6 April 2021 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

 

6 April 2021 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

Ordinance Re-establishig Cum Cap Development Fund-  The Ordinance was approved with Probst voting NAY for and increase to  0.025/ $100 of assessed value. No further discussion.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Fire Monitoring System Bid Update- Amy Phillips- YES Home Executive Director - not asking for any money but they wanted to have the County be aware of the change they needed to make. This is because it is County Property. Still operating at !00% capacity. Had a 17 year old who came back to YES Home as a safe place. She had been on the streets for about 5 weeks. Now they are getting her on track for college etc. They have 9 full time and 7 part time at the YES Home. Commissioners approved the Fire System update. 

North Dearborn Water Company presentation - Looking for SRF funds. They constructed a well field and plant out on the Whitewater aquifer in 1995. the treatment plant needs to be constructed. With the funds that were available in March. This will be a 1000gal / min treatment plant and it will upgrade the wells to do this. They will create a loop in the northern side of the county that gets a network North of I-74. The cost is 2.5 million and 1/2 million of non- construction. They are almost shovel ready. Public hearing in May and go to bid in July pending finding when plans are complete. Have to get 18 easements for the ,wins and an archeology study. One small wetland area and most is Ag land. Treatment site will go one the same site. 400,000 gal per day nor and this will get it to 1.4 million gal per day. This will service the development for the area. They can fund 10% of the project directly. The county will get funds first.They got stimulus money in 2008 and they had  competed that project in 15 months. He can bring in more details for these lines. He asks the commissioners to consider them for part of the grant coming to the county. What other counties are involved. Franklin County- would be the other to benefit along SR 1 there to for their potential light industry. Ripley probably not so much. They buy water from Greendale, Tri Township and ____. They provide 70% of their own. October 2021 and finish in October of 2022 is the timeline.  The large farms for sale up there on the edge of the county is what is driving the construction. When they built the tank in New Alsace they got on the list for grants because they were READY. Thatcher suggested they have a conversation with planning and coming also. The repairs for the current plant would make it out of commission for a few months They have the property near it for the new plant. Gary Gaynor is utility supt. - he says that the building materials cost have escalated in price. If money is an issue they could do the plant and wells and wait n the transmission lines. So there is a plan B. The treatment plant is OK for maybe 3 years- but he cannot wait for it to fail and be in trouble. Commissioners took under advisement. 

Transfer of Tax Sale Certificates to City of Aurora Resolution- Derrick Walker- city manager-  property on 138 Conwell less than 0.1 acre - owes $28,000 taxes

311 5th street  .12 acre 13,500 owes over 11,000 taxes

Market St about .5 acre - assessed at 5200 and owes about 2500 taxes. 

No taxes paid on any of these for quite a while. No incentive for contractors to take over these lots. String together about a dozen properties and provide some incentives to get things done. Working with Redevelopment on this as infill residential housing.

If the properties are not redeemed in 120 days then these properties transfer to Aurora. 

Highway Engineer Todd Listerman:

TriTownship Water Reimbursable Utility Agreement- Bridge #108 Harrison Brookville Road- County received federal funds a few years back - this is a federal aid project. Intersection gets shifted to the west and the water line has to be encased as it is going to be under the new road. Amount is $41,065 to install the casing and should be 80/20 federal aid. This is a not to exceed amount. Commissioners approved the agreement. This is fiscal year 2023 money. 

Contract Agreement 2021 Chip Seal - Fog Seal Subdivision Project- Contract already awarded to O’Mara. This is just paperwork for this work that was bid last fall . $324,105 is chip seal/fog seal. This will extend the life of the roads in the subdivisions.

Contract Agreement 2021 County Road Paving - $1,988,339- with 50% by state with Community Crossing grant program. Approved. 

Contract Agreement 2021 Chip-Seal - Fog Seal Project- This is for main through roads. Cost is $1,095,552 with Paul Rohe Company. The roads are listed in the contract. If they carry more than 500 vehicles per day they will get striped as they are new and black. Approved. 

SR 46 Unofficial Local Detour Agreement- for the roadwork being done this year along SR 46 between SR 1 and Chappelow Ridge Rd. INDOT will help to reimburse us for  those routes the locals use. The state uses i-74 down to US 52. They identified the roads likely to be used for the INDOT agreement. Approved the SR46 unofficial detour. 

Signatures for Annual Highway Operational Report- Prepared and ready to submit to the state. Commissioners signed. $9.712 million total spent $6 million matched grants and $3 million tax revenue.

Slips cost is over $300,000. Don’t want to build along hillsides and next to creeks. Listerman leverages a lot of our funds to get the extra funds from the state. 

Request to go to Council for Funding BR #44 Turkey Pointe ($1.5 million) and SS #121 Alan’s Branch ($590,000) - there is funding available in the MVHA  has $2.7 million in it currently and wants to ask Council to seek the funding. Approved and be sure to get the notices in per Probst. 

 BR #64 Design Supplemental #1 (increased by $233,000)- Sneakville Rd. They were able to keep the Bridge in the same location. The 80/20 contract updates the existing contract. This total is $304,700  NOT TO EXCEED for the alternative selected. Approved. 

Ordinance for the American Rescue Plan Money- TABLED- they need more information. 

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden- several concerned citizens on the Landfill that Rumpke is building contacted her. Doug Baer is reaching out to Rumpke. IDEM has confirmed that there are no plans to move into the INDIANA sites. There is nothing more we can do on this as Ohio is not under our jurisdiction. 

Sue is a grandma- Thatcher congratulated her. 

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims/Payroll and March 15th Minutes approved

TIF Management Review- Fromhold-  Commissioners acknowledged that they have reviewed it. No approvals needed. This gives receipts, disbursements, etc. It gets uploaded to the Gateway. 

Probst wants Listerman to get a chip seal fog seal and or resurface on the Aurora Industrial Park road. Wants to present that to DC Redevelopment Commission as a project option. 

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- 65.911 acres on hospital campus and 0.91 acres in Bright - there is an INDFOT encroachment issue which costs less that $200 to do. There is an easement on LMU utility portion too. 

The counties get to decide what to do about masks etc in the county now.- Eliason noted the uptick in the past 7 days. Will be going to vaccines to over 1800  a week. Also having a mass vaccination even coming, Got a few Johnson and Johnson in also. Wearing of masks strongly encouraged. Restaurants and bars still have to have local distancing. If we go out of blue we will require a step back to limiting sizes and capacities. Businesses can require you to wear masks to enter their businesses. We are still in blue range now. Things can change quickly though. 8500 people fully vaccinated here. We might be about 50% immune here including some natural immunity. About half the county still has no immunity. We need to continue to vaccinate. They are filling all the slots for the vaccine. Usually giving 1500 a week. Getting easier to get appointments. Event Center is DONATING their space for this - Probst wanted to be sure to give them credit for that. Lots of volunteers and have had no problem keeping the staffed. 

Children 16 and over can get the Pfizer vaccine. We don’t have that vaccine in the county site yet. Thatcher appreciated all they gave done. 

Proclamation prepared by Baudendistel- Buildings opened to any public but must wear masks and maintain social distancing. Symptomatic people can be refused entry. Any business can continue to require tasks and social distancing of 6 ft are still required. If the blue level is exceeded the county will require different rules and capacities. Strongly encourage all eligible citizens to be vaccinated. Monitoring until the conditions are no longer necessary. Approved and signed. Proclamation published in its entirety also today on Dearborn County Public Forum blog 

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- 

Probst- thanks to maintenance the grounds look great. Earlier in the meeting h wanted to clarify that the tax increase approved is a property tax increase. ( He voted NAY) Also encouraged turnout for the mass vaccine event on Saturday. 

Little- hoped that the spring break mixing won’t make our numbers for COVID worse.

Thatcher- 13950 Wilson Creek Road i( Old bank building) is Saturday is the Mass Vaccine Site for COVID. 8:30 -6. 

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION -  none

PUBLIC COMMENT- Jessica from Soil and Water - they did not get their grant they applied for. They will reapply this fall. Annual meeting - Rocky Schroeder is new board member. Someone stole their truck’s catalytic converter. Hoping this won’t happen again. Board suggested they move the truck to a home site each night to avoid it again. 

ADJOURN- 10:35  AM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

AGENDA APRIL 6th DEARBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

 AGENDA

DEARBORN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

 April 6, 2021 

9:00 a.m., Commissioners Room

County Administration Building

165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. TITLE VI STATEMENT FOR COMPLIANCE

VI. OLD BUSINESS 

1.  Ordinance Reestablishing Cum Capital Development Fund 

V. NEW BUSINESS

1.  Fire Monitoring System Bid Update – Amy Phillips, YES Home Executive Director

2.  Highway Engineer, Todd Listerman

1.  Tri-Township Water Reimbursable Utility Agreement Br #108 Harrison Brookville Road 

2.  Contract Agreement 2021 Chip Seal - Fog Seal Subdivision Project

3.  Contract Agreement 2021 County Road Paving

4.  Contract Agreement 2021 Chip-Seal - Fog Seal Project

5.  SR 46 Unofficial Local Detour Agreement

6.  Signatures for Annual Highway Operational Report

7.  Request to go to Council for Funding BR #44 and SS #121

8.  BR #64 Design Supplemental #1 

3.  Transfer of Tax Sale Certificates to City of Aurora

• Resolution

4.  Ordinance for the American Rescue Plan Money

VI. ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden

VII. AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold

1.  Claims/Payroll/Minutes

2.  TIF Management Review

VIII. ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel

IX. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

X. LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION

XI. PUBLIC COMMENT

XII. ADJOURN

Rumpke Press Release per Eagle 99.3 on Bond Road 466 acre purchase

Rumpke Press Release per Eagle 99.3 on Bond Road 466 acre purchase:

https://www.eaglecountryonline.com/news/local-news/rumpke-to-develop-site-near-their-bond-road-landfill-in-whitewater-township/ 

Rumpke Land Purchase on Bond Road Addressed by Dearborn County Commissioners

   Dearborn County Commissioners

165 Mary Street, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025

Phone: 812-537-1040   Fax: 812-532-2003

   Jim Thatcher, District 1

  Art Little, District 2

Rick Probst, District 3

 

It has been brought to the attention of the Dearborn County Board of Commissioners that Rumpke has purchased 466 acres adjacent to the Bond Road Landfill located in Whitewater Township, Ohio.  Unfortunately, no elected officials or departments in the State of Indiana or Dearborn County have any control, authority, or influence over projects located in the State of Ohio.  That being said, as we learn more about this project, any concerning information that Dearborn County officials are made aware of will be shared with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.  From the information that has been gathered to date, the recently acquired acreage will be used as a backup landfill site and future landfill usage, which is estimated to be utilized in approximately 30 years.  Should any part of this project at any time fall under the jurisdiction of the State of Indiana or Dearborn County, all steps will be taken to protect our citizens.

Again, based on the information that we have been given at this time; Dearborn County has no control over this site as it is located in the State of Ohio.  If, however, there are any permit processes that include a "Public Comment" period, Dearborn County will certainly be willing to advocate on behalf of its citizens if the Public Comment period is brought to our attention.  

Attached to this Press Release is a flyer that has been prepared and distributed by Rumpke.  Any person that is seeking information about this site specifically may contact Rumpke directly at (800) 828-8171.  In addition, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency can be reached at its main phone number - (614) 644-3020, or at its Southwest District Office - (800) 686-8930.

Respectfully,

Dearborn County Board of Commissioners

Jim Thatcher

Art Little

Rick Probst

22 March 2021 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

 22 March 2021 Dearborn County Plan Commission Meeting Notes

Present: Dennis Kraus, Jr., Chairman, Russell Beiersdorfer, John Hawley, Mark Lehman, Joe Vogel, Jake Hoog, Dan Lansing, Jim Thatcher, and Eric Lang.

Also Present: Mark McCormack, Plan Director, Nicole Daily Zoning Administrator,  and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

ACTION ON MINUTES-  no action on any minutes

OLD BUSINESS: none

NEW BUSINESS: none

ADMINISTRATIVE  To review and discuss proposed ordinance amendments the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance and the Subdivision Control Ordinance, and to discuss other administrative items—including updates related to Planning & Zoning staff activities and projects.

McCormack said they were not going to discuss any ordinances tonight. He presented maps of the existing land use map. He showed the few PUDs in the county. He did a conversion map that took the existing land uses and and various other iterations using TSW’s (the consultant) maps also and the other straight conversion from cmm plan text. They show a lot of GREEN on the maps. He used existing zones and the existing land use maps. He used Beacon to see where the infrastructure was - such as sewer layer. He has all the sewers mapped except for LMH and Moores Hill. Prime farmland is in the NW area and the western part of the county. There is typically no sewer there. There are some areas there with a string of houses along the road. He pulled up city and town zoning information layers also. Moores Hill is still incomplete. McCormack showed the various layers for drained primed farmland, wetlands etc. Looking at this map for the western part of county.

Areas without sewer went to rural residential because the sewer is in some cases miles away. Around Moores Hill they are showing some residential because there is sewer in the area. On SR 148 they are still wanting to see where the sewer is going to be and who will bring it. Baudendistel said in the 7 years he has been SDRSD attorney, they have not discussed these areas. 

The draft conversion map - called Conversion 2.0- was shown. There is more R1 in St Leon. there are fill in areas from Logan to Sawdon Ridge. Georgetown Road is Residential More residential is shown around Lawrenceburg. Most of the lines were drawn with the parcels in mind. Prime farmland is considered. Some areas look like named subdivisions. 

McCormack asked- How important is the prime farmland designation? Beiersdorfer also brought up that farming also includes livestock. Hawley said we are 3rd in the state for cattle- with 6,000 head of cattle.When it comes to corn and soybean we are 6th lowest in the state. Our average farm size is 108 acres.

Much discussion on how to decide where Rural Residential should be versus encouraging residential where sewers are. Other issues include the hay production in the rural residential areas, which does support the cattle and other livestock operations. Majority of farmland - over 2/3 is rented out. On 3 acres or so they can make a lot of money using a hoop house and other ways for u-pick farms and orchards etc. 

There is still a lot of green on the map- but different shades of green now to reflect the two ag districts.Similarly for the residential areas. I mentioned to the PC board that we originally thought of rural residential as inviting people who want to live in an ag area to live among the farms. NOT trying to worry about the farms encroaching on the large lot homes in rural areas.

Mark said he has lost hair over the future land use map… <Laughter>

An idea to break down the map into smaller areas enlarged. This would be easier to tell what is really in the area - especially for the public. McCormack said he thinks the 2.0 map makes more sense. You can do a lot more with it. How much R1-3 should we project. You can see the path when you look at the current uses. Not sure that you need an air traffic controller for the developers. They can see where to go seeing where the current uses are- and the infrastructure. 

Planning office is seeing subdivisions going in where R is already zoned. Also on subdivisions that are in phases and now the phases are going in faster. Wilmington has opportunity in areas if the sewer gets extended and it’s near the school. Sunman has sewer that could extend into North Dearborn Rd. This could go ahead then. Etc Etc.

Mark will email board members maps etc. 

McCormack will be on vacation in early April. 

Code enforcement officer quit after 3 weeks. Hired someone else who starts in mid April. New person has law enforcement background.

Meeting adjourned at 8:33 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

AGENDA- DC Plan Commission March 22 Meeting

 PLAN COMMISSION AGENDA 

Monday, March 22nd, 2021 7:00 P.M.

 *Location: Henry Dearborn Meeting Room; Dearborn County Government Center

 A. ROLL CALL

 B. ACTION ON MINUTES

 C. OLD BUSINESS – NONE TO BE RE-OPENED 

D. NEW BUSINESS – NONE

 E. ADMINISTRATIVE  To review and discuss proposed ordinance amendments the Dearborn County Zoning Ordinance and the Subdivision Control Ordinance, and to discuss other administrative items—including updates related to Planning & Zoning staff activities and projects

19 March 2021 SE Indiana Regional Port Authority Meeting

 19 March 2021 SE Indiana Regional Port Authority Meeting

Took some time to get the 7th member prior to the meeting. Only 2 members physically present- Thatcher and McLaughlin. The rest via telephone. 

Roll Call:

Aurora: Mark Drury( via telephone), Benjamin Turner (via telephone), Derek Walker ( via telephone)

Dearborn County: Jim Thatcher (Chairman), Tom Palmer (via telephone) (Secretary), Eric Kranz absent

Greendale: Alan Weiss via telephone on the way to Pennsylvania), Al Abdon absent, E.G. McLaughlin present

Lawrenceburg: Kelly Mollaun absent, Lenny Fryman absent, Sarah Jordan absent

Also present: Andy Baudendistel, Legal Counsel

ANNOUNCEMENTS – none

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 21^st, 2021 Meeting approved

GUEST SPEAKERS – none

NEW BUSINESS- Vice Chair is changed to Alan Weiss, Mayor of Greendale.

OLD BUSINESS- BNL Agreement - John from BNL Via telephone- Thatcher said that they agreed to a half day session with Beam Longest and Neff to see what a Port Authority can do and then a portion with the community stakeholders to see what they might WANT to do. John said that they would want to identify some of the stakeholders prior to the half day education session.McLaughlin wanted the contract dates to be revised to reflect current situation. $23,665 with travel and expenses capped at $1300. Contract date will be today’s date. Deliverables will take time and then this summer will have the training session. Probably do it at one of the IVY Tech locations. They will put together a report prior to the session and a summary of what comes out of the workshop. They are watching what is happening at the federal level about these ports for funding options. Want workshop in June or July. They think the state level is known, but the federal funding levels may change. Approved the Contract.   

FINANCIAL REPORT / INVOICES- Benny Turner- payment to Seitz for Tom Palmer and Benny Turner approved last month.

PUBLIC COMMENT- none

CONFIRMATION OF NEXT MEETING - Scheduled for May 21, 2021.

ADJOURNED-  1:20 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

AGENDA March 19th SEI Regional Port Authority Meeting

  

MEETING AGENDA SE IN Regional Port Authority

Friday, March 19^th, 2021

1 PM

Henry Dearborn Room Courthouse Annex

1. CALL TO ORDER

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

1. ROLL CALL:
1. Aurora: Mark Drury, Benjamin Turner, Derek Walker
2. Dearborn County: Jim Thatcher (Chairman), Tom Palmer (Secretary), Eric Kranz
3. Greendale: Alan Weiss, Al Abdon, E.G. McLaughlin
4. Lawrenceburg: Kelly Mollaun (Vice Chairman), Lenny Fryman, Sarah Jordan

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS – 

1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 21^st, 2021 Meeting

1. GUEST SPEAKERS – 

1. NEW BUSINESS- Vice Chair discussion

1. OLD BUSINESS- BNL Agreement 

1. FINANCIAL REPORT / INVOICES

1. PUBLIC COMMENT

1. CONFIRMATION OF NEXT MEETING (Tentatively scheduled for May 21^st, 2021 ?)

1. ADJOURNMENT

Whose Children Are They?

 Whose Children Are They?

by Mark Franke

reprinted with permission of IPR

The pandemic has disrupted much of our daily lives, sometimes out of necessity or too often due to governmental overreach. Be that as it may, COVID has certainly opened fault lines in our society that were already there but hidden. One such fault line is at the education of our children.

There was a time when our schools reflected a civil consensus of what being an American meant. Back in the golden age — and by that I mean the 1950s when I was growing up in the best decade ever — there was a general acceptance of the reason for a free public education system. Fundamentals (the three R’s) were taught and an instruction in civics education leading to the duties of citizenship was uniformly present. At least that’s what I recall through admittedly rose-colored glasses.

Remember the Melting Pot, the principle that every immigrant group adds a little to the American culture but takes much, much more out? Or the American Dream, the motivator for the incredible waves of immigration as America offered a chance for everyone that the “old country” couldn’t promise? That’s why my family emigrated from Germany in the 1840s. America wasn’t perfect then but it stood out among the nations of the world for its adherence to a creed of liberty and opportunity. And most everyone bought into that.

Something has gone terribly wrong in the last decade or so. Consider this sampling of news stories, the most egregious in a catalog of progressive hubris:

• The San Francisco school board couldn’t find time to develop a school reopening plan as it was focused on obliterating the names on buildings when the namesakes could be found with any human failing according to a puritanical list of unforgivable sins.
• A group of parents at a New York city school raised funds to finance French as an option. This was obviously racist, according to the New York Times, because it doesn’t address the cultural needs of the minority students at the school, who apparently shouldn’t be enticed to waste their time learning a foreign language even as an elective.
• A private school in Los Angeles has set an academic theme for its fifth-grade class as “Identity and Power” in order to redirect history teaching to focus solely on a racial prism as a means of indicting a “White ethnostate.”
• The Buffalo city schools are asking young students, grades two through four, to compare today’s COVID pandemic to the alleged deliberate spread of smallpox to Indian tribes during the colonial wars of the eighteenth century.
• The Oregon education department is encouraging teachers to take training to avoid “ethnomathematics,” which apparently is racist since it requires students show their work.

Where are the parents in all this? Mostly disenfranchised. And marginalized. And deprecated.

One wonders how many other school boards have made the same kind of disparaging comments about parents that one group of California school board members were caught saying, unaware that their meeting was being live-streamed. Oops. 

One underlying tenet of public education, according to 19th century progressives, is that the government has a legitimate role in fashioning our children. Maybe, assuming that we have a consensus of what that means as I wrote above. As school boards and teacher unions become farther and farther detached from the public they represent and serve, trouble rears its ugly head. One should not be surprised that parents are organizing to take back control of their children’s education.

It is no wonder that private and parochial schools, home schooling, public charter schools and similar options are getting serious consideration by frustrated parents. Voucher programs and tax incentives for non-public school tuition payments are being considered for implementation or expansion in 16 states, including Indiana. Parents want choice, especially when they feel they have no control over what their children are being taught, or indoctrinated into.

Parents are also voting with their feet or, I should say, with their children’s feet. Public school enrollment has dropped by 155,000 in California and 43,000 in New York City. COVID is the proximate cause but it might better be understood as the catalyst for turning rising disgruntlement into action.

I don’t know where this eventually will land but the national trend toward canceling our culture and the authoritative imposition of offensive ideology must create a reaction from the silent majority. There are nearly 100,000 school board members in the nation, mostly elected I assume, but certainly all local enough to be approachable by John Q. and Jane Q. Citizen.

First, though, we need to understand whose responsibility it is to provide education for our young. With this responsibility comes the authority to set standards. The answer is obvious if the right question is asked.

I submit that the salient question is this:

Whose children are they?

Mark Franke, an adjunct scholar and of the Indiana Policy Review and its book reviewer, is formerly an associate vice-chancellor at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

 

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16 MARCH 2021 DEARBORN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING NOTES

 

16 MARCH 2021 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.

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CUMULATIVE BRIDGE AND CUMULATIVE COURTHOUSE and CUMULATIVE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS:

Baudendistel said all 3 funds were advertised because they had to get it together before they had decided what they were going to do. Commissioners have removed Cum Courthouse and Cum Bridge from the public hearing. If they are ever considered again later it should be noted that those 2 do NOT raise taxes but transfer tax money from County General and put it into cum Bridge or Cum Courthouse

Public Hearing on Reestablishing Cum Bridge Fund not addressed- cancelled

Public Hearings on Reestablishing the Cum Courthouse Fund - not addressed- cancelled 

Public Hearing Reestablishing Cum Development Fund currently is .013/$100 assessed value Max value is .0333/$100 assessed value

Questions and Comments from the Public- no questions from the public. 

Probst doesn’t support this. There is over $5 million available in the budget for this already. There has been COVID relief money that has freed up money from other sources for this. Funds that are going into safety are freed up and can go to other places. If we raise this tax to $.25/ hundred assessed value. In one example it would be $75 increase. If people are hurting and are on the lower end of the scale it affects them more. 

Thatcher  said that Council maintains a balance in funds in case they need it. Looking at $2-2.5 million in repairs needed in the Courthouse. Want to move ourselves to save money for the future. For example to get geothermal for the Courthouse and Annex etc. This will save taxpayer dollars down the road. Trying to make long term investments. Increased electric rates, carbon taxes, etc could cost us. 

Little had he had nothing to add.

$297,018 would be generated annually estimated-  from and increase to $.25/$100 assessed value.

Ordinance- will be considered at the first meeting in April on the 6th.

OLD BUSINESS:

Convention and Visitors Bureau - Judy Clark Director of Sales Hollywood Casino- approved.

PTABOA Appointment- Jodi Wolf , Realtor- appointed.

NEW BUSINESS:

Dearborn County Anti- Litter Initiative- Celeste Calvitto- Request Closure of Stateline Road Hill on April 10 from 8:30- 12 noon and Yorkridge Road- May 15 from 8:00 -12 noon from bottom of hill to Fox Road. Both approved contingent upon getting help and approval from the Sheriff’s dept. for traffic control. The Highway Dept will help with both collections per Listerman and Grieve will coordinate that. 

Resolution to Oppose House Bill 1381- Commercial Wind and Solar Standards and Siting-  Sue Hayden presented- This was based on the fact that it would remove LOCAL control of where these could be located. It passed the house and is going to the senate. IN Association of Counties,IN Association of County Commissioners, and  Council President, Liz Morris, oppose this bill. Commissioners approved a resolution opposing it for Dearborn County. 60 other counties to date have opposed this bill. Thatcher has spoke to Chip Perfect about this and he will consider the county stance when this comes before the senate. Commissioners approved and signed. Rep Lyness and Frye both voted against this when it was in the house. 

ADMINISTRATOR – Sue Hayden nothing more

5:30 PM- PUBLIC HEARING WITH SUNMAN DEARBORN COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORP REGARDING CDBG GRANT (COMMUNITY BLOCK DEVELOPMENT GRANT): ADVERTISED FOR 5:30PM

OPEN Hearing on Blight Clearance Program regarding demolition of the North Dearborn Elementary School Building - NICOLE DAILY PRESENTED WITH SUSAN CRAIG OF SIRPC PRESENT VIA TELEPHONE. Dr. Jackson was present from Sunman Dearborn School Corp. 

Questions and Comments from the Public- Susan Craig gave a brief description of the project.Said that she, Nicole Daily, and Dr Jackson had been working n this project for several years now. EPA grant helped with a grant to assess brownfields in the school district. Submitting a proposal and full application. OCRA wants a robust public participation. COVID paused this effort for a time and they are resuming it. In 2015 they vacated the Old Elementary and moved the kids to other buildings. This was to combat declining revenue as they went from 4200 students to 3700. No buyers want dates building. Board decided to demolish it and hold on to the land for the time being. It saves about $400,000.The cost to demolish is $440,000 and the grant covers $400,000 and the district covers $40,000. One group wanted them to turn it into a park perhaps. There is no vote tonight. There will be another public hearing before they submit the grant application.  

AUDITOR – Connie Fromhold  -Claims/Payroll and March 2nd Minutes approved.

ATTORNEY – Andy Baudendistel- Jared Ewbank - Aurora City Attorney asked for 3 tax sale certificates to be transferred to the city. He will be at April 6th meeting. This will get the properties back on the tax rolls. Probst wants the to know what happened to the others they transferred to them the they come in. 

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS

Probst- remember even with the vaccine to wear the mask. Encourage people to get the vaccine. This weekend the mobile command truck, water rescue deployed - in the search for those 2 murdered children in the news. National Severe Weather awareness week. Today was a statewide tornado drill that the county participated in. 

Little - said he heard how easy it was to get vaccinated from someone who always complains. 

Thatcher- its tough to sit up here sometimes - we do think about it and try to do what is best for the county. Hopes that the governor does NOT lift the mask requirement and open up by April 1.

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT

Dr Jackson from Sunman Dearborn praised Dr Eliason and the local Health Dept. for looking at the schools data and working outside the state health guidelines to take local control of the standards for school.

ADJOURN- 6 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township