Tuesday, April 15, 2014

15 April 2014 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes


15 April 2014 Dearborn County Commissioners Meeting Notes

Present: Shane McHenry, President, Art Little, and Kevin Lynch

Also present: Gayle Pennington, Auditor, Teresa Randall, County Administrator, and Andy Baudendistel, Attorney.

OLD BUSINESS:

Proposed Animal Control Ordinance- Baudendistel had given the draft to the commissioners. They changed one section to strongly recommend spay and neuter. Not enough staff for enforcement of actually requiring spay and neuter. They cities and towns have a copy of this. Marlene Underwood will be present for 2nd meeting in May. This will be posted on the county website for 30 days prior to adoption of the ordinance. Check www.dearborncounty.org

NEW BUSINESS:

Recognition of Chuck Johnson 45 years as an auctioneer- National Auctioneer day is April 19- Susan Johnson, Chuck’s daughter –in-law represented the Johnson family. Chuck went to auctioneer school in Iowa in 1969. His slogan was “auction means action.” He worked for Bill Hoffmeier for a while, before striking out on his own.  She told several stories and history of his years of auctioneering. Commissioners also presented him with the Distinguished Hoosier award from Gov Mike Pence and recognition from Senator Johnny Nugent also. There are several family members who have followed him into the business. Pictures were taken with the family and commissioners. This was a surprise for Mr. Johnson.

 Commissioners observed a moment of silence for Sue Hayden whose brother passed away suddenly. Hayden is the Commissioner’s executive assistant.

United Families- Kathy Riley- Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation – Commissioners signed the proclamation to mark children’s and young adult’s mental health needs. McHenry read the entire proclamation before they signed it.

Clerk of Courts- Rick Probst- Polling locations approval and notification- commissioners are required to designate the polling places and because there are three changes it has to be published twice. Polls are open now- for early voting. Commissioners approved.

Grant Agreement with Indiana Family and Social Services Administration- Pennington presented for Negangard. It is a grant that the prosecutor receives every year. Commissioners approved it and Negangard signs off on it. $98,895 for adult protective services program. It reimburses one whole salary and parts of 2 other salaries for the people who work in this department.

Change orders- 2- for Jail Expansion- Terri Randall covered for Brad Rullman. Change order #1 with 5 items on that- showers and grab bars $1279, security small deduction , security hardware $888, doors $19,696, substitution of exterior glazing small deduction for Fab Core. Total additional of $20,801. Change order #1 approved.

Change order #2 – Quality Fire Protection- $16,204.37 for sprinkler head valves. These require 2 events to activate them. This keeps inmates form tampering with them. Commissioners approved change order #2.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT: Tim Grieve, Highway Superintendent- Emergency Watershed Protection- thru the USDA Conservation Service. This is regarding the recent heavy rains we had. There was no declaration on these rains. They are seeking grant funds 75%/25% for repairs we need to make. The USDA pretty much does the whole project. He showed a picture of Johnson Fork and Peppertown. There are 3 locations there- one is on the Losekamp farm. Since these are expensive fixes and it requires getting into the creeks, this helps solve that problem and they do the permits too. There are other locations in the county needing repair also. This letter is going to Ms Jane Hardesty showing support for seeking this funding. Commissioners signed it.

Highway Dept is closing North Dearborn Road on the hill for repairs. This will take a couple weeks now and a few days also later this summer. McHenry said to be sure to put Art Little’s name and phone number on all the signs declaring the road closing.

ADMINISTRATOR: Teresa Randall-Moving forward with the courthouse annex analysis and soil borings and geotech getting bids. Alt and Witzig was low bidder. $4875. The other bid was $7778 from ATC. Randall reached out to them to let them know there was a large discrepancy, They knew they could not sharpen their pencils enough on this to compete on this one, but they understood and wanted to be considered for future work. Commissioners approved Alt and Witzig at their bid price. 

AUDITOR: Gayle Pennington- Updated personnel handbook- Suellen Cauble presented this. Commissioners had copies sent to them on Friday. There were 16 changes. They added the county adm to the advisory committee. Nepotism was spelled out. The jail matron and the deputy coroner position are not exempted from the nepotism law. (Tradition allowed the sheriff and coroner to hire their spouses.) Part timers were to be around 24 hours per week. Matrix employees was changed and sheriff’s employees eliminated as matrix covers more than sheriff employees. Highway employees can earn larger comp time. New hires don’t get vacation time earned from Oct – Dec. Vacation can’t be used until earned. Holidays are defined as 8 hours. Vacation time must be used during FMLA once sick time is used. No smoking in county vehicles. An employee must be there at start of shift- not within 15 minutes. Professional attire is fleshed out. Dept heads have more leeway on suspensions etc for employee conduct issues. They are asking for commissioners to sign off on this. Randall has offered to go over these changes with Cauble in instructing employees on these changes. Council decided not to exempt the jail matron and deputy coroner positions. The handbook reflects that. Commissioners approved the new personnel policy handbook changes.

Claims approved. Minutes approved for April 1st.

ATTORNEY: Andy Baudendistel- nothing except he asked about the polling location names- like Dover 47022- which is really Guilford and St. John Lutheran- Lawbg 9 is not Aurora- but Lawrenceburg. Pennington gave him a little “history lesson from before his time” on where the missing Lawrenceburg poll numbers went. They ended up as Greendale locations. She will fix the addresses before posting the polls.

McHenry said that hearing history lesson made him worried as the last time he heard that expression, the next thing he knew he had a Hatch act violation filed against him! (He later explained that Witte had used the expression before filing the Hatch Act violation.) [NOTE: Should he be re-elected, McHenry may have to check his new position with the county prosecutor to make sure it accomplishes both Hatch Act rules and also the rules for not being a COUNTY employee, including his benefits.]

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS- none

LATE ARRIVAL INFORMATION- none

PUBLIC COMMENT- I reminded McHenry that we had talked last Thursday about getting the DC Redevelopment Commission Board legal. They have 6 voting members and should only have 5. McHenry said he forgot as this was not on the agenda like he thought it would be. McHenry asked if anyone had talked to Helms. Randall brought up Helms possibly not wanting to stay on but no one had spoken to him apparently. Lynch said that he had no problem stepping down to make it legal. Randall said that if someone else resigned perhaps Lynch cold be reappointed and that the law does not require a commissioner to be on it. Commissioners voted to allow Lynch to resign.

Meeting adjourned at 6:02 PM

Christine Brauer Mueller

Lawrenceburg Township

 

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