Notes from July 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 Council
7/14/2009
Present: All Council Members except Butch Smith, Secretary Heather Barton, Attorney Eileen Sims.
Approved minutes from June meeting.

President Steve Jacob welcomed new Commissioner Jeff Wolfe, who was in attendance, and new Council member Gene Thompson and made several announcements. Budget hearings date has been moved from August 10 to August 24, continuing through that Friday. The recently-passed state budget allowed the county to move excess money from two funds now taken over by the state to the Excess Levy Fund, and then to the county’s Rainy Day Fund. The family and children’s fund ($1,094,583.13) & children’s psychiatric residential treatment services fund ($600,884.37) were transferred by new ordinance resolution.

RE-APPROPRIATIONS:
Prosecutor (Tanya Thayer): Requested $1500 from Dep. Prosecutor & $1000 from Witness & Deposition to Travel. Thayer pointed out that the office has had to reappropriate each year since 2005 because council cut requested line in budget hearings. Questions were raised about the need for an additional for meetings which were scheduled, as well as for meetings yet to come this year. Thayer noted that the office could be reimbursed by the state for some of the meetings, but the reimbursement would go to the county general fund. Much discussion followed about possibilities for reimbursement transfers and better planning at the upcoming budget meetings.

County Council (Steve Jacob): Requested transfer of $80 from consulting to office supplies to cover funeral bouquet for Lebanon Mayor John Lasley. Council agreed to contribute their personal funds to reimburse the cost directly so no tax dollars would be used. Request withdrawn.

County Commissioners (Marc Applegate): Requested transfer of $4283 from Indirect Contract Consulting to a new line created for membership in the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA). The commissioners have not previously contributed to the authority, which has requested contributions from Boone and other counties surrounding Marion to cover costs related to planning for additional mass transit. Several Council members raised concerns about approving the contribution at this point in the year without more information. Applegate will contact Sue Ritz, Boone County’s CIRTA representative, about coming to next month’s meeting to explain further. Request withdrawn for now.

Area Plan (Steve Niblick): Requested $400 from Legal notices to Vehicle Inspector to purchase safety strobe lights for inspector vehicles. The lights will be transferrable to different vehicles if necessary.

Superior I (no one present): Requested $5000 from Part-time employee to Overtime. Fund has been depleted for the year. The earlier Marion County Library trial was very expensive; a request for reimbursement has been submitted, but not yet received a response. Council voted to approve.

Adult Probation User Fee (No one present): Requested $5000 from Drug Testing to Secretary. Explanation is that current pay was not equivalent to job duties. Council decided to table the request pending further information.

Local Road & Street (Tom Kouns): Requested $3000 from Road Striping to New Equipment to cover shortfall on cost of a new single-axle dump truck. Council member Kries asked about investigating used trucks. Kouns responded that used trucks could rarely meet the county’s specifications for “toughness” in plowing snow. This truck will replace a 1991 truck. Wilhoite asked about a vehicle replacement plan; Kouns responded that essentially there is no plan, as money for regular replacement does not exist, so trucks are used as long as possible.

Council Member Wilhoite moved to approve Prosecutor, Area Plan and Local Road & Street requests. Approved.

ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS:
Sheriff (Ken Campbell):
Requested $2540.75 be transferred from county general to Sheriff’s Medical. Money was collected from inmates for supplemental medical costs. State Board of Accounts advises this is appropriate destination. Approved.
Requested $3200 from county general as reimbursement from Superior Court II for purchase of polygraph instrument. Approved.

Commissioners (Marc Applegate):
Requested $2000 to cover drain assessments that had not previously been paid by the county, to the county. Several questions were asked about why the county needed to pay taxes to itself. Applegate and Surveyor Ken Hedge explained that the county, as any other property owner, must pay drainage fees to the county fund. It was discovered in recent assessment that several drains had been missed, so more payment was required. The commissioners’ budget was only funded to cover the previous level, so they were unable to pay the request. This additional will cover the new assessment fees, but because the payment is now late, the county will also have to assess itself a late fee penalty. Very reluctantly, the request was approved.

Emergency Management (Rachel Hanson):
Requested $3736.37 transferred to county general to EMA Planning to cover equipment for use as back-up communication utilizing amateur (HAM) radio operators in the event of catastrophic communication breakdown. Sheriff Campbell gave additional explanation of the use of the equipment to expand the current limited use of HAM radio operators in emergency situations. Council President Jacob asked and Attorney Sims clarified that no additional liability with the operators would be incurred by the county. Approved.

Highway (Tom Kouns):
Requested $6000 to Truck Driver Overtime. The fund is currently in the red. Kouns expects this amount to cover the remainder of the year. Approved.

Economic Development (Tom Kouns):
Requested $600,000 for new 400 South project. This will be reimbursable from INDOT fund through federal appropriation for 80% or more. Funds must be spent up front for INDOT to reimburse, generally within 30 days of submitting a claim. (No word currently on three pending stimulus fund project requests.) Kouns gave credit to consultant Dennis Faulkenburg for his efforts in securing the appropriation. Approved.

NEW BUSINESS:
Dr. H. Servies presented an update on the Novel H1N1 Influenza virus. In June, the WHO upgraded the pandemic alert level to its highest point, meaning that the virus is a global pandemic in two or more regions of the world. Officials are still uncertain about the severity of this pandemic. Major concern is the possibility that the virus will mutate and become even more severe, though most cases this far have been mild. Boone County had its first confirmed case in recent weeks, a 6-year old girl who recovered with no lasting ill effects. Indiana last week had its first fatality, a 19-year old male with no other health issues. Dr. Servies advised that this fall many people will become ill. All should be prepared to stay home for up to a week, including government employees. County has received 2500 doses of antiviral drugs, which will likely be prioritized for young patients. State & county are working on plans for distribution. Dr. Servies reminded everyone to practice good health hygiene and stay home for a full week if ill. Vaccine trials are currently underway. Vaccine doses will be released to local health departments sometime this fall, coordinated by the CDC, and free of charge. Healthcare workers will likely be first to be vaccinated.

Ada Hawkins of Mapleview and Commissioner Applegate were present to request a new fund be created as per DLGF instructions to handle donations made in memory of Bob Hawkins. Mrs. Hawkins hopes to use the money to purchase a glider swing, a Wii system for residents, and a new light for the home’s garden area. Another $500 has been donated by a local realtor as part of a company (ERA) program. It is unclear whether the county should create a new fund or a new line within the home’s fund and how the funds should go through the county. Discussion of a non-profit being established or going through the Community Foundation led to the suggestion that the donors be asked to re-write their checks directly to Mrs. Hawkins to avoid the cumbersome & time-consuming process.

Karen Niemeyer, Director of the Thorntown Public Library, shared the library’s three-year Capital Projects Fund Plan. Because the library serves multiple townships, the Council must approve its three-year plan, as well as its annual budget. The plan has already been approved by the library’s board and properly advertised. The council approved.

Assessor Lisa Garoffolo addressed the council concerning the need to replace Gene Thompson, now council member, as the council’s appointment to the PTBOA for the remainder of this year. Based on the current board’s recommendation, Garoffolo recommended Zionsville Realtor Carol Nist. The board approved the appointment. The board also moved to clarify that the funds approved in June for reassessment will not be used, as the legislature delayed the reassessment

OLD BUSINESS:
President Jacob updated the council on information gleaned from the AIC state county council meeting last month.

Jacob presented three names – Huck Lewis, Gene Thompson, Jeff Jacob – to be submitted to the governor for appointment to the Stadium & Convention Building Authority Board. Council approved with Gene Thompson abstaining.

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Council member Wilhoite noted that the Solid Waste Board will be moving at their next meeting to hire a new director, and will recognize out-going director David Lamb in September.

Community Clinic Director Bambi McQuade-Jones thanked the council for its support over the years as the clinic moves to be an independent agency. She noted that the clinic’s operations will continue and expand, but without being a county agency. She also asked for anyone interested serving on the clinic board to contact her.

APC Director Steve Niblick appeared to discuss the upcoming budget hearings round regarding changes to his office due to the Zionsville/Eagle/Union reorganization. Specifically, the office expects a large decline in building permits, but does not expect that to have a large impact on the office budget, as it is spent primarily on staffing. He also presented a map of the Anson development, noting that while physically located in Eagle Township, it would not be part of the merger as it has been annexed into Whitestown.

Niblick also updated the council on the APC’s work session on wind farms last night, focusing on the belief that the council and commissioners need to be involved in the upcoming public discussion in deciding if the county wishes to allow large-scale wind farms. He recommends additional study on the long-term fiscal impact before creating an ordinance.

Tom Kouns updated that Phase I of the 146th Street extension will be coming up for reappropriation soon. Kouns also updated on the state-wide salt bid for the coming year for roughly half of last year’s cost, though still considerably higher than previous years.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 11:10.

Agenda -- June 14, 2009

BOONE COUNTY COUNCIL
BUSINESS AGENDA FOR JULY 14, 2009
LOCATION: CONNIE LAMAR MEETING ROOM, ROOM 105
116 W Washington St
Lebanon, IN 46052



Call meeting to order – 8:30 a.m.

Approval of June 2009 minutes

Re-Appropriation Requests:
Prosecutor, County Council, Commissioners, Area Plan, Superior I, Adult Probation – User Fee, Local Road & Street

Additional Requests:
Sheriff, Commissioners, EMA, Highway, Economic Development

New Business:
Dr. Servies – H1N1 Update
Ada Hawkins – Request new fund
Karen Niemeyer, Director – Thorntown Public Library

Old Business: None

Public Comment

Document Signing:
Re-Appropriations, Additionals, June 2009 Council Minutes

Adjournment
This agenda is subject to change.