4 NOVEMBER 2020 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES
Present: Jim Thatcher, President, Art Little, and Rick Probst
Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney, and Sue Hayden, Administrator
TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE was read by Baudendistel as legally required.
OLD BUSINESS
Discussion of ROW on Turkey Point Road- tabled from last meeting.Baudendistel said there was a potential new landowner that wanted to extend a 1996 30 ft wide ROW for 275 ft done at county specifications. The county owns that ROW. The potential new owner who is buying from Reynolds, was present and said they hope to close in a couple weeks. Surveyor and staff had confirmed the ROW. Listerman said that they needed a vote of commissioners on a resolution that says the extended Turkey Point Rd for 275 ft. so that he can send that to the state to get INDOT for road inventory. This can be done at any meeting in the future. Commissioners asked Any Baudendistel to prep the resolution for the next meeting. Mary Koons ( sp?) , an elderly neighbor, was present. She lived on Turkey Point lived there for 50 years. The current owner of that land ( Antes sp?) and she always considered the fence to be their property line. She clearly went through the details of her husbands talk with the commissioners in 1996 and that she and he went down to sign papers then. Per Baudendistel, it seems that this was when the ROW was granted to the county but that the PROPERTY that the ROW is one is still hers and her husband’s property. It will be upgraded to county standard and maintained by the county. No action taken0 but resolution will be looked into by Baudendistel.
Election Update- Gayle Pennington- Clerk of Courts- 4000 votes left to count. Election board coming back in at 1:30 PM today. Over 25,000 plus total ballots. 11,000 was the early voting count. Long lines but everything went smooth.Final closures were later as the lines were still not voted. Manchester had a 3 hour wait at one time. They will probably have to work on that for next time. 10 total polling places is enough - but may need more machines. this was a long ballot- and there was a learning curve for this election. Many people hadn’t seen the machines as they didn’t vote as much in the primary this year. Listerman noted the parking and Manchester voters were parking on the grass. If it had been raining that would have been a mess.
Probst- said it was an incredible effort by all the election workers and the voters who used protective equipment that made it a SAFE voting experience.He said that they appreciate all their work. She had to call in massive amounts of election workers in the past 30 days. Absentee ballots were checked 4 tines with 4 sets of eyes before they were counted. Some were there every single day with them. Poll workers were awesome.
Little said people in line were not upset- that was amazing. Pennington said that every voter she saw thanked the poll workers . She only saw one guy upset and he yelled- only one. She said the workers helped an elderly lady to the door so she did not have to wait in line.
Highway Engineer- Todd Listerman-:
Consulting Contract- Lower Dillsboro Rd- United Consulting- Not to exceed- $233,000- this is for the 2nd phase of slip project. This is for the other part of the slip and using the existing finding for 2023 and 2026. This is the center-west slip. Approved.
Final Inspection Stateline Road Project- Listerman thanked the neighbors for being patient and noted it improved the intersection and visibility at Georgetown. Commissioners accepted the report of final acceptance. They signed it.
Bid Award for 2021 Chip Seal - Rohe- $ 1,095,552 and O’Mara $1,159,835.75- opened the bids on Oct 28. Rohe was awarded the contract. Approved by Commissioners. This gives about 5-7 years of extended life for the road and saves county funds.
Bid Award for 2021 Line Striping- IN Sign and Barricade- $76,250.29 and Oglesby Construction- $90.580.13. IN Sign and Barricade were awarded the contract. Commissioners signed. Not done last year due to COVID. This is an early bid for the spring. This will pick up all the roads that are included in the Chip Seal project. This is for roads carrying 1000 vehicles per day. This is for reflectivity at night - especially when it rains. Paint them every year. INDOT paints every year also like we do0 except for the ones they use thermoplastic on. Thiee last 4-5 years and are much more expensive.
Listerman said they are trying to preserve chip seal fog seal for subdivision roads. Most have been in over 10 years. Tim Grieve calls this prevention so they don’t become patchwork puppies. County workers will be doing all the prep work for that.
Salt is good for winter this year per Grieve.
ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden:
Hayden- congratulated Thatcher and Little on winning their “tough” race. Laughter .
Knights of Columbus Council #1231- 9th Annual Prayer on the Square for Jan. 22, 2021 @10 AM- in letter from Mr Bruns. Approved
Barnes & Thornburg 2021 Engagement 5K and 3K when not in session- totaling $48,000. They also charge $1500 for lobbying compliance to cover Lobby registration fees. Total $49,150. Baudendistel said they are great when we need them. There is a Friday conference call during the session that Commissioners etc can jump in on. Especially helpful on the CARES Act. Approved.
Agreement between Purdue University & Dearborn County $114,500- Purdue provides 3 educators for Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4H, Community Development, etc. It is in the budget. Approved.
AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold -Claims/Payroll and October 20th and the Joint meeting with the hospitals and Council Oct 26th Minutes were approved.
ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- Proclamation Regarding Government Operations- this was to give directives for red level on Board of Health. Dr. Eliason is trying to avoid a closure of the county buildings, they are going back to appointments and have restricted access to meet someone in the county buildings. Beginning this coming Monday. Meetings will be held but must have masks and distancing. They will also provide access by telephone to meetings. Court also have certain restrictions. Probst said that maybe they should wait till next Wed.Thatcher said they should do it now as they already had about 2 weeks to prepare. Approved.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS-
Probst- Taxes are due in November— this coming Tuesday. The Amnesty from the Spring is not extended for November.
Reduce group gatherings for COVID and continue to mask and social distance and wash hands. Increased by 400 cased from Oct 1- Oct 30.
Little- 25,000 voters is great and he thinks it’s due to good weather. Hope we will get through this and soon will see who is our new President.
Thatcher- had talked to Dr Eliason- and after Labor Day the numbers started to grow. The hospital had to open up additional rooms due to increased COVID cases. As we move into Thanksgiving and holidays we have to be very careful to protect our vulnerable people. The most important thing we can do to protect ourselves is a MASK per Dr Eliason. (AND WEAR IT CORRECTLY! - It covers the nose and mouth.)
LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none
PUBLIC COMMENT- none
ADJOURN- 10:30 AM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
