Notes from August 2010 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 Council8/11/2009
Present: All Council Members, Secretary Heather Barton.

RE-APPROPRIATIONS:
Sherriff (Ken Campbell):
Requested $20,000 from deputies to Overtime, $22,000 from Jailers to part-time and $9,000 from corrections (jailers) to Overtime. A deputy left service earlier this year, and another officer had taken FMLA leave, so overtime was being paid to cover the gap. A replacement hire should be on board soon. Approved.

E-911 (Ken Campbell):
Requested $2,000 from 911 Utilities to 911 Equipment to correct error in paying Director’s phone from wrong line. Approved.

Commissioners (Charles Eaton):
Sue Ritz introduced CIRTA director Ehren Bingaman to discuss CIRTA’s role, including an institutional strategic plan for the region. Commissioners again request $4283 for 2009 membership contribution which was withdrawn in July. CIRTA expects Delaware County to join later this year, which would spread the expense and reduce Boone’s contribution. However, CIRTA expects to increase contribution requirement next year by 40%. With Delaware’s addition, next year’s request will be $6,600. Council members asked several questions about the services CIRTA provides and the benefits to Boone County, as well as the differences between CIRTA and the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Sue Ritz answered questions about services for individuals going to work or educational destinations across state lines. The council debated whether to approve this year’s contribution rather than wait until the 2010 budget cycle. David Rodgers suggested waiting, while Steve Jacob urged approving for this year. Request amount was reduced to $3988 on the assumption Delaware County would contribute. Commissioner Eaton spoke on behalf of making this year’s contribution. A motion to approve passed 4-3.

Adult Probation User Fee (Kari Ragsdale):
Requested $5000 from drug testing to secretary. When probation departments of various courts merged, this position’s salary was lower than two others doing the same work, now all three in the same probation office. Much discussion about the propriety of increasing a salary mid-year, as well as the technicality of issuing a salary ordinance followed. The request was tabled with the understanding a modified request with appropriate ordinance would be submitted next month.

Community Corrections Grant Fund (Kari Ragsdale):
To correct negative balances after the splitting of funds earlier in the year, requested a total of $1,707) from Dues, Office Supply, Computer Software and Sleeptime to Training ($500) and GPS ($5,207). Approved.

Prosecutor (Tanya Thayer):
Requested from $2500 Witness & Deposition and Trail Expense to Travel $2500. Approved.


ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS:
Clerk (Jessica Fouts):
Requested a transfer of reimbursement from Marion County after a change of venue trial. Total of $1178 to Clerk Payroll and $15397.61 to Clerk Change of Venue. Approved.


Reassessment (Lisa Garoffolo):
Requested $8,136.65 for Aerial line to pay for addition of a Change Finder to the Pictometry contract to discover unassessed additions to property. The new total cost will be included in 2010 budget. The addition should increase assessment income, as well as generate revenue from other county entities (Zionsville, Lebanon, REMC, etc.) paying to use the software. Approved.
Requested $4,000 to cover cost of additional appeals. Have covered roughly 600 appeals thus far this year, and does not expect to need this entire remainder; funds will self-revert if unspent. Approved.

CVB (Molly Riggs):
As per earlier meeting (June) discussion of new office in Lebanon’s Heflin building, requesting $1500 from Equipment & Maintenance , $5000 for auditing of accounts as new executive director begins, $1000 for insurance. Funds come from Innkeepers Tax. Approved.

Highway (Tom Kouns):
Requested $900,000 from highway fund for match of federal/MPO grant for 146th reconstruction of 146th St from US 421 to Hamilton County line, which is about to go to construction bid. Approved.

NEW BUSINESS:
Boone County Solid Waste Budget Presentation – distributed upcoming budget proposal to be discussed later in the month at budget hearings. Council will have non-binding review duty.

Prosecutor’s Travel Expense Reimbursement – Tonya Thayer discussed possibility of moving state reimbursement of travel expenses, which go to county general fund, back into prosecutor’s travel line. It was recommended that this procedure be reflected in the budget process as additional income to help fund the travel expense line and deflect some of the need for additional and reappropriations in future years.

OLD BUSINESS:
Budget Hearings will begin Monday the 24th at 8:30 and continue through the 28th (approximately).

Steve Jacob thanked Auditor Melody Price and Council Secretary Heather Barton for their budget preparation work, as well as Sean Horan for his creation of new spreadsheets as requested by the Council.

Non-binding review of other entities’ budgets will occur after the regular meeting on September 15th. The state expects that the county will specifically review budgets with growth over target of 3.8%. Jacob & Wilhoite will look at budgets before the 15th; any other council members are welcome to attend as well.

Gene Thompson brought up a letter received by council members from the state department of health regarding incoming funds for H1N1 treatment and what action needed to be taken. No one from the county health department was present, so no action will be taken until further information is received.

PUBLIC COMMENT:
Tom Kouns distributed copies of a letter from INDOT notifying the county of awarding of $1,755,180 from the federal Highway Administration for County Road 400 S, which brings that project to full founding.

Kouns also distributed notice from INDOT on ARRA funds for four asphalt resurfacing projects totaling roughly 17 miles.

Auditor Melody Price notified the council that new state legislation no longer requires all claims to be published in the newspaper.

Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:30.