Notes June 2009 Council Meeting

Note: These are my personal notes from the council meeting. They are NOT the official minutes, nor should they be construed as an official record of any kind.
Boone County Council6/9/2009
Present: All Council Members (Bill Soards has resigned; replacement to be named later this week), Secretary Heather Barton.
Approved minutes from May meetings.

RE-APPROPRIATIONS:
Auditor (Melody Price): requested to transfer a total of$3500 from clerical line to travel expenses ($200), training ($300) and $3000 to consulting in order to pay former auditor Gretchen Smith (through GUTS) to assist with summer budget process. Much discussion followed of paying a consultant @ $75/hr to assist or to train. A motion to approve failed 2-3. The training and travel expenses were approved in a separate motion. Further discussion of what the consultant’s role would be led to a new motion for $1500 to be transferred to consulting, which was eventually approved unanimously. Approved as amended.

Sex Offender Fee/Sheriff (Mike Nielsen): Asked $2000 from sex offender fees to administrative assistance to cover clerical. Because the request involved transferring moneys between two separate funds, it needs to be withdrawn and re-advertised as an additional appropriation. Withdrawn.

County General/Sheriff (Nielsen): requested transfer of $2540.75 from county general fund to medical expenses line. Discussion determined that this also needed to be advertised as an additional appropriation. Withdrawn.

E911/Sheriff (Nielsen): asked to move $5563.99 from one utilities to another to correct earlier error. Approved.

Community clinic (Bambi McQuade-Jones): had moved money to building repairs to address roof repairs, which Witham largely covered. Asked to move remaining money to office supplies & subscriptions (total $14000). All this was approved earlier as grant money, and must be spent by end of July. Approved.

ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS:
Coroner (not present): Jerry Harris had previously discussed total additionals of $1077 for safety vests, pagers & training. Approved.

Auditor (Lisa Garoffolo): State currently has scheduled a mandatory reassessment, which MIGHT be rolled back in the upcoming special session. If not, county will be forced to conduct reassessment on 1/3 of county property by end of November. Just over $180,000 needs to be in place if the reassessment is required. The funds actually come from reassessment funds, which can only be spent for reassessment. Approved.

County Highway (Tom Kouns): Additional from food & beverage ($500000) to road maintenance and from economic development ($155000) to stone and gravel, as discussed at May meeting. Approved.

Convention and Visitors (Molly Riggs): Requested transfer of funds totaling $20,000 to open a new office on the Lebanon Square in the Heflin Building. Money comes from an account already set up and in place for CVB use only. Approved.

NEW BUSINESS:
CVB – see above.


OLD BUSINESS:
None.

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Council president Steve Jacob announced that three council members will be attending the upcoming state called meeting.

Jacob has received request from the Indiana stadium & convention center building authority for three representatives to serve on that board, overseeing the construction – not operation – of Lucas Oil Stadium & the new convention center. Names should be submitted to Jacob.

Highway Director Tom Kouns asked for guidance on how to request spending for upcoming $855000 grant possibility. A new budget line will have to be established so existing moneys can be appropriated and spent, then reimbursed from the grant to the original fund. The question from Kouns is how much money to ask for and from which fund to draw it. Advice was to ask for as much of the total as Kouns deemed appropriate, from the Economic Development Fund.

Kouns also gave an update on four repaving projects proposed to InDOT, totaling $1.3 million, from federal stimulus package. They are awaiting final approval and could be on the state bid list in August.

Maj. Mike Nielsen clarified that earlier request needed to be an additional, to be transferred to general fund. He will forward email from the state board of accounts to auditor and council.

Discussion of upcoming budget hearing schedules and advertising possibilities centered on how to direct department heads to figure salary and other budget requests. The conclusion was that department heads would be advised to advertise budgets at a 4% increase, but figure for 2%, with the understanding that budgets may be flat-lined.

Debbie Shubert stated that the commissioners will need to fill two vacancies on the CVB board. Volunteers were solicited. Steve Jacob agreed to be appointed if needed.

APC director Steve Niblick advised the council that the southeastern portion of Boone is part of the metropolitan regional planning organization, which had previously been funded solely by Marion County. Marion has now decided not to fund the staff fully and require participating counties to pay based upon population/territory. Commissioners have agreed to continue participation, which could cost $3000-4000/yr.

Jacob received a letter concerning a governor’s initiative regarding tracking of meth purchases and passed it on to Maj. Nielsen.

Marcia Wilhoite updated on a successful solid waste board pick-up in Lebanon, including drugs for the first time. Board is currently collecting resumes to replace David Lamb as executive director.

Jacob updated the council on the space study subcommittee meeting. The working assumption that the county would be required to add a new court after the 2010 census turned out to be faulty. No court addition is imminent, so the additional space will no longer be needed in the immediate future. Other needs may be addressed, but the court issue is not pressing.

Butch Smith discussed the projection that the community clinic should be self-sufficient next year, possibly moving four employees off the county payrolls. Superior Courts may also have access to funding for at least one probation officer next year, possibly easing county budget needs as well.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:30.

Agenda for June 9 Meeting

BOONE COUNTY COUNCIL
BUSINESS AGENDA FOR JUNE 9, 2009
LOCATION: CONNIE LAMAR MEETING ROOM, ROOM 105
116 W Washington St
Lebanon, IN 46052

Call special meeting to order – 8:30 a.m.

Approval of May 2009 minutes and May 19, 2009 special meeting minutes

Re-Appropriation Requests: Auditor, Sheriff, Boone County Clinic,
Enhanced E911, Sex Offender Fee

Additional Requests: Coroner, Re-Assessment, Food & Beverage/Highway,
Convention & Rec, Economic Development

New Business: Molly Riggs, Conv & Visitor Bureau – CVB Additionals

Old Business: None

Public Comment

Document Signing: Re-Appropriations, Additionals, May 2009 Regular
Meeting Minutes, May 19, 2009 Special Meeting
Minutes

Adjournment

This agenda is subject to change.