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County Commissioners - June 6, 2016
- Commissioners discussed how much money to spend on road repairs this year. The state will select individual roads to receive grant money for repairs "based on merit."
- Commissioner Roberts was questioned about a possible violation of the Open Door Law during public comments.
- Commissioner Tom Linkel was on vacation
APPLY TO SERVE
The commissioners are accepting applications from residents interested in serving on the Library Board or on the Franklin County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission (FCCRVC). They will make appointments to both boards on June 20.
Initially the commissioners were considering Curtis Ward to fill the slot on FCCRVC vacated by Amy Martino's resignation. However, Commissioner Eric Roberts questioned whether FCCRVC board members are compensated for their service. He said that Mr. Ward already serves on the Area Planning Commission and is paid for each monthly meeting. Indiana law prohibits a person from serving in more than one "lucrative office", said Commissioner Roberts. The commissioners will check further.
LEARN ABOUT OPEN DOOR LAW
The Indiana Public Access Counselor will give a presentation about the Open Door Law on July 14 at 1:30pm at the Government Center. Commissioners' attorney John Worth announced that the meeting is open to the public and elected officials serving on local boards are also invited.
HOW MUCH TO SPEND ON ROAD REPAIRS,
STATE SELECTS ROADS FOR GRANT MONEY
County Engineer Ted Cooley asked how much money the county would commit to spend on road repairs as part of 50%-50% matching state grants.
That question started a long discussion that included elected officials in the audience about what funds to use for the county's match.
Commissioner Tom Wilson wanted to spend "all we got" and he mentioned $600,000 to $800,000. The county recently received $803,376 of income tax money that had been held in reserve by the state and distributed as part of House Bill 1001.
Commissioner Roberts said that council was willing to let the commissioners spend $600,000 now and the remaining $203,376 at some time in the future. He said that council wanted to be sure that this grant had no negative effect on future tax rates and tax collections. Both commissioners doubted there would be any future problems with tax collections.
Commissioner Eric Roberts was cautious about spending all of the money right now. He wanted to apply for enough grant money for the Highway Department to chip and seal roads this year and not depend on hiring contractors.
Commissioner Roberts also pointed out that, if the county applied to spend all of its available road repair money now, there would be no money left to fix St. Mary's Road next year. The county is waiting for an answer about $1.2 million in federal funds to make major repairs to St. Mary's Road. The federal program requires the county to pay 20%, which is $240,000.
The commissioners talked about information from state conferences that explained the grant process. Commissioner Wilson said that no grant money would be received until August or September and that the state understood that all road repairs could not be completed before winter. He was anxious to receive as much grant money as soon as possible, because "the fund will run dry pretty quick." He commented, "There is nothing wrong with being greedy."
The state will oversee the entire grant process. The state will select roads to be repaired with state money "based on merit" and will follow up to be sure that the money was correctly spent. Each road is a separate grant application. The commissioners discussed the fact that the state could give all of the grant money to only one part of Franklin County. Commissioner Roberts said, "We have to accept their outcome."
Mr. Cooley will prepare a list of road repairs costing a total of $1.6 million. Then the commissioners will select specific roads to cite when applying for state grant money. A final road repair list will be presented at county council's meeting on June 28. The cost would be split 50-50 between the state and the county.
Next, the commissioners and Council President Becky Oglesby in the audience discussed using either cumulative bridge tax money or rainy day funds for county's share of the 50-50 match for road repairs. Ms. Oglesby was hesitant to use bridge money for roads. She left the meeting and reported back at the end of the meeting that the Indiana State Board of Accounts prohibits moving cumulative bridge tax money to the rainy day fund to pay for road repairs.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT
Hollie Maxie, Highway Department employee, complained about a lack of communication between elected officials, department heads and employees which results in "making people who pay the bills look bad." She questioned why the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance denied a claim for payment. A new check will be issued to solve the problem.
PAVING EQUIPMENT
The commissioners talked about paving methods and renting/purchasing, new/used paving equipment, but they came to no agreement. A paver costs $20,000 - $30,000. Renting a paver with two operators costs $2,500 per day or $12,500 per week plus the cost to mobilize the equipment. The 50-50 state grants for road repairs can be used to rent equipment but cannot be used for purchases.
$12,000 FOR CATTLE TESTING
When they signed a contract required by the Indiana State Board of Health, the commissioners committed to pay up to $12,000 for the testing of local cattle herds for bovine tuberculosis (TB). There are 30 herds in the surveillance area totaling approximately 1,200 head of cattle that may be tested at a cost of $8 each. Additional costs included paying veterinarians to make two visits to each location. Cattle will be tested for bovine TB in parts of several townships: Blooming Grove, Brookville, Fairfield, Metamora, Laurel and Salt Creek.
REPLACE DESTROYED CRUISER & SELL COUNTY BOAT
Commissioner Roberts will request approval from county council to spend $42,000 from the cumulative capital fund to replace a Sheriff Department cruiser that was destroyed. The eleven-year-old, high-mileage cruiser had little value for an insurance claim.
Commissioner Roberts will also ask permission from council to sell a boat owned by the Sheriff Department and not used for years.
MEDICAID FOR JAIL INMATES
The commissioners signed a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to register jail inmates for Medicaid as required by state law. Fees for services are set by state law but were not listed in the contract.
SHOULD EMPLOYEE BE OFFERED HEALTH INSURANCE?
Commissioner Wilson asked Auditor Brack to have the payroll clerk research if Steve Thomas should be offered county health insurance. Commissioner Wilson said that Mr. Thomas is currently working more than 30 hours per week by doing three different county jobs.
FIX OR JUNK THE GRADALL
Commissioner Wilson said that it would cost $45,000 to fix the Highway Department's Gradall equipment and it was only worth $20,000. An insurance claim has been filed. Commissioner Roberts disagreed with junking it. He said that the average Gradall was worth $76,683 with the cheapest one being worth $42,000, based on Machinery Trader. Commissioner Roberts also said that the repair estimate was too high and he asked for an itemized estimate. A new Gradall would cost $300,000. No decision was made.
PUBLIC COMMENT - DID COMMISSIONERS FOLLOW
THE OPEN DOOR LAW?
From the audience, John Estridge quizzed Commissioner Roberts about whether he and Commissioner Linkel met improperly at the Highway Department on May 23 to discuss strategy and convince an employee to resign or retire. Commissioner Roberts said that he was at the Highway Department on that morning, but he did not meet with Commissioner Linkel and a Highway Department employee. Commissioner Roberts said that Commissioner Linkel had a meeting with an employee on that day.
Mr. Estridge also wanted to question Commissioner Tom Linkel, but he was on vacation.
Mr. Estridge said that the commissioners had an executive session scheduled for Wednesday, May 25, but they cancelled it. He lectured the commissioners that they should hold an executive session to discuss a personnel matter, because that is the proper way to comply with the Open Door Law.
A little later, Auditor Brack asked the commissioners for a decision about an employee's claim for unemployment compensation. Commissioner Wilson said that he thought the Highway Department employee had "retired." Then he added that the employee was "not old enough to draw Social Security or PERF [Public Employees' Retirement Fund]." No decision was announced about the unemployment claim.
PUBLIC COMMENT - OPEN DOOR LAW &
ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS
From the audience, Whitewater Township Trustee Roy Hall questioned how the commissioners "get anything done if you had to go by what the [Open Door] Law says. I've looked at it in a number of ways. I agree with it to an extent. But I think you can run a county or a county council, when you got such a strangle law on you on the Open Door Law. You are not allowed to talk about any issue unless you are in an open meeting. You can do nothing. Personally, I couldn't run my township, if I had to operate my township like that."
Mr. Hall also provided information about the cost of $2.21 to purchase each paper check instead of using electronic payments for township business. An open discussion with the audience continued about free checking and internet banking.
OTHER BUSINESS
Commissioner Tom Linkel was on vacation. The other commissioners approved minutes and payroll. Cathy Pelsor submitted the 2017 transportation grant application for the commissioners to review, approve and forward to the state for funding.
The commissioners were told that one employee requested a paper check after employees were given the option to stop having direct deposit of their paychecks.
Treasurer Veronica Voelker reported that she can review financial information on the county's LOW computer software system, but she cannot see payroll information that she needs to do her job. Auditor Steve Brack said that she should be able to view the data and he will check into it.
The commissioners questioned a $3,400 bill payable to Human Resources Consultant Ken Irwin. Auditor Steve Brack said that Mr. Irwin bill's was for helping the county with various questions and not one particular issue. Commissioner Wilson objected to paying Mr. Irwin's bill out of "an unappropriated fund" until after county council approves the expense. He said, "It should be paid out of professional services." All other bills were approved for payment.
The next meeting is Monday, June 13, at 10am.
Reported by Sara Duffy | 
