HOWARD
The Howard County Board of Commissioners met in Special
Session on
The meeting was called in order to discuss financial
matters and proposed projects for the year –2004. Approval of the minutes of the previous
meeting held on
Sheriff Marshall Talbert called the meeting to order and President John B. Harbaugh conducted the meeting.
IN THE MATTER OF RESOLUTION HONORING JAMES K.
SHEARER:
Council Member James K.
Shearer passed away on
Mr. Raver made a motion to approve Resolution BCC-2004-02. Mr. Bagwell seconded the motion, and it carried.
IN THE MATTER OF PLAN
COMMISSION ISSUES:
Plan Commission Director
Glen Boise presented the following issues for Commissioner information and
approval:
1.
Flood
Mitigation Issues: (See page 2,
January 20th, 2004 minutes, “In the Matter of Plan Commission Issues
and Properties for Approval”, Item 3, for related discussion) Mr. Boise requested an allocation of funds to
buy out and demolish six (6) flood damaged homes as discussed during previous
meetings. For an investment of $197,000
the county can receive in excess of three times of that amount. Three houses are already unoccupied and
three have families living in their homes that should not be.
Following the Commissioner meeting on January
20th, Mr. Boise placed a phone call S.E.M.A. concerning information
on in-kind contributions from the homeowners for the local match. The state has not responded at this point in
time. Mr. Bagwell commented it needs to
be determined whether the homeowners would be receptive to contribute a
percentage toward the match. In
addition, Mr. Boise stated that he did not recall any information about
receiving a discount when buying properties.
According to state law a property is purchased at a price based on an
average of two separate appraisals. One
condition of the grant is that the appraisal values are based on the original
condition of the home before it became damaged.
Mr. Bagwell stated that the
county needs to make the matching funds available so Mr. Boise can proceed with
the buy out process. Currently
there is about $750,000 in the EDIT Fund that is non-committed.
The Commissioners discussed the fact that the money would be helping only six families rather than numerous homeowners, such as the ones who have failing septic systems. However, even though it is difficult to justify the high costs involved, the Commissioners felt that something needs to be done about the flood damaged homes.
Mr. Bagwell made a motion that the Commissioners request an appropriation from the Council for $200,000 from the EDIT Fund to proceed with the buy out of the six (6) flood damaged homes. Mr. Raver seconded the motion, and it carried.
2. New London Conservancy
District: (See page 5,
Mr. Bagwell made a motion to request an appropriation from the Council for $30,000 from the EDIT Fund to be used as a loan to the New London Conservancy District as defined by an Interlocal Agreement to be approved at a later date. Seconded by Mr. Raver, the motion carried.
IN THE MATTER OF CITY OF
Mr. Jerry Jenkins, General Manager of the City of
Firsts Automotive Heritage Museum, Inc., thanked the Commissioners for their
support in the year-2003 and invited the Commissioners to attend the Coca-Cola
Show scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
Mr. Jenkins also informed the Board of the contribution made by the
Howard County Community Foundation which made it possible to finish the
renovations in the Haynes Apperson Room.
He stated that improvements throughout the facility have opened
opportunities to increase the sale of rental space.
Mr. Jenkins reported that many activities occurred
at the facility in 2003, which brought in an additional $52,000. This amount was not entirely profit, but it
was a good gross amount. The facility
was able to save at least $5,000 last year in electricity costs resulting from
their cost reduction program. This
included closing on Monday and Tuesday
of each week, closing an hour
earlier every other day, and turning the lights off until needed. January 2004 has been very successful,
doubling gross dollars.
The Civic Center Board held a meeting in January
2004 and assumed that the existing 2004 $35,000 EDIT appropriation could be
used for operating expenses. At this
time, Mr. Jenkins asked approval to use EDIT money for operating expenditures
and requested the remaining $30,000 appropriation.
Mr. Raver explained that during budget time last
year the Commissioners put $65,000 in the
Mr. Bagwell said the money from the County
represents an investment in the facility.
If the money were put into capital expenses, the County would eventually
get it back. When the current financing
situation expires, the building goes to the County. If the money were spent on operating costs
such as the electric bill, then the money would be gone. Mr. Bagwell said, “But the rationale is if
you don’t pay their electric bill with it, the facility shuts down and you
don’t generate the income.” Because of
the cash flow situation, the only way the
Mr. Bagwell made a motion to request the Howard
County Council to transfer to line item 3220.01 from line item 4722.00 the
$35,000 that previously was appropriated to the
Mr. Bagwell made a motion to make request to the
Howard County Council for an additional appropriation of $30,000 for the
IN THE MATTER OF EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY ISSUE:
For Commissioner
information only: EMA Director Larry
Smith had spoken with Mr. Raver about the need for a building to store
emergency headquarters equipment, specifically to protect a semi-trailer and
new generator to be paid for out of the Cumulative Capital Development
Fund. Mr. Smith obtained three estimates
in the range from $35,000 to $75,000.
IN THE MATTER OF SHERIFF
DEPARTMENT ISSUES:
Sheriff Marshall Talbert presented the following
issues for Commissioner information and approval:
1. Inappropriate Use of Radio
Transmissions: Sheriff Talbert requested the Commissioners to take
action after he heard someone use a radio to dispatch snowplows to businesses
in Greentown on this Tuesday morning.
Mr. Talbert said it is the county’s radio system and should not be used
for private business enterprise. The
800-megahertz system is used for official police and emergency
communications. The Sheriff spoke to
David Stedry, former Chief of the Greentown Special Police, who claimed private
use of the radio system was a mistake; they have their own FM radios to
dispatch snowplow trucks and the dispatcher picked up the incorrect radio. Sheriff Talbert advised the Greentown
Specials were deputized by the previous administration. The Sheriff does not use them nor has he
deputized them. Sheriff Talbert
requested permission to shut off their radios and retrieve them. Since the Greentown Special Police have not been
deputized by the current Sheriff, they no longer serve the public safety and do
not have authority to use the radios.
There was also discussion whether a truck titled to the Commissioners
and the Greentown Special Police purchased with Build Indiana Funds should be
relinquished to the Howard County Sheriff’s Department.
Mr. Bagwell made a motion to authorize the Sheriff to retrieve the radios and remove them from the system. Mr. Raver seconded the motion, and it carried. Attorney Larry Murrell will notify Mr. Stedry by letter of the action.
2. Retain Special Council: Corporal Rod Lynch has been brought before the Merit
Board regarding charges for misconduct.
Sheriff Legal Services Attorney A. Howard Williams, recommended Attorney Jim Austin from
Mr. Bagwell
made a motion to authorize Sheriff Talbert to utilize Mr. Jim Austin as the
attorney for the case regarding Corporal Rod Lynch to be paid by the Commissary
Fund as defined by the Sheriff. Seconded
by Mr. Raver, the motion carried.
IN MATTER OF SURPLUS MONEY:
The surplus money from the County Option Income Tax (COIT)
and Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) was received from the State in the
amount of approximately $572,000. The
directive is to set up a Rainy Day Fund and make a recommendation to the County
Council as to how the money is to be spent.
Mr. Bagwell made a motion to recommend to the Howard
County Council to establish a Rainy Day Fund for such uses that both the Board
of Commissioners and County Council deem appropriate. Mr. Raver seconded the motion, and it
carried.
IN MATTER OF EDIT PLAN FOR YEAR-2004:
With a current un-appropriated balance of
approximately $500,000 in the EDIT Fund, the Board needs to develop a Plan for
the 2004-2005 Edit Monies. In past years
a precedent has been set that the President of the Board of Commissioners and
the President of the County Council meet to discuss plans for the fund.
Commissioner President Jack Harbaugh, Council
President James Miller, County Attorney Larry Murell, and Auditor Martha Lake
will meet at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 29th, 2004 to
assess and discuss plans for the fund.
There being no further business before the Board at this time, Mr. Bagwell made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Raver seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting closed at 12:54 p.m.
THE
HOWARD COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
___________________________________________
JOHN
B. HARBAUGH, PRESIDENT
___________________________________________
PAUL
J. RAVER, VICE PRESIDENT
___________________________________________
BRADLEY
J. BAGWELL, MEMBER
ATTEST:
__________________________________
MARTHA J. LAKE, AUDITOR
Commissioner Special Meeting Minutes,