1 April 2025 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

 1 April 2025 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

This meeting is also on Youtube at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUGRp5Xll_Q

Present: Jim Thatcher, President, Duane Bischoff, and Kevin Turner

Also present: Connie Fromhold, Auditor, Andy Baudendistel, Attorney, and Sue Hayden, Administrator

Also present: Marc Emral, Register and Tamara Taylor, Beacon 

TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE was read by Baudendistel as legally required.

OLD BUSINESS

Cemetery Board - open 5-yr term position - continued tabled- no recommendation yet. Tabled til April 1st. They had a list pf potential candidates. Tabled until April 15th. 

NEW BUSINESS

EMS Director Appointment- Jason Sullivan - EMA/EMS Director- Thatcher said this was recommended by a consultant for EMS.Thatcher - Jason will visit each EMS and have a checklist of items to audit as he goes to each one. He will compare it from quarter to quarter. Baudendistel noted that last year showed them they needed to have rate list of calls made which are now in their contracts. Thatcher said they have an EMS LIT group. That money is used for staffing ONLY per Baudendistel. They have an option to come and ask if they need to use it for equipment. They can use the supplemental revenue towards that. 

Approved by Commissioners.

EMS Director Job Description Job Title: EMS Director-Part-Time Position Location: Dearborn County, Indiana Reports to: EMS Group Members ______________________________________________________________________ Overview: EMS Director oversees and manages emergency medical services within the county. The EMS Director will be responsible for leading and coordinating all aspects of EMS operations, ensuring high-quality patient care, compliance with regulations, and effective management of resources.

Responsibilities: 

1. Leadership and Management: • Provide visionary leadership to the EMS departments, setting strategic goals and objectives in alignment with the EMS Board of Director’s mission and values. • Foster a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement among EMS staff. • Collaborate with individual EMS agencies to fulfill Leadership and Management duties. • Work with individual EMS agencies reviewing financials to ensure EMS LIT money is being used properly. • Work with individual EMS agencies to ensure requirements of county contracts are being met. • Administer the EMS contract facilitation between the commissioners and the EMS agencies to ensure contracts are in place each year.

 2. Emergency Medical Services Oversight: • Monitor and evaluate EMS services to identify areas for improvement and implement corrective actions as needed. • Review coverage areas and suggest changes to commissioners. • Work with 911 center in obtaining reports to show performance of individual squads.

 3. Resource Management: • Audit the budget and financial resources of the EMS departments efficiently and responsibly. • Coordinate with other county departments and agencies to ensure adequate support and resources for EMS operations. • Monitor monthly reports from individual EMS agencies related to LIT contractual funding. 

4. Community Engagement and Public Relations: • Serve as a liaison between the EMS department(s) and the community, building positive relationships with residents, stakeholders, and local officials. • Collaborate with community organizations, healthcare providers, and emergency response partners to enhance emergency preparedness and public safety.

 5. Training and Professional Development: • Collaborate with EMS agencies on training needs to consolidate training efforts among departments.

2026 Letter of Support for Program Grants- Steve Kelly, Director of Court Services- these have been received 1989 ( largest)  and 2016. $71,005 is requested for offsetting insurance. They usually give us $61,000, though he os asking for more. 

$91,789 funds another position. This year he is asking for $97,000. Community $600,371. They get less each year but still asking for this amount $515,000 is usually given. They fund their own health insurance by paying for their share of county insurance with Highland. Council helped them with $60,000 of this. Approved all grants. He said once approved he will submit this for council budgeting.  

Catch a Ride Authorization Resolution - Erin Thomas, Executive Director of Life Time Resources- she said they are providing ride services for any one at any ages. 16,000 trips for Dearborn.County residents. Section 5311 Rural Transportation grant. They need to be recognized as the public transportation provider. Lifetime will be applying directly themselves instead of having to go thru Historic Hoosier Hills for the grant application. Resolution for this was provided by Baudendistel and signed by commissioners. Approved.  

Looking for drivers- $14/hour starting pay. Duane Bischoff said if they could get job info to him- he’d get it out on County Facebook Page.

Updates for MS4 Permit- Sandy Whitehead, MS4 Coordinator- required by the permit and OHM Consultant provided this info in this packet. Today is her 1 year anniversary of being MS4 Coordinator. She said she has learned a lot and she enjoys it. This packet highlights things from last quarter and last year. She has been meeting with various depts. and they each have to have a stormwater municipal operations plan. This affects Planning and Zoning, Building, etc. Did some inspector training at L-bg Fire Dept with 35 attendees. Spoke to Homebuilders Ass’n in March, Education is a big part of this to protect stormwater. She said she submitted a smaller report for last year. They are working to perfect more of that. Looking at Minimum Control Measures 1-5. Many of these things we were already doing as a county- and now we can certify. EMA and Health Dept particularly do many of these things and they also fit into Stormwater control. 

Thatcher wants her to work with Sewer Board, which he said is independent of the county.  Are we working with consultants with Aurora and L-bg and Greendale?  Thatcher wants her to meet with them to be sure we are all doing things the same way. Also to be sure they all paid for the OHM  consultants ??? Soil and Water shares info that we can put into our education goals. Baudendistel suggested she meet with Nicole Daily about HB 1037 that may impact some things. This MS4 never really ends… Typically it has been that local rules could be as strict or MORE than the state. Now they have to be the same. The reason we might be more was due to our soil types and our hilly topography and increased runoff. But we have to flow state’s less strict rules now. Stacy Goodwin will come down to get an audit- no fees. MS4 is the 3 cities and the county- not the towns. 

Todd Listerman, County Engineer- Epoxy Overlay Quotes for Bridge Preservation Program- this seals them to prevent penetration to the steel. There are 2 coats following a thorough cleaning so they seal. There is a company in Osgood that does pressure cleaning. So it is local. The one in Cincinnati- closed Covid and never returned. 

#19- Chesterville Rd $42,329.94

#28 Hogan Hill Rd $37,574,40

#29 Red Bridge Rd  2 phases as this is dead end rd  $27,850.50

#50 Geiger Rd $6,532.44

#103 North Dearborn Rd $35,667.89

#161 Pribble Rd $62,802.39 in 2 phases. 

McAllister Excavating is doing some minor patching and joint replacements  on a couple of these prior to then sealing.  APPROVED. Listerman will notify with signs and in the media about road closures. County will put it on Facebook page too. 

April is Bridge Inspection Month - we are down to 100 inspected. The Triple Whipple doesn’t count as it’s not taking traffic. The state sets us up as April. 2 get closed- George Street and Bells Branch are Iron Truss Bridges. They have to get a bigger inspection. The state covers state systems highways and interstate bridges. Each bridge gets a numerical rating. We have 16 bridges that get 4 or less so they get more frequent inspections. Ages of  bridges  affect this. We are gradually whittling the amount of bridges inspected down. County is the lead agency of the bridges. Shared bridges are 80/20 ( we are the 80%)

Todd Listerman-FPBH (North Vernon) Contracts switching to Gonzalez Companies, Inc - ( out of St. Louis) They merged with them. We still. Work out of North Vernon- but billing will come from Gonzalez. The contracts stay the same for us. Approved the consolidation of contracts. 

Amendment to Interlocal Agreement wit Ohio County Re: Judicial Employees- Baudendistel-we added that Ohio County will pay 1/3 cost of 2 part time drug testers. They sent $5,000 to this fund. Approved.

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden- Health Dept moved to Bielby Rd. Coroner moving down to their old space. Denny Kraus is using some center space of the Health Dept for storage. Recorder Joyce Oles- using other portion for her storage needs.

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims/Payroll and March Minutes-Approved

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- next step in the world’s longest property transfer <Laughter> St E’s Hospital easment- This is due to Alta Fiber lines moved. Approve the Commissioner’s signature on the. easement Approved. 

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS:none

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION: none

PUBLIC COMMENT: none

ADJOURN- 9:40 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township