreement.
Baudendistel also informed them of the local Emergency declaration.
AUDITOR- Minutes of Budget adoption, Joint Executive session with Commissioners, and the joint meeting with Hospital , Commissioners and Council Meeting were all approved.
Lawrenceburg Library Fiscal Body Declaration- Legislature decided that if the library’s tax budget is big enough that the county is their fiscal body. Approved.
Tobacco and smoking cessation program grant for health dept for $10,300 with no match approved.
COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 2021
All regular meetings are on Tuesday at 6:30 PM except for budget meetings- that are at 9 AM
Jan 26, May 25, Budget Hearings Aug 9-13, Public Hearing for Budgets Sept 2, Budget Adoption, Sept 16, and Nov 16. All approved.
Salary ordinance for 2020 signed with housekeeping changes. Also signed the 2021 salary ordinance.
PUBLIC COMMENT- none
Bill Ullrich said he worked with a lot of great people - and this was his last Council Meeting after 20 years. He'll still be around. There was a lot of contention 20 years ago in the county. We've come a long way. No body hold any personal animosities. We are blessed here- Thank you all.
Liz Morris thanked him too.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
