5 AUGUST 2025 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

 

5 AUGUST 2025 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

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

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

Update on HWY DEPT Property Clean-Up- Sandy Whitehead- MS4 Coordinator- meeting with company to do wetland remediation. $250,000 received from Council yesterday for this. 

3 quotes for cleanup around salt barn areas, No more than $20k for that.

Pile of sand and salt that is open. Maybe clean that up with $10,000 NTE quote to clean up that. Tim Grieve and crew have been working on scrap metal etc. Not sure if more remediation will be needed there. 

They need about 6 inches depth on the cleanup on salts. This is because the site slopes to an unnamed tributary. Stormwater pollution prevention plan is what this company  has planned. 

There are other sites that we have to be proactive about that. There is a dept. of IDEM that will advise us what to do after they assess the situation- and they don’t report to IDEM on us. It is a way to be proactive to avoid getting out of compliance. There will be a fee for the engineer that you hire to do what that dept person tells you to do. Wood chips from all the clean brush etc and have Wilhelm Lumber helping get the big pieces done with their specialized chippers for large logs. Might use as mulch on trails and courthouse. Turner was suspicious regarding IDEM having a dept. that would look at our problems and advised them to be careful about telling the IDEM dept. to much- as they might turn inspectors on to it. Baudendistel and Whitehead both noted that the dept website actually says they do not report people - they want to get people in compliance by advising them how to get in compliance.   

NEW BUSINESS

Discussion RE: Property on Westside  Dr., Aurora- Mike Riddle- 4 years ago they have the house there and would like to purchase the land there that is in the flood plain for clean up and garden. The commissioners need 2 appraisers to and offer it for sale to the public- then they take the highest and best bid. Listerman said it sits at the end of the drive. It runs along the creek and the road. He said they should check to see if Aurora has any need. Riddle’s property has access to it directly. Listerman said Randy Turner Utility Director Aurora did not have need. They will call the mayor ( Todd and Thatcher) and see what  he says too. TABLED till they can get Aurora’s input.  

SRI Scholarship Awards - David Bottorf, AIC Executive Director- Doing this for 20 years and the first time we have had 2 from one county. Also from the same high school.( East Central) 

 Nationwide Ret Services Scholarship- $1,000 ( $500 for each semester) Bree Cleary Going to Indiana State. He also recognized Liz Morris on their board of directors today too. Got a picture of Judge Cleary, Bree Cleary and the commissioners and Liz Morris. 

Carson Pieczonka received the SRI scholarship. He and his family -  family had 10 change students over the years, Played football. He and his family also got a picture with officials . 

Per Bottorf- SRI- does the tax sales and sheriff’s sales and they are glad to work with us on this. They used to send out all these holiday cards and now they use those funds towards scholarships.  

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel-

Quitclaim Deed for 368-370 Bielby Rd - Approved and signed. 

Quitclaim Deed for 600 Wilson Creek Rd- Hospital Main Campus- Approved and signed. These two items are consolidating things to county’s name and then they can transfer this to St. E’s Hospital at the closing. The parking lot will be transferred then too. 

Third Amendment to CMHC Lease- the apt. Is on land the county leases to Community Mental Health and this is for $1 per year till 2103. Approved.  

County Engineer - Todd Listerman:

Deaf Child Sign Policy Update- In 2010 they had a sign request for this sign on a county road. The policy was for children under the age of 13. This one is on Mt Sinai Rd. There are 2 kids there. The old signs have been removed as kids are older now. They are in good shape and can be reused. These kids are toddlers now. Approved to place the signs and waive the cost. Looking to redo the policy in ordinance and set to age 18 at Turner’s and Baudendistel’s  suggestion.   (adulthood)

Bridge 212, Cranes Run Rd - Design Contract- FBPH - the Gonzalez Co. This is 2 old multiplate side by sides. It needs to be replaced. $77,700. Approved. 

Updated that Bridge 68 on Yorkridge and another on Davidson are on list to do. Fixing 3 bridges this year and added 3 more structures to the list, We have gotten 21 to fix reduced to 12 bridges now.  

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden- will be in INDY for 1 day next week for ADA and Title VI for workshop to stay updated and on track with this 2 duties of hers. 

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims/Payroll and July 15th Minutes-Approved

Baudendistel - Approved for Manchester out of additional distribution out of EMS LIT for $448,897 from Council approved and need Commissioners to approve. Clawback in there about when they have to dispose of unit- to offer it to others and notify the county of that. Chief Kevin Havlin - Started to search for this and they have more than doubled their runs per month, Talked to Horton Manufacturer and they told us of the opportunity to buy the demo unit they had there at the convention. Being rural - they go off road more often. In 2024 they had two times they were more than 2 miles off road. This is a 1.5 ton chassis. $30,000 more for that. Traffic safety requires restraint systems in the back of ambulances. Looks to last 10-12 years. This is a 550 not a 350. Baudendistel submitted - 2025 contract for supplemental distribution of $448,897 for Manchester. Approved. 

Havlin went on at Thatcher’s request to state what LIT has done for their EMS. It has allowed them to get people from outside to do runs. They were missing about 24-25% of calls when 2024 came around and now have advanced EMT’s and have made 100% of runs now. Appreciate all the support they have gotten from them. 

Amendments and Agreements with 911 dispatch for 3 cities and towns. Baudendistel have agreements for 911 dispatch  that were all done at Council. Dillsboro only wanting to do a 1 year agreement.30% reduced rate and did it for 3 years. Dillsboro only agreed for 1 year which they were disappointed about. Commissioners approved. 

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Thatcher- when Kevin talked about EMS LIT- the squads are all up to 95% or better now- that is what LIT can do. It’s doing what LIT was supposed to do,  

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION: none

PUBLIC COMMENT: none

ADJOURN- 9:27 AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township