County Council - Regular Meeting

Okay, let's call the March meeting of the Decator County Council together. Proudly, won't you ladies and gentlemen to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Take a minute. The minutes from the last meeting were emailed to us. I didn't see anything.

I'll get it was already Any additions or corrections? No. I'll entertain a motion to approve. Make a motion.

I makes a motion to approve any seconds. Any discussion? All those in favor? I any vote since I was here. Okay. Can he abstain? Okay. Don Chill annual report. Good morning everyone.

Uh I I have provided you with the actual report and also in a presentation to talk a little bit more about it. Uh starting with the uh the presentation on the second page you have our our uh reporting requirements we have to meet every year and this is one the second one down we have to report this at a council meeting. So that just gives you an idea of what what we what steps we have to go through for the year. third page to list our members for the redevelopment commission for this year. And uh and then the fourth page, this is for the Honda economic development area is what we're talking about today. And then page five is the actual revenues and expenses for this past year. And uh you can see that expense wise 3.3 million that includes a little over 2 million for the bonds that were issued back then and uh and then about 1.2 million for funds that the RDC has expended in 2025. That was for That was for uh three three major projects and then uh a couple of smaller ones and some contract fees and stuff like that, consulting fees. Those three projects main projects were the Adams volunteer fire department, the

repaving of Michigan Road by Honda and also the other one was the sports complex out at the ball ball fields. Those were the major provided us. Any questions on those? We have any questions for Don? I will say Don does a great job on this. He puts together this. Everybody gonna hate to see him go one of these days. I hope for a while. But he had to redo our plan. Yeah. Uh yeah, we added the fifth addendum to our economic development plan. We had it approved at the area planning commission and yesterday it was approved at commissioners meeting and we will hold a public hearing at our meeting on April the 15th to get any other comments and after that then we will officially approve that new addendum which allows us to provide funds to any school indicator or county or Greensburg or items that will support extend programs and stuff like that. That comes up for final approvement by April 15th. Just quick question on the highway project. What are we doing? Is that something? Is that a new project or is that

Oh, the highway garage when it was built, the new highway garage, we provided $9 million towards that building. Okay. So that's what that's that's Yeah. Any other questions? Yeah. Thank you, Noah. Appreciate it.

Okay. Brian Robbins is not here. Everybody got an email on resolution reporatory resolution designating certain real estate indicator counties and economic revitalization area for purpose of tax bait. Everybody doesn't know where that's at. That's the gas lines out there by St. Paul. And what it am allows to is maybe I'm what I've understood Kenny was been in on it. They're going to capture the waste coming off that the exhaust. They're going to pressurize it and they're going to turn turbons and generate 10 megawws of electricity off of that. So, we have to make it an economic revitalation area for the for the tax abatement. What they want is a 10-year 100% tax abatement on personal property. They're going to pay us $82,000 a year, which is $8,200 a megawatt, which will be money that can be used for anything. So, we're looking at $820,000. One question I had was I was going to ask Brian if they were going to hold to the 30% for this 10 10 year abatement. I didn't know. I'll find out from Brian.

The only conversation I've heard is um because the tax laws changed at a state level, they could have gotten by with less, but they are following up and saying, "No, we still want to stick with our original. They're going to stay with what what we started with. Yeah. We would have if they would have stayed with that graduating scale on the tax basis, we would have been out about three, four, five years. Six years. They said they would go ahead and just stick to that. Which is why we started years ago working on these incentives that wouldn't be aligned with property with taxes because of that. This started what, three years ago, Jenny? Yeah. Yeah. three years start

because they started out wanting a 20-year abatement and we kind of thought that was just a little much. It set precedent for other companies. So, and there's possibility they'll want another 10-year abatement want to continue to pay. So,

pretty good deal. They're going to recycle the exhaust which is pretty good idea. So, this is the first reading of the resolution. Everyone had it emailed to them. I think we have to vote on it. And if you want me to have Chris Heavy read it, make sure everything's okay because we have to have a second reading on it. Everybody understand where I'm at? First reading approval from Chris Tabby on review. What resolution number would this send that man? 2026-8

2026-8. I'll second that motion. Okay, I've got a motion and a second. Any other discussion? All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay. If we have to sign this now or later on the second reading you want to save this one

transfers. Let's see. We got one which is unclaimed property tax served with us $26,37.39. That going back in what accounts that going back in general? Going back into county general. Is that a claim for what? um checks that we've sent out since 2018. I think just checks that have not been cashed. Wow. Okay. Everyone understand? You come. That is I'll entertain a motion to approve.

I'll make that motion. Yeah. Makes that motion. Second. Any seconds? Any other discussion? All those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Okay. Additional F2. Have one for $23,682. Is that what I'm trying to figure out here who's this one from Christie?

How much is it for? 26 23,600. Really? That is commissioner's um you know.

Oh, I'm sorry. This is the um centerstone. So there was money we were short on budgeting for 24 and 25. The amount comes in after we budget and do our budgeting. The amount comes in that we get told what to pay for from state. Um in 2024 it was 7,000 short. In 2025 it was 16,000 short. So we will know going into 27 to make it higher. So that's what we're doing here. additional for commissioners. Are you guys getting anything from Centerstone like what they're doing?

We requested that. We've have never seen anything. We um the last month Christie had asked if it was good to pay center stone and I had asked Chad and I said as long as we're they're in compliance and they're following the guidelines that we set out for them then yes we should pay them but if they're not then as we've done previously let's tell them the money and Chad said they are in compliance. Now, I asked him that question. He hasn't I'm assuming he's he's looked through that and said they're in compliance. Have I seen anything? No. But he is he says they're in compliance. We haven't seen anything either.

Well, there's a new law that's been passed for some of their reporting, too. And they also have to specify how they're using our money on a local level. That's kind of what we're asking for. That's now it takes now. So yeah, probably takes effect. But this was this was 20. So we never seen any report on it. We requested we requested that for the last five or six years. We we did get the report and our meeting we got the report that that they had lines in 20 23 or 24. We had held three years for

So we'd already paid 22 and 23 and now we just paid, right? And and according to Chad, they're in compliance. We don't really have any choice. Well, we have to pay them. It's it's as long as they reporting that they're supposed to. They're the only ones that are qualified. So they're supposed to comp compliance wise they're supposed to send us a report and then they're also supposed to have somebody on their board for I thought yeah

we had somebody from our county was supposed to be represented on their meetings or something. I remember you might check I've never heard that. That's what was told to us. But you guys precede me. I'd never heard. Well, that's Yeah, cuz we were actually the ones that stopped it four years ago, right? We stopped pay before he would I've heard the client issues and Yeah. Well, it sounds like don't pay in the 26 till we get it right at that law. Oh, that's you know I I asked them to show us how they're spinning it and they told me it was complicated. I said uncomplicated. Yeah.

Was my answer. Yeah. Your answer was no practice. Uncomplicated all else to entertain a motion. much as I hate to do it. I'll make that and he makes a motion. I'll second. It's my better day. And a second it. Any other discussion? All those in favor? I'm a nay. I'm a nay.

If they don't pay it, they're going to come after us. I know. I want to try it. I'm sure you put a name.

Got it.

Okay, we have one more. Highway Department. Everyone has a copy of that. 2 million730,35616.

Is this adding employees to Tim? They're in there. They're on the side. We can't have them right back. So they so they're budgeting in for the 2024 salary works. They're not including the salary works currently. This year they were taken out. So the money's in there, but the positions are not there. How many positions? Five positions was taken out. Took five. That's what they took. They took in five positions out. So the money's in there for them, but they're not in the salary orders right now. We can't film without coming back redoing the salary. So what the truck drivers are here? 357.

They were they were they were actually operator a couple operators. A couple truck driver when we get the information there's five of them between operator and truck driver. You want to come up here? Yes. So can hear us. Sure. I catch because nobody can hear it. Okay. I'll get him. I'll taxes here in a minute. So they were made up between truck drivers and operators. I can't remember how many of what scale A, B, C, or D. I get that information. I got you listed or in my thing which you want. So there's no tractors and stuff.

There is equipment in there, but then it's be the 4,000 series numbers.

Yeah. Be the 4,000 a capital improvement. That's where the money would be at for the trucks. Bushwhacker. Yes, that stuff. I think it'd be between uh 11 six mile road street and MBH. I believe we split even between the two. So part of this redoing that the way we're doing it. So the MBH restricted we will pay straight out NVH restricted for restricted eligible fun. So the labor and stuff that's eligible we will pay straight out restricted going forward. Materials come straight out restricted going forward. So that's what a lot of this cleans up is so we can pay straight directly out of MDH restricted and not have to try to go back and run the reports and get twice do.

But you haven't been doing it that way. No no it has it has not been that way. I don't know if ever there's the only been that way since I come out strict that's been the guidance to go there and do it that way. So now we'll be in compliance to do the way we should do. So all these monies are you have all these money

all them monies between cash and or transfer around? Yes. Yes. And we left Hume bridge alone. Left it because it was the only one that had any props tax money or anything affects any levies. That's the only one of the budget that side away. So, we never touched it at all because we didn't want to mess with any levies or have an application.

I have any more questions for Tim?

New trucks involved in here. New trucks involved in here. Yes. Dump trucks are included in there. Yes. And the dump trucks that two dump trucks that's in there are so pl with them also. Did you ever get that truck? No, it is in the shop up there getting set up as a you need triax.

We need a mixture of everything. I'll be honest with you. So we need some single axles. We need a few then. We need a few dams and we need some trials. So the triacles are nice, but we're hauling 20% more. I mean that's just blah blah. So we get that's what it is. A lot of times the price is very minimal and it's a two foot more bed and it's tag axle basically what it is. Are they steering tags? Yeah steering tag. Yeah. So you're talking about $7,000 that tag axle and two more foot of bed. Can can you use them for snow remov?

Yes. So so the very first one so the three last three triac steps snow remove bed. Yes. They are centered. The very first ones, the very first two we got, we were told they had snow piles early for them. They were new model trucks. Come to find out, nobody snow piled them out. Even though the supplier said they would, they did. That's the reason them two did not get set up for snow. The three after that are all set up for snow. I didn't know they could make the turns.

Yeah. I mean, the new trucks, the turning rings on new trucks, really ain't no different. They they probably turn sharper old Tanners, the new ones. While you're up there, I want to give you two compliments. Thank you EMA with their us that was very good cross source. And also, there was a covert that was replaced on my road that used to flood every time there was bad rain. And this last crazy rain we had, there wasn't a drop of water that crossed the road. So, it was definitely a glare that I just got I see the county trucks falling dirt away from the pool side. Is that is that being we being paid for that or that would be from the commissioners and yes so it's all being tracked

now how how that all gets done with commissioners etc etc yes it's all being documented and tracked on their daily work logs I think it's a good thing help yeah yes so that they'll be able to go back and we'll be able to generate a labor cost and generate a material equipment cost through that we can do that it's being tracked individually on their daily work have you studied maybe contracting out some of the triacial hauling rather than we own the trucks.

You know, we have and we're okay okay okay diving usually put them to work by a day and just have bring one load in. It's usually not feasible. Okay. So, yes. So, this year we did bid our asphalt right on board. We did bid trucking also as an option which I mean it came in pretty reasonable. Really did. That bid's not been accepted. Yes, we did bid that. You bid it that you're going to haul the asphalt. Well, well, we bid it that if we needed asphalt if the asphalt plant would bring it to us. Now, I think I think it was $10 a ton. It came in, if I remember correct numbers. So, if we didn't have the truck or have somebody we have brought to us,

have you guys looked at that program that the

We are looking at. So the very first lease product the very first time they come back with it if you have cash hand it wasn't feasible lease okay so they came back said we got our options so basically what we did we told them go back and here's the deal go back bring us all options on the table one of the big things we want to know is what is the lowest cost of ownership now if this is three years trade this thing three years or is this thing keep it five years is it buy it outright we want the low lowest cost of ownership on all the So se actually man so that's what we requested of them you know buy them outright might be the best way to go it might be tra three years it might be for this classification trade it three years in this classification rent to five years we don't know until we get all the life cycle cost on paper so that's what we request is we know actual every option total cost ownership

that enterprise too yes that's the enterprise like I said we request free option no we just requested that last week. So, they talk like it take two to three weeks to get all them off. Yeah, I think it's working out for the sheriff's department pretty good. So, like I said, we we'll see what the numbers come up.

Any other questions? He has always some cash. I don't think it eats up all of it, does it? No, I believe this is 8.5. I'll make the motion.

Bill makes a motion to approve the addition. I'll second. Ernie second. Any other discussion? All those in favor? Any oppose? Thank you.

Made it down. Additional. I took one home. No. Yeah, you probably. Yes, it did. I'm sorry. Okay, I'll have to bring it back. Got one salary ordinance and everybody got a copy of that. Okay, it's auditor come up three uh all wage to 2346.

It's for the two 224 last month. That was corrections for one last month. This correction we did last month. Everybody approved it last month. I'll entertain a motion to approve this goes from 2346 2416. Ashley makes a motion to approve.

Second. Any other questions, concerns? All those in favor? Any oppose? Okay, that's everything on my agenda. Anybody got anything? Doug, anything going on? Want to tell us? Well, we're still working through the comprehensive plan. Uh we have uh we had a steering committee meeting in March. We'll have another one in April and then we'll have a public open house at the end of April. So the next steering committee meeting will be in first week of April. Then the the uh public open house which basically be kind of the the projected plan um that will be at the last week of April. Dates haven't been quite set have not been set yet. It'll be towards the end of April finaliz.

It won't officially be finalized. We'll have a few more minutes to take in the data from the public forum to to get the public feedback from from what's presented at that meeting. So, we're looking at finalizing it around the end of July. Questions for Doug on it? He's doing a great job on that. I'll give him credit for that. It's a be time consuming. It it is, but it's it's worth the it's worth the time. Thanks, Doug. Don, anything?

Um, we're just kind of in a holding pattern. We're in the middle of ribbon cutting season for whatever reason. There's a lot on the books right now. So, um, just look at our social media and our events calendar for information on that. We did announce that there's a new, um, very large chamber member benefit, um, that we're getting ready to announce. So again, watch our social media for that announcement. Anybody else? Is the sheriff not talking about? No.

Sorry about shelter updates. Um, we have completed the interviews for the new shelter director and we should be getting three of them at our next meeting. It will probably come in between 48 and $52,000. Just FYI. And then also last week the shelter officially achieved no kill status, which means they have um an average save rate every month of over 90%. That's important because it opens up a whole new level of grant funding that will help fund a new building other large projects. So,

okay. We heard anything from heard anything from Widner and Sheen on on the salary? Nothing study? Nothing yet. No. Okay. Anything else from anybody? Well, before we leave, before Kenny pulls the trigger, we emptied the buildings out at the fairgrounds Saturday. That was our winter storage and there's a bunch of guys I need to thank. Start off with Patty Hensley. Patty emailed everybody and then allow me emails. She got people said, "We can't be there. We can't be there." So, we said, "Well, they're setting out. You come and get them whenever they're ready to go. They're all gone.

They're all gone." Then Bill Bill was out there and Bill and we had

Brian Lenning came out. We had four guys from the power of the past. We had Clark Martin, uh Rick Carpenter, Frankie Norwald, and Tom Cherry. We also want to thank Brian Owens. Brian Owens left his little teleah handler out there and let us use it all morning so we could have a good piece of equipment out there to empty out with. We had Frankie Norwalk running it. So I want to thank all them guys for coming out helping. So the buildings are empty. They can be rented now. I think there's a cattle show

this weekend. So you got that do go watch cattle. Okay. Anybody got anything else? Entertain a motion to make a motion we second. Anybody makes a motion to journ any seconds? All those in favor? Anybody opposing for that? Okay.