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
12/14/2010
Present: All Council Members present, Secretary Heather Barton
The council approved the minutes of the November meeting.
Council president Steve Jacob presented a plaque to member Kerry Kries in recognition of his six years of service on the council. This was Kries’s last meeting.
RE-APPROPRIATIONS: (all approved)
Auditor (Melody Price):
Requested transfer of $625 from three different funds (consulting, dues & subscriptions, travel expense) to Overtime.
Sheriff (Ken Campbell):
Transferred $2500 from Chemical Testing and $2200 from postage to ammunition, as prices have risen and the department has faced shortages throughout the past year. Requested $116 from postage to reserves and $130 from postage to dues for reserves’ training. Requested $500 from safe keeping to other equipment to purchase an additional in-car camera (with money already in the fund).
Prosecutor (Todd Meyer):
Requested $2000 from litigation to overtime to cover additional workload and training when an employee quit.
Superior Court I (no one present):
Asked to transfer just over $10,000 from various funds to cover pauper attorney fees, plus $78 from dues/subscriptions to library.
Circuit Court (Judge Jeff Edens):
Requested transfer of just over $7,000 juvenile counseling and equipment to office supplies to fund the re-framing and expansion of the portrait collection of former Circuit Court Judges which hangs in the back of the courtroom. Despite (my) questions about the propriety of spending several thousand in tax dollars on this project, the board’s consensus was that it was appropriate and overdue.
Jail (no one present):
Requested $3000 from maintenance assistant to custodial to reflect shift in duties in covering extended sick days.
Re-Assessment (Lisa Garoffolo):
Requested $2000 from postage to IT to cover new line into Camp Street Offices until end of year, for a total of four months’ bills.
Highway (Tom Kouns):
Requested $12,000 from GIS and Gas & Oil to social security. Several questions were asked as to why the account (and retirement addressed below) would be so short, with no concrete explanation beyond “overtime.” It was proposed that perhaps the approved budget had not calculated social security and retirement compensation for budgeted overtime, but even that explanation came up short by about half. The council agreed to approve the additional while instructing the Auditor’s office to pursue a clearer explanation for next month. Asked $500 from GIS to communication for radio purchases.
Local Road & Street (Kouns):
Transferred $20,000 from new equipment to calcium chloride for purchase of additional road treatment.
ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS:
Auditor (Melody Price):
Requested nearly $13,000 for various funds to balance the books at year’s end to reflect the shift in pay period earlier this year. The fund balances will eventually even out in the new year. Approved.
Sherriff (Ken Campbell):
Requested $75 to be transferred from extradition reimbursement. Approved.
E-911 (Ken Campbell):
Needed $1393 for lease payment due to miscalculation. Approved.
Jail Maintenance (Mike Martin):
Requested $34,000+ to cover utilities, including $30,000 for two months’ lighting expenses. Also requested $1,700 for laundry and cleaning. Hot summer and increased population, as well as increasing electric rates, have led to a shortfall. Approved.
GAL/CASA (Kandi Killin):
Requested $6000 for payroll from grant fund reimbursement. Approved.
Juvenile Probation (Kari Ragsdale):
Requested $45,000 to cover juvenile detention fees for the year, which have been running high. Approved.
Community Corrections (Ragsdale):
Requested $10,800 from project income fees to cover additional sleep time program for substance abuse monitoring. Approved.
Highway (Tom Kouns):
Requested $20,000 to cover retirement line, as discussed above in re-appropriations. Approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
The Council certified the result of the Zionsville School Corporation referendum last month, as required by state law. Approved by motion.
County Attorney Bob Clutter presented documentation of sale of a small parcel of land (.219 acres) of the County’s right-of-way along I-65 for the upcoming interstate expansion project. The county receives $1650 compensation for the transfer. The council approved a resolution laying out the transaction.
Attorney Clutter and Commissioner Jeff Wolfe explained a resolution to create a new fund, to be called the Employee Health Fund, with the goal of accumulating any unspent funds from year to year rather than reverting back to the general fund at year’s end. This fund could eventually be used to cover unbudgeted expenses, including premium increases. The upcoming year’s premiums will increase 24%, but no additional appropriations are anticipated. The council approved the resolution.
The council also noted the schedule of meeting dates for 2011, which will be the second Tuesday of each month, with the exception of November. November’s second Tuesday will be municipal election day, so the council will meet Wednesday, November 9th.
OLD BUSINESS:
Attorney Clutter updated the council on the 911 bond issue. The bonds will be issued tomorrow, with the county achieving a rating of AA-. Rates were not as good as anticipated, but the county will still be saving from $15,000-$20,000 per year for the next ten years over the lease.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
The council discussed the need to make several board appointments in the January meeting for terms about to expire or members stepping down. Various council members will be contacting individuals about continuing or beginning service. Interested parties should contact council members before the January meeting.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:00.
