27 September 2024 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

27 September 2024 Dearborn County Council Meeting Notes

Present: Liz Morris, President, Dennis Kraus. Sr., Kevin Turner, Tim Doll, Mark Dole, and Glenn Wright. 

ABSENT: Dan Lansing

Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor and Leah Bailey, Comptroller

Also present: Marc Emral Register, Jim Thatcher, Commissioner, Tamara Taylor Beacon, DCRSD board members:  Steward Cline,Doug Baer and Russell Beiersdorfer and Bob Hrezo, Mike Hrezo, and Christy, Engineers for DCRSD, and one citizen.

Title VI Statement read as legally required by Liz Morris.

Budget Adoption-  Opened Public and Closed Public. Budget was Approved, Adopted, and Signed.

Park Board-Gene Cleary- Bright Meadows walking path. Cleary passed out information. $196,000 cost of trail, Bid is set unless significant asphalt increases in cost. 

$50,000 grant from DCF and matching donation  of $50,000 and only $96,000 left for Park Board to pay. They would have money left in their funds. $371,000. Park Board only wants to use this for large projects. 

Tim Dole explained the Stellar Program from One Dearborn and Mike Perleberg. There are 4 finalists for this money in the state. $8 million  is available via Stellar. Wanted to include this in teh package for the Stellar Pathways as they like these trail programs. There are local matches and for the trail and that helps too. Award recipients are announced in January and Cleary got DCF to extend their grant into 2025. Wright asked about what happens if there is $2 million granted for Bright from Stellar. Discussion was about this project if Stellar does not happen. The Council wanted to be sure that they could leverage these dollars for Stellar. They should try to use the Stellar funds if at all possible. The Council is letting the money sit there as a good faith project. They need to commit to the $96,000 for the Stellar project. Board tabled and then reopened the discussion on the walking path at Bright Meadows. 

Morris asked them to include language to include the Stellar Program. Council ended up committing  for $120,000 to fund the pathway pending Stellar decision. Approved. They have to redo in January anyway to reappropriate. They are letting Stellar know that they are willing to match. (about $220,000 total from the 3 sources) 

Glenn Wright- asked about using the Master Plan for all 5 parks. Cleary said all 5 are included in their Laster Plan. Grieve is to get a plan on that trail to Dennis Kraus, Sr. They thawed Gene Cleary for all his work.  

Dearborn County Regional Sewer District- $8,211,660 ARPA Funding 

Lake Dilldear Sewer Lines and Guilford Sewer Treatment Facility- Steward Cline introduced himself as one of the trustees for the DCRSD. He gave a brief summary of the projects and bids. One is lines with Dillsboro treating and $14,000 value to residents.and Guilford had plant plus lines for 62 units and over $20,000 to each. 

$5,576,448.77 for Guilford. Contingency is 15% - have to authorize money for the plant by mid Oct. 

$2,538,288.72 for Lake Dilldear. Contingency is 7% Does not have to be paid until connections are made. 

TOTAL- $8,114,737.49 leaving $96,922.51 for another project. 

The funds can be reclassified if the contingencies are not used per ARPA info via Treasury Zoom call per Baudendistel. 

Forced hook ups will follow the code regarding a working septic or not. That lasts only 5 years as an extension. Per Baudendistel and Baer. 

Turner thanked the Steward Cline and DCRSD for their work on this- and Stew thanked them for the ARPA funds.

Baudendistel said there are some laws, that may come eventually, requiring the septic to be inspected prior to property sales. 

APPROVED the total ARPA funds of  $8,211,660.00 .The sewer projects total is  $8,114,737.49 . This leaves $96,922.51 for transportation dept. 

Wright- DCRSD has $3million plus out to West Harrison TIF for the sewer lines they installed for them. Discussion on getting the agreement and getting that money repaid to DCRSD. 

 

AUDITOR- Minutes- Approved. 

LATE ARRIVAL- none

PUBLIC COMMENT- none

Meeting adjourned at 10 AM 

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township