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COMMISSIONERS MEETING REGULAR SESSION SEPTEMBER 7, 2004 at 9:00 a.m.
ATTENDANCE: COMMISSIONERS: Gene R. Beck, PresidentDonald K. Walton, Vice President Dennis D. O’Hair COUNTY ATTORNEY: Timothy Bookwalter AUDITOR: Kristina Warren AUDIENCE: Twenty-three Individuals
The Putnam County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 7, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at the Courthouse Annex. The pledge to the flag was given. Don Walton led everyone in a moment of prayer.
BIDS FOR BRIDGE 260There was only two bids turned in for the meeting. They were from the following companies: John K. Huber Construction $ 91,881.47 H. E. Henderson $123,903.20
Dennis O’Hair made the motion to award the bid to John K. Huber; Don Walton seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
SPEED LIMIT ORDINANCE NO. 2004-9-7Dave Sutherlin, Highway Supervisor submitted the ordinance. It was in regards to a speed limit for CR 800 S between CR 625W and private entrance in to Apple Blossom Subdivision. The speed limit would be 20 mph. Don Walton made the motion to approve; Dennis O’Hair seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
RAILROAD BRIDGE ON CR 100 E (ROUND BARN ROAD) The Commissioners signed the JSE plans for the road. The road will be closed approximately for thirty days.
BRIDGE 159Steve Luther with Beam, Longest and Neff, Inc. came to discuss the bridge. The project had been on hold for the past several months due to problems the Water Company was encountering. Mr. Luther also stated he had spoken with property owner Lowell and Margaret Hull regarding extending the easement on their property. The utility companies could utilize the easement. The property owner wanted the provision of not having a sewage line in the easement. If this would be needed the line could go on the other side of the road. The county had a right-of-way already. And, with the water line on the Hull property you had to stay at least 10 feet away from it.
Commissioner O’Hair questioned how much this additional easement would cost. Mr. Luther stated $15,825. Commissioner O’Hair questioned if this additional easement would be from the money already given to the Hull’s. Mr. Luther said that was correct.
Dennis O’Hair asked why it was the county purchasing this additional easement when it was the utility company and not the county that needed it. Mr. Luther said that was correct. However, Mr. Luther said he was trying to expedite the project. He was working as a mediator between the property owner and the Water Company.
Commissioner O’Hair questioned why this additional easement was not purchased before the project was started. Mr. Luther said the plans had been sent awhile back to the Water Company. It seems the Water Company was unable or unwilling to pay for it.
Commissioner O’Hair stated he had a problem with the Water Company not paying for it when they needed the property. Mr. Luther said the easement would be a county easement. The county could approach Reelsville Water Company and say that they needed to pay the county $15,000 to put in their line. Tim Bookwalter agreed that the county could do this.
Don Walton said the project was originally held up due to the rock in the ground. Commissioner Walton said it was now due to the easement. Steve Luther said the issue was between the property owner and the Reelsville Water Company. Mr. Luther had stepped in to mediate because it was holding up the project. This was costing money and time. He was trying to get the project moving again.
Dennis O’Hair made the motion to obtain the additional right-of-way and to advise the Reelsville Water Company that they would need to purchase the easement from the county; Gene Beck seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Luther said he had a verbal agreement that the property owners would agree to the additional easement for the $15,825.
Don Walton said this whole thing started when the old bridge was made historical. There would be $800,000 spent to restore the bridge. A bridge that could not be walked on but only looked at.
MAF/TIGER ACCURACY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMKim Hyten passed out information. No action was needed. Informational purposes only.
FEMA DEBRIEFING DECLARATION 1520 DISASTER RELIEFKim Hyten informed the Commissioners that there would be a meeting on September 14, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at the courthouse annex in the gym.
TWO-MILE FRINGE FOR TOWN OF CLOVERDALEDon Walton asked about the two-mile fringe. Kim Hyten stated on July 8, 2004 the Plan Commission Board had a public hearing to consider the adoption. The Plan Commission found that it was in the best interest to include it in ordinance form. Scott Hoff, legal counsel for Plan Commission had reviewed the form and said it was okay.
Tim Bookwalter said the paperwork was in place to take over the two-mile fringe. The next step was up to the Commissioners. Gene Beck asked if a large company wanted to come in north of 70 would the Town of Cloverdale have to approve the utility lines (water and sewer) first before it could be moved forward. Mr. Bookwalter said this was correct. The Town of Cloverdale still had veto power for a company coming in because they had the power to approve the utilities.
Don Walton made the motion to approve the resolution amending the adopted comprehensive plan resolution #2004-9-7-1 and ordinance #2004-9-7-1A; Gene Beck seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Bill Dory asked when it would become effective. Mr. Hyten stated today.
Bob White, Cloverdale resident asked why the people that lived in the one-mile limit could not vote for town elections. Unincorporated areas can not vote in a corporated area stated Kim Hyten. COUNTY WEB SITEMary Williams stated they had held another meeting. She passed out information to the Commissioners. There were still some departments not on the web site. They submitted a memo and a resource sheet that they would like to submit to these departments. Ms. Williams would like the Commissioners’ permission to send the memo out to the departments. The Commissioners gave permission to put the memo on their letterhead and pass them out.
Marilyn Bigelow stated the funding for the web site was running low. They asked for another $1,000 to finish off the project for the year. Dennis O’Hair made the motion to approve and take out of the West Central Solid Waste user fees; Don Walton seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Mary Williams would contact the person necessary to get the funding started.
SECOND READING FOR CABLE FRANCHISE ORDINANCE Bill Dory and Steve Biggerstaff with Cinergy Metronet were at the meeting for the second reading of the ordinance. The first reading was August 16, 2004.
Mr. Biggerstaff said he had heard there may be a question regarding the 911 fees. Mr. Biggerstaff said he wanted to assure the Commissioners that it has always been their intent to collect the fee. They fall under the same guidelines as all of the other companies.
Don Walton made the motion to approve; Dennis O’Hair seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
CARE AMBULANCE Tammy Reynolds came to the meeting today because they would like to be the backup for 911. They offer emergency and non-emergency runs. They are located on 109 A Gasoline Alley in Speedway.
Don Walton stated the county already had an ambulance service. Ms. Reynolds stated she was aware of that. She was just letting them know that there was an opportunity to have a company back up their current ambulance service.
Don Walton asked Ms. Reynolds if she was asking permission to let them serve people in the county. Ms. Reynolds said that was correct. Dennis O’Hair felt they would not need the Commissioners permission to offer a service. Ms. Reynolds stated they would need the Commissioners to approve it to allow them to do emergency runs in the county.
Gene Beck stated he would like to have an opportunity to speak to their attorney before making a decision. Don Walton felt the same.
Dave Costin said Care Ambulance just wants people to know they are here and they do not want to step on anyone’s toes. They would strictly be a backup for Operation Life. They were not trying to replace them. Mr. Costin would call Care Ambulance only if Operation Life was not able to do a run.
Dennis O’Hair asked if they had looked into the possibility of bidding for the ambulance service in the county. Ms. Reynolds said they were not ready for that. They just saw the need for backup in the county. It would be a future aspect for them to offer services to the whole county.
Dennis O’Hair said the Commissioners had to consider the impact this would have on the county. Operation Life needed all of the runs they could get right now because of funding issues. They had to make sure they were not cutting funding to Operation Life.
Tim Bookwalter felt 911 would be the “gate keeper” of the county. It would be their call on when it was necessary to call Care Ambulance.
The Commissioners did not make any motion. Tim Bookwalter said it was not necessary.
2005 MONEY BUDGETED FOR THE FAIR Dennis O’Hair wanted Laura Lee Baugh with the Extension Office to know that the Commissioners did not agree with the reduction in the fair account numbers for budget year 2005. They felt this was money that was going to the youth in the county. The Commissioners did not agree with it and would try to change it. There were other organizations that could be reduced. They felt they should be cut and not something that is going to the youth.
NORTH AND SOUTH PORCHES OF THE COURTHOUSE Don Walton said the porches had been completed by Barry Grimes. They looked really nice.
475 W ROAD TO VACATE The road is in Russell Township on 236. Tim Bookwalter had been researching it with Kim Hyten and Robbie Cudnik. They needed the Commissioners to make a motion to have the County Surveyor give a legal description because they were only vacating a portion of the road. Dennis O’Hair made the motion to have the County Surveyor, David Penturf give the legal description to Tim Bookwalter; Gene Beck seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
AUGUST 27, 2004 PAYROLL Don Walton made the motion to approve; Dennis O’Hair seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
CLAIMS (REGULAR AND EMERGENCY) Don Walton made the motion to approve; Dennis O’Hair seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
AUGUST 16, 2004 MINUTES Don Walton made the motion to approve; Gene Beck seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
CITY OF GREENCASTLE LETTER The City had asked permission to put a lock box in the courthouse. It would be used for people to pay for his/her parking fines received for parking in a spot for more than two hours. The Commissioners tabled it.
COMMISSIONERS MAIL 1. Humane Society Minutes – July 14, 2004. 2. Cummins Mental Health Minutes – June 24, 2004. 3. Clerk Monthly Report – July 2004. 4. Microfilm Progress Report – August 2004. 5. Farrar, Garvey & Associates – Bridge 199. 6. Welfare Report Amendments – July 2004. 7. IDEM – Receipt of Application for RHS Recycling & Approval for Confined Feeding Operation & Notice of Decision for Lone Star Industries. 8. Information from Putnam County Foundation.
The Commissioners acknowledged their mail.
OPERATION LIFE The Commissioners asked board members from Operation Life to attend the meeting to discuss budget year 2005. Gene Beck wanted to inform the board members that during the budget hearings the Council asked the Commissioners to cut $400,000 from their 2005 budget. He informed the board members that part of the cuts made was $60,000 from Operation Life. This left them with a remaining balance of $100,000 from the county.
The Commissioners discussed with the board members they complaints that had been registered to them regarding Operation Life. They also gave suggestions to the board members.
Gene Beck stated Care Ambulance had been at the meeting earlier. They informed them that Operation Life was their number one choice for ambulance service.
Dr. Thomas Graffis said no matter how hard it is the board was now in the position to decide how to restructure Operation Life due to the cut in funds. The board would work it out. It may not be smooth, but it would be worked out.
The Commissioners and the board members discussed it further. The ultimate decision would be made by the Operation Life board members. The Commissioners just wanted to let them know that they cut their money from the county by $60,000 and why they did it.
ADJOURN Dennis O’Hair made the motion to adjourn; Don Walton seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
_____________________________ __________________________________ Gene R. Beck, President Donald K. Walton, V. President
_____________________________ __________________________________ Dennis D. O’Hair Attest: Kristina Warren, Auditor
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