County Council - Regular Meeting

All right, we are ready. Okay, acting on behalf of the three commissioners, I will call this meeting to order. The first item on the agenda will be reorganization for president of the commissioners. And I will turn that over to our attorney, Andrew Cruz. Thank you. Are there any nominations for president of the board of commissioners? I will nominate Jim Miller. Okay,

I'll second. Okay. And is there any further nominations or discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. All oppose, same sign. Motion carried. It is now the president. I think we should also maybe uh have a vote on having the other two be vice presidents, which I think is almost automatic, but just to have it official. Any nominations for the two of you for vice president? I'll not move. Okay,

I'll second. All right. All those in favor say I. I'll oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. There you go, Jim. back to you.

Okay. I have a brief statement I would like to make before I hand the gavl over to Jim. I would just like to say it's been a privilege to serve as president for these past six years. It's been quite the ride to say the least. As I serve out my last term, my last year of my term, I want the people of Decal County to know I will not be coasting to the finish line. Sitting idle is not something I do well. Just ask my wife Nancy. I will be engaged in every issue that comes before the commissioners. One last thought. I have always relied on common sense and God's help to perform the duties as commissioner president. I will never be the smartest person in the room, but I've been in the room the longest, and that surely counts for something. Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Hartman. Thank you for your service. Pardon me. Go for it. I got you.

[cough]

I'm a little stiff getting around. I had a knee replacement and I'm not 100% yet. [clears throat] Thank you, Commissioner Hartman, uh, for your service. Uh, I look forward to working with you again for this last year of your term. I I appreciate very much your service. um part of the reorganization of the commissioners. Um I'm requesting a couple of changes of I've asked Ellen if he would uh take my place on the Decal Economic Development Partnership. Well, we need we don't need to vote on that, do we? Um

probably since we're switching it just so I have it in the minutes. Okay. And uh well else um we need to delete uh Sunny Meadows superintendent off of the list. Oh yeah, we can just Yeah. Well, for the record. Yep. Um, is there any other

Oh, yes. Um, Bill, if it would be all right. Uh, I would recommend Kellen for the plan commission. He hasn't been on that board and he needs to learn that job if that would be okay. Uh yeah, I have no objection. Yes. And then everything else is going to stay the same as far as I know. Is there any other changes either one of you are requesting?

I have not. No. the request particularly. I don't know if you want to continue on a solid waste board or not.

I'd gladly give it up. Would you? [laughter] I would take I would take that. Okay. Takes odd ways back. And does either one of you want to be on the community corrections board? Take my spot on there since I'm picking up two extra ones. No, I don't care to particularly. What is it? The community corrections board. You be the commissioner representative on there. How often do they meet? Once a month. I don't think I think it's quarterly. Just quarterly. I think it's quarterly. Yeah. You can make that change as well, please.

Okay. So I have economic development partnership Kellen. Then we have plan commission um Kellen changing to Kellen. Um community corrections is changing to Jim. Yes. [clears throat] And what about solid waste? Changing to bill.

And we're removing the sunny meadows off the list. And then um board. Well, what do we have to wait on that? These are just what you three are doing. Why don't we just to be safe roll that up into a motion? Y Well, voted on if you want to. Are there any other recommendations to changes before we move forward? No. Okay. I just thought just to be careful. No. Do an official motion. No, I was hoping to do so. Good.

Do we have a motion to uh accept the changes as presented? Okay. Wait one second. Sorry. So for solid waste, are we just flipping you in, Bill? So you'll become the alternate, you'll become Yes. Okay. Yes. Sorry. Okay. So who made the motion? I missed all made a motion. Right. We were just discussing no one made the official. Okay. Second. I'll make the motion. We'll second that. Yes. Yes. for plan commission is name the other two commissioners as alternate. So if Kellen can't show up, you one of you can come if you can do that. I have him list.

Thank you. You're welcome. I got you. I know. I saw you. Okay.

I got the motion in the second. Okay. Is there any other discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Good. Yep, we're good. After that, uh, lost my agenda here. Uh, 8:30. So, we're behind already. Miss Miller.

Mr. Miller. Um, and before we start, thanks again, um, Commissioner Hartman for your interest and support with human resources. We really appreciated it. So, and I know you'll be right there with us. Thank you.

Thank you. Um, so, uh, we had, you know, those extra voluntary insurance, uh, enrollment, uh, situation the first couple weeks of December. So, we are still kind of cleaning those up. There were a few odd situations, but overall, I think Steel or Solaris felt that it went well. um a very nice precursor to hopefully um the uh the big open enrollment of the health plan then in June. So um that I was really glad we were able to sort of beta uh the system to uh to be able to do that. Um next is I'm going to let Morgan talk about our recruitment and our hiring. Uh right now we are looking for a residential facilities officer nighttime at community corrections. So it's just open until filled. Um and those are 12-hour shifts. [snorts] U currently the public defender and dispatch have moved on to interviewing their candidates for those open positions that they have. And then the health department's new RN will be starting in the middle of the month.

Any questions from commissioners on this? No, sir.

Right. Uh let me give you a little bit of an update on the maintenance facilities manager director position. Uh that Larry Lane currently is the director of maintenance. And uh you had asked for a change in the job description. It needed to go before the job classification subcommittee who recommended that it go to Wagner Irwin and Sheileely, our consultants who work on our job descriptions uh put positions in the correct classifications and so um WIS as it's known um suggested that it go in the um executive the exea classification which which is the lower of the two executive classifications. We h also have exe well with the discussion that was held um the uh group the job classification subcommittee um is going to propose to council that uh we actually move this position. we create the job description. So that would be approved and that this uh position actually be moved into the EXE B classification which is the higher of the two as of January 1 of 2026 and to have this position compensated within that EXEBB salary range also effective January 1, 2026. So at their next meeting this Wednesday um that will be discussed and voted upon. Now uh Commissioner Hartman because he was a part of the um discussions about changing this job

description or really created creating sort of a a new position. Uh so much more weight, so many more duties. uh what we were asking the experience he he attended the meeting so I don't know do you have anything to add

uh not a lot except his duties they're extensive and when I first come on for as commissioner there was some things that uh he just didn't really have the time to do and and Todd Sanderson and I both were active in and putting some projects together in in helping Larry to do that and and so Ruong got kind of limped along until he he had the put the second uh maintenance man on board. So now it's running smoothly and now we have the third maintenance band. So everything's covered and I'm quite happy with the situation

and all of this also laid a foundation. Larry and I have been talking about uh reviewing and asking the job classification subcommittee to review the uh job description for that second uh person who currently um when the job description is a little lame. I'll be honest, we need really need to bump it up especially since we are going to be asking so much more of Larry. his direction is going to be changing and so that's going to put more duties on this second person. Um the third person also but we think that that job description is full uh it's pretty it's pretty broad has a lot of lot of meat to it. So uh in this this month we will probably uh review that and then take that before the uh job classification subcommittee. So, we're I think we're laying a good ground, you know, foundation for our maintenance department. They are so important and all the things that they do for every department in the county. So, thank you very much for that. Um, any questions on that? [clears throat]

Um, so that just so I'm getting myself straight here. Um the timeline is that it will go to the council first for their recommendation I guess and and the pay raise and then it will come back to the commissioners. No. No. Nope. Not at all. Nope. Okay. They will they will approve it. Um and um let's see. I did send you I might not have sent all of you. I know I sent Bill a copy of the revised job description, but I can do that. Yes, please. I didn't I might have included it or I'm

okay. That's what I thought. May Yeah, maybe. So, okay. To explain a little bit more because commissioners initiated wanting the review of the job description and that's how it traveled through its little process. So now it's come back and the subcommittee is going to request to the council and once the council approves it to go to that classification then they approve the um the wage and stuff and so then it just kind of and that also means there's an automatic wage increase because of the bump up in that classification.

Thank you for that clarification. Um, no, never mind. Go ahead, D.

Okay, great. Um, let's see. Um, I know Kellen uh sent all of you uh an update on uh the uh on Sunny Meadows um the last day. I'm not sure I have much to add to that. Um, for the, you know, regarding at least the, uh, the personnel that we had out there, we had, uh, updated time sheets that went to payroll and payroll and I took a look at them for completeness and, uh, so they are in the system now. the uh those employees will be receiving um requests to do an exit interview and also any of the offboarding sorts of information although I've I had already written them letters uh giving them information about whatever benefits that they may have and because January 2nd would be their last day their insurance will if they have uh the insurance will last to the end of the month. So, um we are kind of closing yeah closing the book on Sunny Meadows at least for you know any HR purposes but um if you need anything of course we're available we're still available to help on that. Um we are working with uh the auditor's office in uh dealing with this timekeeping program that uh will be instituted eventually. And so I really appreciate HR being a part of that so that we're at least aware. There's not a lot that uh we need to be doing with it, but we're at least aware and when this comes in place, we will be able to assist our employees in how to deal with

this new timekeeping time clock timekeeping system. Um the other two issues um the you remember when we had our cyber security issue and our um Americans with Disabilities Act report to the state was locked deep inside my computer unable to get it out. And even more so, uh, the GIS maps, the the maps that that department had worked so diligently on were buried, unable to to retrieve, uh, they have now been retrieved. Yay. And, um, so we are tweaking those, and I should be able to provide the state with our ADA plan. So, that's rolling along. And I was I almost wanted to cry when Jarrett uh sent me the email along with the with the maps. So, thank you Chris Gmer and your uh department for that. The other thing would be the affordable care act reporting that uh employers need to do every year if they provide a uh health plan to their employees. and we are working with steel cerics on that whole program. So they will be uh looking at our LAOW information, the payroll system and also any information that we as in HR provide to them so that uh that document can be sent out to our employees um to verify that yes indeed they had health insurance for X number of months or they did not have health insurance for X number of months. So that's rolling along. So, we have a lot of things that we're doing at the

beginning of the year. And do you guys have anything else for us? Um, from the past, you've talked about the wellness uh plan. Where are we at on that? It the ball is kind of in your court. Morgan, do you have anything? you've been talking to. I don't really have anything to add, but um employees do kind of want to know if like we'll get questions. Where's the wellness form for the year? We don't have one yet. So, they would like to just know if we're going to continue it or not or how it might

and that would be for plan year 2526, which would start July 1. 26 27. Oh gosh, I'm a year behind. Yes, 26 27 rushing the Yeah, not rushing. So, we need to have some idea. Do you want to continue? But we really there needs to be a tweak. So, Morgan, why don't you explain the tweak? The biggest if changes for the wellness program we have now is we required the spouse to also have uh their blood work done and discuss it with their primary care physician but they did not receive an additional incentive for their spouse completing those plans or those requirements. So from what I understand, what we can do is we can either just not require the spouse to do the blood work and just have the employees complete the incentive to receive the premium discounts or we can give an additional incentive for those on the employee spouse and family plans that they would receive an additional benefit.

But you can't leave it the way it is. We can't leave it the way it is legally under the Yeah, the it's a federal change that they made to these. Wait, but we're going to have to have basically two different plans. No, you either have to decide, are you going to just not require the spouse to complete it or if the spouse does complete it, how much the additional incentive would be. Any recommendations or comments, gentlemen? No comments? I have a comment.

Yes, please. um to add additional benefit would need to be ex looked at very very closely and I think that um you should involve council if you're going to do that um because the benefit that we have offered uh has increased the county's portion of what we pay for insurance greatly. [clears throat] So prior to making any additional I think council

I will come in with a comment now and it's always been my thought that the employees be a little more responsible for their own health and the motivation is always money and so I have to say I do have some reservations about additional benefits that maybe there should be if there is going to be it should be be offset or countered at least somewhat by additional co-pays or some sort [clears throat] additional responsibility to the employees to live healthier, eat healthier, and save everybody some money.

Well, I guess the bottom line as far as I'm concerned, when do we need to make that decision? We I mean now

now [laughter] really soon. [clears throat] They want to make sure everybody has enough time to complete whatever the incentive is. Uh we are doing that wellness day with in April. Um but not everybody can make it. There's usually only 60 slots available and that's just a small portion of our employees. So, we want to make sure everybody has time to go have their blood drawn and speak to and this particular addition um adding a spouse that would be for our employee and spouse uh individuals and then also employee and family. we're only talking at we have to do something with the spouse for them to get that or or don't do it at all. Um but if you will recall that a lot of those top 10 um claims that we have are from spouses. So, guess I want to sit down with the two of you and because I have a few more questions about and I don't want to take up the time now to do it. So, can we make a decision at our next meeting? Is that okay with you, gentlemen?

I'm okay with tableling it. Sure. And if you can Well, they should have the numbers right [clears throat] of the additional cost. No, that would I'll have to get that. Okay. Is that possible? Thank you very much. Any other items of interest or just want to thank Daddy for um helping me with the sun staff. Um towards the end there it was getting a little hectic and I appreciate all the help she did for me. Welcome. And I'll just reiterate that if there is anything further that you need HR to do with that department, you please let us know. Very much so. Thank you.

Yeah. And on that, I'll comment that Helen has just done or Commissioner Douly has done a tremendous job on that project getting this all closed up and taken care of. I I greatly appreciate the efforts he's put forth. Okay, you're done. Thank you. RO vacation summer street.

So there's I'm not sure what her name is. So Tasha and you can come on up. Tasha, do you want to come up also? Yeah, that's please get too close to me.

Would you make sure that there's a green light on your microphone and pull it up so that it can record little bar to push that button. There you go. Thank you. Good morning. The floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you for meeting me with me today. Um, I'm here because I need some guidance on an easement on my property that my husband and I Sorry. For the record, since we're recording, can you repeat your name and your address?

Yes. Amber Frell. Um, my address is 202 Summer Street in Butler, Indiana. Um, yes, you're welcome. We just closed on our new property. Um, I believe it was last week. Um, and we are at 202 and 206 Summer Street. Um, and the property has kind of an interesting story. Um, after the previous owner passed away, the property was donated to the Newville Church of Christ. Um, the church only had about a week um, in preparation before my husband and I, myself went into contract on the purchase. So, um, they were working on preparing the property for sale, but they hadn't had enough time to research and verify all the information that had been given to them by the h the family that was handling the estate. Um, based on the information that we had, I understood that the property included six lots. Um, two addresses, two wells, and two septic systems. Um, and that's what we thought we were buying, a property with two wells that we would be able to use. Um, we had a survey done right before closing and that's when things got a little bit complicated. One of the wells isn't actually on our property. Um, it's sitting on an easement between our land and Hample Farms. According to our surveyor, we don't have legal access to it. So, basically, we brought the property thinking that we had two wells and now we're finding out that we can only use one of them. Um, this matters to us because we are planning on putting up a pole barn. Um, and we were planning on running water to it and without access to that well, we can't use the property um, in the way that we intended to do so. So, we are exploring our options on whether vacating the easement and acquiring that piece of land or maybe there's another op option like modifying the easement. We don't know what the best approaches and that's why we're here today. Um, just to figure out

what our next steps would be and the best options for us would be. What? I'm sorry. You didn't you found out that you didn't own how much? How? You said six. I don't know. So many feet just pass these out. Six lots. Oh, one of the wells was on an I do have a Okay. a photo for reference as well. That That's the part I missed. I got it. You good?

Yeah. Chris, can you come forward and address this? Please give us some information.

When that plat was created, I don't even know what year it was, but um it appeared that there were going to be more streets developed within that subdivision. That subdivision has ride ofway that is dedicated to the county that um I believe the well sits on. Is that correct? The well sits on the ride ofway. So that ride ofway, nothing's being used for it. Previous property owners have probably maintained that ride ofway for a number of years. Um, so I think their request is to vacate that right ofway so that they can use the property. They can own the property, become taxable again. Um, and then they can use it to their full benefit. Um, there's nothing that I believe the county would be needing that ride ofway for. Um, unless there would be some sort of new subdivision go out there that would that would need the creation of new streets. Um, that's what that ride ofway was created for was for the creation of the streets. Chris, it shows on here 14T alley. Is that what we're talking about? Actually on the uh

yes 14t alley which wouldn't be wide enough for a street. No, but it's still No, it's still owned by the the county though, right? Yeah. [snorts] But it couldn't be utilized as a street to another. No,

not as an actual street. It would not meet requirements. So, our ordinance does not allow the plan commission to go through the process to vacate the right of way. It's because it's owned by the county, the county commissioners, the county executive would be responsible for going through that process or allowing the property owner to go through the process to vacate that right ofway. Um, and Andrew, I believe, would could write up the vacation document that rightway

language that you had emailed and I think that Susan had included in the packet for today. I think possibly unless maybe you emailed it separately and yeah, it looked like there would be an ordinance for vacation that would need to be created. Um that's [clears throat] certainly something that I'm willing to do if the commissioners want me to do it. Yeah. And um then the question is who would own the underlying property once it's vacated? Um, so the county would be giving up in that ordinance, the county would be giving up the rights to that, correct, right? Way, right? So it would then become ownership probably. Yeah. I mean, I think you could just make it theirs that point,

right? There does there does have to be some notification to surrounding property owners to make sure would be Hample, I think, is this next door neighbor. I'm sorry. Hample, is that what I heard? Was ample farms was the next corn. Okay.

So, um yeah, it might be normally vacations. Uh so, in this situation, you would need to have the vacation, it would be best to have it be the entire alleyway going to you folks there. Um, in a normal situation, like when you vacate an alleyway, like in a a town or a city, it usually goes half and half to either side, but here we wouldn't necessarily want that because the will might be like in the middle of the 14 ft. So, well, and they would you and you [clears throat] own you own lots. They own both sides of it, right?

Okay. Well, that's great. So, it's not like right up next to the Hample land in the middle of your land. It's in the middle. They've Yeah, they straddle. That's great that a vacation would solve the problem and I think it would just go to you guys. Yeah. But it's up to you as commissioners what you want to do on that. Any comments, questions?

I actually have one more um question. There's an alley that runs right in the middle of the property as well because we were looking at the very end where the uh well is at, but then where it says that there's an alleyway, that's where her propane tank is sitting. So, we we would want to get rid of both sides of that. The entire 14t alley.

Yeah. And then on the other end right up against Hample's field is where the well is at this plus this I'm okay with vacation as well. This is where their well is. I

think this is where the well is. The well is on the end next to the field, right? The propane tanks in the form. It shows it there on the uh very fine print. [clears throat]

Are you good, Chris? Yeah. I mean, so for the for the vacation of whatever street that what would have been called, that would get split in half. However wide that is, half would go to Hample and half would go to you guys. The well is on that end that I don't know. I don't without I mean I don't know what you're meaning because there's so this picture that I sent you.

Okay. Here. Yep. So you want both vacated. So the problem with this though is that you're going to have to hamples will either have to be okay with not receiving their half, right? Because normally when an alleyway or a road easement is vacated, it goes half. You know which side the well is on of the half? I mean like is it it's the because there was another house on that property that burnt down.

Yeah, it's over here somewhere. So, that might be something has anyone Yeah, we might Do you have contact for the hamples? Okay. Consent to it. Yeah, I think if they can consent to not accepting their half of the right of way. It could be written in the ordinance that way. Um, you would probably want them to sign off on that somehow. Get some sort of legal document. Yeah. That consents to that. But so if you can get us contact with the Hamples. [clears throat] Yeah, I'll I'll do that today. Okay. Um,

but that still doesn't really answer the question. How is that well just in the middle of that easement that doesn't belong to the property? Welcome to my world. Okay. [laughter] Things happen over the years. Uh I've seen a situation once where a well was on like maybe [snorts] a father and son uh or a father gave a son the right to build a a house on the land and they shared a well. I mean it's a nightmare situation when one decides to sell. Then who wants to buy a house with share in a well? Sometimes things are just done over the years maybe without getting proper permits or maybe with getting permits and somebody let it happen or

they may not have realized that if it lawn all the time when they put the well there they may have thought, hey, this is fine, right? Everybody assumed it was part of the house 50 years ago when they dug it or something. I don't know how even a couple months ago they all thought it was still part of the house. There you go. That's how they presented it to me. So, I shared that with her when she was buying it and we found out literally the day before closing. I'm afraid there's a number of these things that come up over the years. Septic systems and wells and do you want to email me that when you get that information and then I can Yeah. pass it on to Andrew and we can make contact with the Hamples. Yeah. About I'll email it to both of you. Yeah.

Assuming the commission. Just to be clear, just to be clear, this lot number on the survey lot 80 and 89 is Camp Belps Hamples would be 80 and 89 are theirs. I think they bought 80 and 89.

Y Okay. The whale the whale is over here. Not I got you. I got you. Yes.

Propane tank. I see all propert. question um for me is would this variance uh be just a specific to this property and or I'm not variance ordinance with the ordinance be specific just to this it wouldn't basically an county ordinance to cover everything no no just for this

they call it an ordinance but it's basically just you guys voting to give up a street that was created maybe a 100 years ago on some old plat. And this is in Newville, so it could even be longer than that. I remember looking at a deed for another property in Newville years ago that was a handwritten deed from the 1800s or something. So, okay. Um, this could have been a planned street from 75 years ago, 100 years ago, who knows? And if it's not needed, you know, a lot of times cities or towns or counties will vacate it if it's there's no plans to build an addition there. Commissioner Hartman, do you have any more questions? Uh, no, sir.

Okay. Would entertain a motion one way or another to uh accept or reject this petition? I have a quick question. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. This is actually for Yes. Do they need to u motion for you to prepare something before? Yeah. So, this would not be a motion on the final acceptance of it. It would just be, you know, basically a an informal motion to authorize me to proceed with preparing the ordinance and working with them to do this. Camp Bill Farms, uh, working with Campbell Farms and and them to try to get this worked out then

and then we have to repropose it to you for a final vote. But if you guys aren't going to agree to it, there's no use me going through the hassle of preparing the ordinance. I would agree. I'd make the motion to move ahead, okay, to the process. I I will second that motion. Okay. Is there any other discussion? Do you have any questions? No. Sorry. Oh, no. Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I I opposed. Motion carries.

All right. Hey, Chris, can you make sure Well, you probably already have their contact information, emails, and everything. Yeah. Okay, good. Thank you for your time.

Yes. moving moving forward. Um, tourism board appointment.

Yeah. So, Kellen had Oh, wait. Helen had sent to us a name. Um, for Patrick Roland, did you want to do this or did you want to do like the payroll and the minutes first? I was just going down the line so we can we can hold off until Kelly gets back.

It doesn't matter. No, it's Oh, that's fine. My apology. Fine. Um, we have the payroll to approve from December 14th to the 27th of 2025. There a motion to accept the payroll as presented. I have a motion to approve payroll. I will second. Any additional comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

I. Motion carried. We have the claims for approval on Janu for January the 5th processing. Is there a motion to accept the claims as presented? I'll make a motion. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to accept the claims as presented. Is there any other questions or comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I.

Most claims are approved. We [clears throat] have the minutes for approval. Uh we need to I'm asking to do these individually would uh I would entertain a motion to accept the minutes from December 22nd. So move. I will second. I have uh a uh correction to the minutes whenever you're ready.

Okay. Under Sunny Meadows, which is clear on the last pages, okay, where towards the bottom it says Overland's bid. You see where I'm at? In the motion overland. Oh, not demolition. You gentlemen understand that words of

repeat. Well, I'll show I show it. [clears throat] It had it was an auction. I don't think Overland wants to be in the demolition business. [clears throat] May we have an amended motion to uh for that correction, please? So moved. I will second. Any other corrections or additions? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I abstain.

Ellen, did you say I said I? Okay. Motion passes two to one with an abstension. Uh we have the second set of minutes from uh the special emergency meeting of December 31st. I have a motion to accept the minutes as presented. I'll make a motion. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to accept the minutes of December 31st as presented. Any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

I. Motion carried. 30. Um, is it okay to move down to the who is in board appointment? Um, yeah. I'll send stuff around this.

Okay, um Kellen had emailed and um recommended by Amber Kakamo um was uh Patrick Roland. that we need to vote. I'll make the motion. I'll second.

We have a motion and a second to accept the tourism board appointment as presented. Is there any other discussion, comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Motion carried. the DCCC advisory board appointments. Gentlemen, were sent those appointments. Probably for the record probably need to So, we have read them. Um, did I just read her email? What she says?

Okay. So, Michelle Fnaw, director at community corrections. Um, she said, "I was contacted and asked to provide some possible additions to the dcc advisory board in the role of lay persons. We have identified two people who are willing and able to fill these seats for a four-year term. The first one is April Winfield is a former juvenile chief probation officer in Allen County and is now at Wrathburn Precision Machining as operations manager. She has was contacted and responded that she is willing to serve. She has criminal justice experience including serving on the Allen County CC advisory board and now in employment operations with a local business. The second one is Marquita Townsen is the current leader of community health improvement at DEC at part view. She is also currently serving as the chair of the decal mental health coalition. She holds a master of public health degree and has extensive experience in coalition building health system community collaboration and program development. She was contacted and is interested in serving. and she will fill the role of a minority representative. Our third candidate could not be contacted before she had sent the email and they are working on contacting her and will let us know as soon as possible.

We have basically the recommendation recommendation of two people. Correct. Correct. There a motion to accept these two as presented. I'll make that motion. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to accept the two advisory board member appointments as presented. Is there any other discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Building corporation deed. We probably don't have time for that. I'm not sure what we're discussing. So we can we can put it to the back later.

Let's wait on that. The next one might be pretty easy. Okay.

The um so the um animal control officer, I think that's her title. Um she had been in and then and talked about the shadow roba if I said that right. But anyways, you guys have decided that you were going to um you had $2,700 in your budget for them for this year for 2026. And she had forgot to ask um because she had asked me how they get their money. And I had told her that usually they send us invoices and then we pay them. Um, so she was wanting to clarify whether that is how you want us to do it or if you are wanting to just send her the $2,700. She said that it would be difficult to to divide what she's buying for county animals specifically versus her other rescue animals. Um, she does cats, dogs, horses, pigs, goats, poultry, and many are in foster homes. So, her paperwork, she's got a lot. So, I just need clarification on if you want her to try to invoice us or if we're just sending the 2700.

Gentlemen, well, we've asked for an invoice or a accounting of funds that we send to would be paying possibly the humane children. Of course, you haven't gotten that. So, can we flip here and just send them money without some sort of invoice or accountability with Well, I know. I know. It's Yeah, it's there's other things in your guys' budget that isn't invoice, but

I don't know. I don't want to say donation, but it's I guess a donation from the county. Um, so I don't know. I believe she said in here, I think that the commissioner said that we could do $200 a dog and $100 for a cat up to $2,700. That seems easier. So, but I don't know because she said that um there's a lot in the cost of the food and the daily care among all of her other everything that she has.

Um Yeah, I guess I'd be in favor of just a count and pay pay the flat rate. At least we have an idea of how many we're dealing with, how many animals we're dealing with and up to $2,700. And if that rate is and that's how we do it with um uh lions animal, the other one that we do, they invoice us. Is this quarterly? would you be be uh given those numbers?

I don't know if any of that was set up. I know that Courtney with Alliance. I know that she gives you guys updates every so often, but I don't know that anything was specific in this. So, we don't know the 2700 is up to each quarter or for the year. Oh, that was what you guys approved for the year. For the year so far. Okay. Yeah. Well, I think we should start with with that and we can always adjust it at another meeting if we need to if that's not enough or So, are you saying start with just sending her the 2700 or having her invoice us? Invoice it. I would agree to have it invoiced and just send us how many animals that she takes for [clears throat] pay a flat rate for each animal count.

That's the clarification I needed. I would make that motion. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to uh have uh robot. Yeah, I don't know. I apologize. Um invoice the auditor's office for the $2,700 for the year. Is that correct? Um per animal. Like I think she'll based based on a flat rate per animal. Flat Yeah. flat rate like invoicing it or billing it per animal that they're helping from the county.

Yes. Yeah. So, if she chooses to invoice us quarterly or whatever, I mean, you could invoice us for 10 dogs at one time. Yeah. We'll go from there. As long as we have something that shows we got a count. Y any other questions or comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed? Motion carries. We are close to 9:30 uh for the Sunny Bed Sunny Meadows bid uh Aban award. Uh we will not start till 9:30 because that's the appointed time. The way I would like to run this process is fairly simple. I will give each commissioner time to uh after the bids uh for a motion to move forward or reject or however the commissioners decide. We will need a second to that. And then there after the motion and second whatever uh the commissioners each one will have an individual time to speak or against the uh process whatever the motion is. Um I would then give the uh Miss Susan a chance and Mr. crews a chance to have additional comments and then we will open it up to the public and I would respectfully ask that you stay within five minutes so that everybody has a turn at having a chance to speak and having it their time. Um, but [clears throat] at 10:00, as is the practice of the commissioners, we would, so that I don't want somebody to feel like they're being left out. At 10:00, we automatically take a break. We all go outside in the rotunda and said the pledge of allegiance. At 10:15, we will reconvene and continue from there. At the point where everybody has spoken that wishes to speak, the public comment

will come to an end. And then each of the commissioners will again have a chance to have a voice in their decision one way or another. Miss Sleeper will have a chance, Mr. Cruz will have a chance and then we will have the vote. So I hopefully everybody has uh respect for one another as we move forward in this process. It is now 10:30 9:30. [laughter] We're done. 9:30. Excuse me.

So, at this time, I would entertain a motion on on this to accept or reject the bids as presented.

Are we accepting all of them or you I just need to see if I know. Are we accepting all of them before we award it or are you accepting one specific what whatever they not sure they're probably are you're looking for if one of them wants to make a motion a commissioner wants to make a motion is to approve one of the bids from the bid tabulation that Ben yes sorry for that [clears throat] I'll make a motion to reject all bids

I'll second that for discussion We have a motion and a second to reject all bids. Each commissioner, Commissioner Hartman, do you wish any comments or questions?

Uh, first question I would pose is do we have the asbesus study? I have not seen the asbesus study. Uh, is it where we at with the asbestous study? They came out on two Monday or Tuesday. I cannot remember offh hand. I'm apologize. But they did come out last week. They had the study. They were hoping to have it to me by today. I have not seen anything from them. Able to give you an update. And it was also for lead paint too. For what?

Lead paint too. Is they were testing for lead paint and asbestous. They were hopeful that they were hopeful to have it to me by today. They did not I've not seen anything yet. So

I don't know how we can and this is why I voted or motioned to reject all bids without saying that asbesus and lead paint study. I don't know how we could even move forward with this conversation. I would make a second motion if if if uh you allow me and that is to put this on uh up for public hearing at a future date that we call a public hearing and and by then we should have everything in hand that we need to have a logical discussion on this subject. I I'm calling for I make a motion to put this up for public hearing uh preferably in the evening.

I mean it I think uh I'm not aware for sure that you can't have a second motion up there, but his motion hasn't been seconded yet. Still in the discussion phase of the first motion. We we can do the first motion. I'll let Jim Jim can decide whatever way he wants to go here for the for the discussion. Ellen seconded motion. First motion. The first motion. Right. So you can still have discussion on the first motion. Right. Um comment I'll talk about that. That's fine. I would like to hear from

ser I have no statement at this time. I'd like to hear from the public. I've heard a lot from emails and phone calls over the weekend and there's a lot of people here. I'd like to hear from Okay, Miss Sleeper, comments or questions? No,

the bid was I think let out with the idea that there wasn't any hazardous substances. So, if it turns out to be asbestos, it does throw the bid into a bit of confusion. So either rejecting all bids or postponing the u the awarding of the bid until after we get the asbestos report which may even come in later today would probably be a good idea from that standpoint because if the building is full of asbestos those bids don't make any sense probably because I don't think they were taking into into account of asbestos. Correct.

Correct. But we were going to remediate it before the bid, before the demolition. So it would have been on us and I was hoping to have that number today. I was either going to Yeah, I was going to either propose to reject it or delay it at least until we have that number. I'd like to hear from the public's comments. I have one question on that. If they reject all of them instead of postpone, if they reject, does that mean then everybody would have to rebid again? That's correct. Once it's rejected, it's rejected. You reopen. I just wanted to clarify. I mean, you can do another bid process, but you can't accept any of the rejected, you know, if you're rejecting them all, that's it on those bids. Any other comments, questions at this time from anyone?

No.

Then we will open it up to public comment. I would ask that you come to the microphone so that it is recorded. Uh, make sure there's a there's a blue light. Make sure that blue light is on so it does get recorded and please state your name and address if you would please for the record. Is there anyone that wishes to speak one way or another on this issue? All right. Morning day 1297 County Road 19 Waterl. Uh my concern about making awards for this demolition doesn't include the total cost of demolition without this. So I I just like for you to table it till you get all the information together to make a decision. U if we're getting a lot of feedback from the public, maybe a public meeting would be appropriate. Let everybody have a say their piece because there's issues with abating the building. What's the long-term use of the property? Is there a buyer for the property and maybe we don't have to abate it? Buy the building too. Take care of it. Uh we just got to make sure we don't spend a bunch of money if someone's want to buy the building. So

was it. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Kurt Hartman, 4169 County Road 19. I would love to see it be put up for bids if somebody wants to purchase the property in just that section to include the building septic whatever uh would be appropriate. So they could do I believe our sister uh community had the same type of facility that has been now in the process of remodeling for an apartment complex and it seems to be working quite well. I think it was Hicksville from what I talked with a lady over from Waterlue about that. So, I'd like to see it open that uh we could have somebody review it for public uh purchase and maybe develop it into something else appropriate that can be used for the community. Thank you.

Real quick, I'm sorry I missed your at 4649 4169 County Road 19. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Good morning. My name is Chuck Knox, 2519 County Road 68. And I have a um letter I just like to read if that's okay. It's about four minutes if that's okay. All right. Thank you. Honorable commissioners, my name is Chuck Knox. I am a proud resident of Dalb County. Today, I ask you to preserve Sunny Meadows, our historic 1908 county home and farm, and to envision a bold, practical reuse of the building and its adjoining county acorage. I frame this request around a simple yet powerful principle. Respect the past, freedom at present, and faith in the future. Respect the past. Sunny Meadows, built in 1908 for $27,000, began as the Decal County Poor Farm, a self- sustaining home and working farm that provides shelter, food, and dignity to the vulnerable when few other options existed. For more than a century, it served our community, evolving into an assisted living home facility that cared for generations of residents. This building is the last tangible link to Indiana's county poor farm era. A chapter of compassion, local history shared by all 92 counties. To demolish it would erase and irreplaceable part of who we are and how we once cared for each other. Preservation is an act of respect for those who built it, lived in it, and worked in its fields. Freedom at present. Today, the building is no longer needed as a residential care facility, and we stand at a moment of genuine choice. Demolition carries its own costs. Removal, site cleanup, and the permanent loss of a sound structure

and valuable land. Preservation, however, gives us extraordinary freedom to adapt. The sturdy 1908 building is ideally suited to house county departments, health, veteran services, administration or community programs. Consolidation consolidating operations on land we already own and avoiding expensive new construction or leases elsewhere. The surrounding 225 acres of county-owned tillable ground offers space we simply do not have downtown. This freedom allows us to reimagine the site without the constraints of the past or the waste of demolition. Faith in the future. Dalb County has no mountains or seashores. Our attractions are the ones we build. Sunny Meadows and its acreage can become the historic anchor for a modern county fairgrounds and community expo center. With easy access near I69, we could create larger livestock facilities, indoor arenas, ample parking, RV sites, and year-round event spaces while keeping the historic building as offices a heritage museum or indoor venue. This would strengthen our freef fall fair, expand 4 and agricultur agricultural education, host concerts, trade shows, and draw visitors from across the region. generating revenue and pride for decades to come. Our rural Indiana communities have transformed similar sites into thriving destinations. We can too. We need not fund this solely with tight county budgets. Preser preservation adapted reuse opens doors to substantial outside resources. Indiana Ready 20 grants, Oakra community development block grants, Indiana destination development tourism funds, historic preservation initiatives,

community foundation support, and public private partnerships. These proven sources have helped neighboring communities turn vision into reality without burdening local taxpayers. Commissioners, I respectfully urge you to re reject demolition, pause any immediate action, and direct staff to explore preservationbased options, perhaps through a short-term exploratory committee that includes citizens, historic historians, and economic development professionals. By choosing to respect the past, exercise freedom at present, and invest with faith in the future, we can transform Sunny Meadows from a question mark into one of Decal County's greatest assets. Thank you for your time and your service to our community.

Thank you, sir. One question for So, just so I'm clear, you're in favor of keeping the building and keeping it within the county. Yes. Okay. Make sure And the other gentleman, you're for selling it. I'm just looking for viable options. Okay. Somebody is willing to buy it versus not knowing what the whole process was. Could you come to the microphone? Come to

please. Thank you, sir. Um, if the land is still kept with the county, but you only se section off and reszone a certain portion around the buildings, that would be I'm just looking for other options and demolition. And then what do we do with the rest of what's the county going to do? Um, if we can utilize the building then for, like I say, apartments and still maintain the rest of the property under the county, that's fine. Um, it just seems like we haven't gone through all of our options yet and people be aware of those options. I'm just getting clarify because with all the emails and text messages and calls I've gotten it, it's a wide range of what everybody wants. I'm just trying to clarify everybody stand. That's all.

Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Shirley Randall. I'm here for my daughter Tammy Campbell. We would like to see it saved, not tore down. My daughter is interested in buying it. And I'm sure if she is, there's other people out there, too.

Thank you. We [clears throat] Oh, sorry. Uh 1117 North Franklin Street. Garrett Tammy Campbell. I'm not sure her address. It's County Road 8. Ashley.

Thank you, ma'am. Mary Deal, 5113, County Road 54, Auburn, Indiana. Um, some of you know me as the county historian, but I'm actually I want to make it very clear. I'm here today as a lifelong Decal County resident and taxpayer. I'm not here today to argue for a specific outcome. I'm here to ask for a pause, not a position. Demolition is irreversible is an irreversible decision. Delay preserves options. Demolition removes them. Demolition is the only option that eliminates every other future choice. Um it's not a secret that counties across Indiana have struggled with what to do with their old county poor farms. Why some choose demolition, others paused and considered different uh more creative solutions. Leaport County, they closed in 2016. They held on to the property till 2020. Um, sold it to an investment group which put it back on the tax roles at $12,000 a year. Um, bottom line, it is a county asset. It has served the county for over 100 years. Um, so regardless of history, it is a county asset. Um, as far as my knowledge, it's structurally sound unless there's a structural report that I'm not aware of that states otherwise. Um it's really hard for any of us to advocate for demolition, repurpose or sale without um a phase one site assessment, which I don't know if the asbestous report qualifies as that. I don't know what that's framed

phase one like environmental assessment environmental.

Okay. I I just don't think any of us can really, you know, advocate for any of it until that's done. Um it's the fact that standing buildings retain optional value. Um demolation itself has cost financial and opportunity. Vacant land requires a new investment to generate use. Um a pause in this procedure allows for us to get documented cost comparisons, appraisals, structural environmental assessments, and exploration for sale, lease, or partnership. A pause does not require immediate capital investment. a pause cost very little. Um, as the county historian, I mean, preservation does not mean a museum. It could mean anything from the vacant lot with signage on it or reuse of some of the material. It can look many different ways. So, however the outcome comes, you know, there's there's preservation options we could work with. Um, my closing statement is my core request is simple. Before making an irreversible decision, allow time for documented costs, defined plans, and clear governance. And that's it.

Thank you.

Anyone else? I'm Lita Haulinger, 2207 Chandler Way. I've had the opportunity to spend many many hours in that building uh assisting the residents who were there um not to these commissioners but to several commissioners before it's been let go. If you have not been in the building, if you have not been in all the floors, um, someone buying it is going to have a huge huge expense. In the meantime, putting it on pause, my comm my question to the commissioners are, who's going to take care of it at what cost? I hate to see it go. I was a fighter for it along with a few others. Um, the residents that have moved out, which I've been greatly involved with, are in a whole lot better place. They're all happy. Um, living among bed bugs, living among not enough staff. Uh it was time for the county to step aside in that role. Um it would be wonderful if something could be done with it, but I know there is a someone who does get into it um is going to have a huge huge investment. Not only that, if whoever purchas it, if it goes that way, then the county loses all control of anything that is in the middle of what they own.

It could be turned into possibly most anything out of the county's control. It could be purchased and resold unless the county puts some kind of stipulations in. Just several options to consider. um a committee that was formed which I was part of um made a suggestion in creating a green space using some of the artifacts that are there. So that's another option. But as a taxpayer, I don't really care to put a whole lot more money in that building. It served its purpose. It wasn't always happy days there. And like I said, I spent many hours in that building and as recently as Friday.

Thank you. Can I answer a couple of those questions that Lita had? Go ahead, please. Yeah. As far as uh who would maintain it, we do have a maintenance crew that could check on it periodically. The maintenance crew is actually stationed out there on the county farm across the road, right?

Uh so they could keep an eye on it. We have cameras out there, outside cameras and inside cameras. As far as cost, we could reduce the liability insurance probably because the residents are no longer there. So, we just carry liability on on the property itself. And as far as utilities, uh, if we would hold off for three or four months to sell it, that would be minimal, maybe $1,000 a month. turn the heat down maybe less than that. So that's just trying to answer a couple of questions later.

One comment to that is I did talk to Kyle Pearson that vacant buildings sometimes do have an increase in cost because there is no one out there to watch it. Um and you want to do just liability. What happens if we have like a water burst or something? We'd probably want to keep that access asset as much as we can with having coverage over the building itself and not just liability. But I just want to make that statement. As far as water burst, you just pull the breaker, shut the pump off. It's not [clears throat] on either way. You just shut the water off. Obviously, turn the heat down, shut the water off.

If we could, I'd like to stay on the public on that. Keep write down your questions or comments, please, and we'll do it at the end. Is there anyone else in the public that wishes to speak? I'm Sarah Nelson. Uh 314 Whitney Street in St. Joe. Um but I grew up right across from the county home. Um and I'm a part of the Genealogy Society. I'm actually here on their behalf as well. I sent an email personally and also um sent an email with several members that signed from the Genealogy Society. Um, and we I we would ultimately like to see it saved um as as the county or um maybe another um organization that comes in and can save it and preserve it and use it um in a historical way. But we know ultimately that that's probably not um a great option. Although we've seen that option work in a lot of um counties and areas around here as well where historical societies came in and kept buildings up. um and use them as museums, um as event spaces, as all of those things. Um but we would just ask that you would pause and take the time to consider all of the options. I know I went away to college and had planned on leaving the area. Um and the thing that keeps me here now is the history. Um it is that my family's been tied here for, you know, 150, 175 years. Um, and I I feel that when I am in those buildings, when I walk by those buildings, uh, there's more than it's more than just a building. Um, it it really is history. It is the people that lived there, the people that built it, and we would ask that you take the time to consider those things.

Thank you, ma'am.

We can have one more person before we have our break. Frank Walker. I 1707 County Road Route 43 in Waterlue. Uh if the building is structurally safe and that in my opinion, it'd be better off to sell it. You save $300,000 for one thing, not tearing it down. And if you sell it, then it becomes taxable. And whatever people want to do with it, then the county is all that money that they spend on it is gone. Where if they try to do do something with it himself, then it costs money. Well, it seems to me if you have somebody that would buy it, you'd be better off than trying to tear it down, make more money for the county in my opinion. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Well, we still have five minutes. Is there someone else, please?

Okay, Mary deal. Just piggybacking off of what Lita said about a green space or a park. Um, like I said, vacant land requires a new investment to generate use. Um, more information. We don't even have a countywide park board and there's other county properties out by the covered bridge. I mean, we have volunteers taking care of it. So, adding another park or green space without a board. Um, who would manage and maintain it? what budget would fund long-term maintenance, what insurance and liability structure would apply. Um, the least expensive decision is also often the one made with complete information. Um, maybe public input on land use can be gathered if it's demoed. And I understand I mean I from what I understand it's part of 108 acre parcel there and across the street about 160. And you know, your reason may be that you don't want that parcel parcled out like Lita said. So, um, if if the plans are for green space after demolition, there needs to be a little clearer plan on that. So,

thank you. We have I think at this time we'll take our break start our break so that um again 10:15 will reconvene and so that anybody else that wishes to speak will can be heard at that time. So the public comment area uh is still open at 10:15. Thank you. We'll take our break.

Can somebody somebody please close the door? [cough] Call this meeting back to order. We are still in the public comment section. Is there anyone else that wishes to speak? I I was told that I've never been quiet before, so I should get up. Andrew Provines, 3920, County Road 75. Right before Mary came up the last round, I just wanted to point out the guy that was up here had said something very key. It was they'll be able to do whatever they want with it. And I think it was meant as a good thing, someone buying the building. But in the whole scheme of things, we lose all control of an asset right in the middle of the farm. I think forever people are going to say, "We have the county farm." Well, we're right out at the county county farm. I think that's very dangerous because we never know how many times a building's going to change hands, what entities could be in there in the future. So, I think that regardless, I think that it either A needs demolished or b the county needs to somehow preserve it and retain control of it.

Thank you, sir. Anyone else? Steve Proines, 2347 County Road 38. I'll try to cut part of my 11 pages off because a lot of you have already heard today and probably heard before, but my house sits just exactly one half mile almost due north of the county home. And except for the first eight years of my married life, the county home and I have been neighbors. We've been neighbors for 60 of my 68 years. [clears throat] And I feel I have a unique perspective compared to most anybody in here today. And um part of that is um that uh when I was young, David Kimmel, who was the tenant farmer all my growing up years that I could remember. Anyway, he and my dad worked back and forth together like neighbors used to do. They didn't have a tractor loader. Dad did. Dad didn't have a corn picker sometimes and they did. So they just worked back and forth. And uh when I grew older, I became involved in it and worked back and forth with them also. And uh another thing for several years in the 70s, my mom was a full-time cook over there. So I heard quite a bit of the happenings that went on at the home. [clears throat] And beginning around 1970, I spent a lot of time fishing in the county farm pond before it was donated to the county. and is actually the county farm pond, but we called it that. Anyway, this [clears throat] all gave me the opportunity to witness how the farm and home offered many residents a chance for a last bit of dignity in life by allowing them to roam the grounds and

contribute to the day in and dayout operation of the farm and home. I feel that the home and barns deserve to be maintained and used out of respect for what these they have provided for literally hundreds of our citizens. The ones that come to mind off the top of my head from 45 to 60 years ago, the ones I knew, there was Bob and Henry from Waterlue. I think they moved there in the 30s after their mom passed away if I remember right. But they [clears throat] helped with chores around the barn, including bedding the cows and such stuff. The big thing I remember is in the spring they each had a two old two- wheeled cart and they they take their two carts and they go out into the field and pick up rocks and then in the fall they would be out gleaning corn that the picker knocked down or just missed or whatever. And these and they also help in the barn like I said. And uh these were things that they uh nobody made them do them. They enjoyed doing them. It gave them a chance to feel like they were contributing. And then there was a Oh, Henry also used to be able to walk over to our house when I was a kid. And a lot of time, you know, he come over to visit and a lot of times he'd show up with a inflatable rubber ball hoping I'd have time to play catch with me. He always called me brother. Not sure why, but so anyway, so I'd play catch with him when I could. Then there was Orally that helped around the barn also and also helped with cleaning of the milking equipment and stuff. The man I only knew is Topps. He maintained a really large garden on the east side of the home in the edge of that field that provided provided a large amount of produce for the residents. There's another Bob that used a walker, so he wasn't able to help much if any, but he would often be found sitting on

that rocked ledge just outside the barn door at the bottom of the barn and waiting for somebody to come by and visit and he'd be there a lot of times. We'd come up from fishing and we'd have a nice visit with him and that gave him an opportunity to get out and feel like he's part of the community. And then there was a lot of several women that I never knew that helped at the in the house in the kitchen and so on. Gave them a chance to feel like they were contributing. Also, [clears throat] I'm one of these that feel that we need to step back for an appropriate period of time to look above the lowhanging fruit. The lowhanging fruit in this case is demolition and reach for better fruit higher up. So to me, demolition is not the last choice. It is simply not a choice at all. Selling should be the last resort due to, like you've heard already, little if any control over what happens in the future. The West Richland School, where I attended third and fourth grades, is now a prime example of nearly 60 years of neglect or what 60 years of neglect can yield. It's a pretty much a useless pile of bricks now. It's just been allowed to cave in on itself. maintaining and and uh retaining and owning ownership and maintaining the buildings to me is the only choice. We're losing historic architecture all fed in an alarming rate in our county. In recent history, we've lost among others the old jail. It was a very interesting appearing building when you drove by. It was right across the street from where we're at now. And it is now a green grass lot aka green spot green space. Meanwhile, Noble County has the old jail museum. Auburn High [clears throat] School and the alumni gym, home of the 49 Red Devils that were in the final four of the state basketball tournament, is now

largely a grass lot. Whereas Kendallville has a community learning center in their former high school. The Auburn Electric building on South Wayne Street that was an example of early 20th century architecture. It's primarily a grass lot now. While Fort Wayne has the electric works. We're fortunate to have some links to the past remaining for future generations to experience their past. The Spencerville covered bridge, the Atmas Museum, ACD Museum, and most recently in Me Chapel. And what these all had in common was all were saved and flourished due to efforts of tremendous grassroots groups with vision and determination. My suggestion would be to step back, form a fairly large committee of county citizens of all walks of life to think through the possibilities for repurposing all of the buildings, some of whom some of the people should have experience with obtaining grants and for large projects. Ultimately, I can envision many uses for the property. Small weddings could take place in the chapel. Larger weddings could be out on the in front on the front porch and steps with seating in on the lawn. A reception following in the refurbished barn event center across the road. Eventually, all the buildings and part of the farm could become a living history museum. Many more worthy ideas will be suggested today or have been and in the future. I would like this all to fall under the umbrella of a decal county parks department or board as in Allen County and Lraange counties. Let's preserve our history in honor of past residents, superintendent, matrons, employees who have worked to make the home what it is. also all past county officials who invested considerable time in over overseeing the farm and home.

Two recent ones being Don Kaufman and Bob Ridge. On the cornerstone are the names of commissioners and auditor from 1908 who few if any of us know anything about but obviously the had the foresight to pass over the lowhanging fruit and build what would serve the Calb County wall for 118 years. And I'm hearing 27,000 to build that you take that out over 118 years. That's not a lot of money. I'm sure they had people back then complained about the expense. Whereas whatever it would cost us now to refresh them for another hundred years broken down over 100 years, I don't think would be all that bad. And I ask that we look to the higher fruit and not just go for the easy picking, dust off our hands and pretend it never happened. I believe that 100 years in a 100 years people will be able to look upon names of all of us involved in saving these buildings not knowing anything about us and pause to say thanks to us all and I thank you for your time.

Thank you. Thank you sir. Anyone else? Last call. Last call. Anyone else? Then at this time, the public comment section will be closed and we will defer to the commissioners for comments. Commissioner Hartman, do you have something or I have a question for Andrew. Andrew, [clears throat] if we were to sell that property, can we put deed restrictions on it? [clears throat]

So, I think that question's gotten complicated in the last decade or so. Uh, used to be that you could put restrictions on and it would hold forever. Um, I do not believe that there can be permanent restrictions on. You may be able to get away with certain restrictions for maybe 20 years or 30 years. I'd have to look up the law on that more particularly, but I remember it came up uh with regard to the old Auburn High School because that land was deed to the school district, I guess, for the use of a school and then would revert back to the family. But there was a statute in that the legislature put into place that limited some of that to maybe 30 years or something like that. I think that's been I haven't had to do any deep research on that recently, but um I don't think a 100% permanent restriction is possible, but you might be able to restrict it for a number of years.

Would you do that research, please? Okay. Yes.

Um so the suggestion with the demolition was from the Sunny Meadows Committee of Greenspace. Um, I did ask the commissioners, we all agreed to get a bid on it. Um, and that's where we're at now. So, I am I I think it's a good idea. We've heard a couple of people mention a committee. I think a committee would be a great idea to put together with um one of the commissioners, uh, probably one of the council people, council members, not people, sorry, um, and then some community leaders um, to kind of come up with an idea. So, I'm perfectly fine with pausing it, um, rejecting all the bids today and putting together a committee and putting together and see what we're doing. There is going to be questions that come along with it because we do have a budget for this year for Sunny Meadows to help pay for utilities and other things we're going to do. So is we're going to have to have some kind of idea what we're going to do going forward within the year probably or at least for the council can know in sometime in the summertime what they're going to do if putting money towards keeping Sunny Meadows building factory and structural contained because you don't want to leave it out there and get animals into it and all kinds of stuff like we're going to have to make sure we put some money to keep it a good asset for us. So that's my comment. So,

I'll make a motion of the committee after we make a vote on this. That's okay. I do have another comment. If we did decide to sell it, I can get appraisals on it. I've got one gentleman that would agree to appraise it and another to contact if that's if that's needed, get the appraisals if we were to sell it. And I think we need county council. You need county council approval to sell any real estate. Amolishing it, you don't necessarily need council approval, but selling real estate. Is there a monetary threshold? I believe there is. There might be like a 20 was it might be like $25,000 or something. Okay. I think I don'tve that. I'd have but I think they have to get council approval to

approve all of it no matter and a sale. Yeah. Well, I know for sale and purchase. Yes, I think you're right. I think the county council has to be involved in the real estate sale. Not in the demolition from what research I did, but in the actual sale of the property need to be involved

before we would demo it. I would like to have an appraisal because we don't know what we're demoing. In other words, are we going to demolish an asset that has some kind of value? Surely. And is in my mind we'd need to have an appraisal before we could demolition, but I might be wrong. Just just my thought. Miss Leaper, do you have any questions, comments?

Um, the only thing I can think of is I'm not sure, but we might need to have more than one appraisal. Maybe we need three, two, okay, average of two. and I can get to Ernie Cruz. Any comments, questions? Uh, I will do the research on how long a deed restriction could be allowed for and what types of restrictions would work? Other than that, not really. Okay.

Um, yes. Uh I believe all and I could be wrong but if I remember correctly all three commissioners voted to get uh up these uh demolition bids. We were all on board with that believe and we took that on the recommendation of the the uh committee that was taking care of Sunny Meadows. And apparently I think we probably jumped the gun a little bit, but uh uh such is life. We all make mistakes and if we did then so be it. At this point uh I would uh I'm I'm a history person. I I really think we can keep it and do something with it. So that's my point of view at this point. Commissioner Hartman, you want to say

only thing I had to say. I don't think it was a mistake to get to get the uh the bids on because we needed that number. We need the number what it's going to cost to demo this thing in order to make a informed decision. So, I don't think it was a waste of time or a mistake. Just just my opinion on that. Well, my point was only that I think maybe we jumped the gun a little bit, but it's it's a what it is. It is. Any other comments from the commissioners? Could you, Susan, could you please read the motion again? Is that possible? Yeah. So, we're all clear. Well, the only motion

There should be only one motion. Yes. was um bill motion to reject all the bids and Kellen seconded. Second it. Yeah. And so that's the motion we will be voting on this time. Any other comments or questions? Hearing none. All in favor of the motion as presented say I. I. As opposed. Motion carried three to zero. Commissioner Hartman, you wanted to make a I wanted to make another motion. Okay.

I would think I would make a motion to set up a committee since the [clears throat] previous Sun Committee has been disbanded because it was in charge of transitioning all the residents out. I think we should start another committee to work with community leaders um to come up with generate ideas of what to do with the building now that we have rejected all bids of demolition. And my recommendation would be have Bill on that committee because he's got the appraisers and all that stuff that he's been working. Is there a second that motion?

I would second that on the condition that all three commissioners have a have a voice in appointing this committee. In other words, all three commissioners recommended somebody to this commission individually or jointly. Like we each take a person to be you meaning have each Jim like you head it and then Jim and I put somebody on the committee all three appoint somebody or recommend somebody for the appointment to the committee. Yeah. But you'll still be the you'll be the lazy on from there. Okay. I just want to clear that. That's fine. That's I like that. Yeah. How many people are to be on the committee with just one thing to say?

Seven was my recommendation. Seven works for me. So it's officially amending your motion to creating a committee of seven people. Yep. With Bill Hartman being the executive of the committee or chairman chairman. Chairman of the committee. Oh reckon? We have a motion and a second. Uh do all three of us understand motion? Okay. I'm assuming that you will officially have to come back with the names to actually Yeah. set it. Yeah. Okay.

Andrew, are you okay? I'm okay. Okay. Any other questions or comments? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Three to nothing. Anybody in the public that would be interested, please talk to me. Not today. I don't want you to get too close to me. Um, reach out to me and if you feel like you want to be on part of that committee. So, yes, it wasn't mentioned, but will a councilman be on there as well? Not nec. Well, I would say probably one of the seven should be a council person just in case there's going to be money involved. Yeah.

And I would recommend that each If I'm going to be the chair that each commissioner then appoint additional two two members three two members y yeah council we can do that by consensus

yeah moving forward believe we're done with that subject I thank everyone for all of the comments that have been made today appreciate them and I'm sure the other two commissioners as well. All the comments, it's always good to have the public involved. It It's one of the best things about this job. Uh for better or worse, it's always good to have public input. It makes this job easier, at least for me. And having said that, thank you all for coming today and expressing your opinions. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you. We will move on to uh the 10:15 appointment [laughter] of our highway superintendent.

Morning. Morning Ben. [cough and clears throat]

[laughter] Okay.

Wash. All right. Thank you. Okay. First thing on my agenda this morning is the highway annual bids results. I went through I actually have all the bids here as well. If anyone has a question on any of them, I did bring them with me. I did send you guys out the result table tabs last weekend along with a hard copy today. All bids was complete and all bids are able to be awarded. Uh so I would make the recommendation that the commissioners award the 2026 highway bid results all biders. We award all biders because of different material we buy, different locations. Some we can't get at the times we need it, some we get can't get the deliveries when we need it, vice versa. Though we've always awarded all bids. So that's my recommendation. Anybody has any questions, I'd be glad to answer.

Thank you, Ben. Appreciate it. Any commissioner have a question or comment? Uh just a comment that that's usually what we do every year. We've awarded all bids. It's it's it sounds a little odd. People don't understand it maybe, but it's it gives him the latitude to go to who he needs to get what he needs at any particular time. Correct.

Yeah. There's a lot of times that if we got a project going on, just like the asphalt plants, if we need binder one day, if API is not running it, then we can go to Brooks or that gives us that flexibility. Same same way like if we're let's just say we're chip sealing at the east or west side of the county, it may be a dollar more a ton for material to pull out of Hixons. But if we got to go to the west side to Staffords or by the Ohio line, we're going to waste the time and more fuel than we are versus picking up over the other location. There's a lot of reasons why we do that. It just it just makes sense for the highway. Thanks for that explanation.

Yep. Thank you, sir. Yep. Any other comments? I would entertain a motion to accept the bid list pricing as presented. I'll make a motion. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to accept the county highway bid pricing list as presented. Any other comments from questions from commissioners? Miss Susan, you all right? Andrew, you okay? Yes. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carried. 30. Thank you, sir. Ben. Yep.

Uh, next thing I got I've been going back and forth with the DNR and with Andrew Cruz on them coming in and doing the spray at the highway department property. Uh, for the I'm drawing a blank on the I didn't bring my paper with me. Was it also at the Doc Coleman landing or No. Oh, it was just at the highway department. Yes, just at the highway. It was due to the What was that bug on there? Do you remember, Andrew? Wasn't it the spotted lantern lantern butterfly?

That's it. It's coming in on rail is what they're finding. So, they wanted to treat along the creek and along the rail line behind the highway property. Uh Mr. Cruz asked for liability release forms. I emailed the DNR back. It took some time. They sent us a kind of a I don't want to say generic form, but uh release of liability form and their verbiage that Andrew felt was acceptable. I

I think the level of liability after considering this and looking at it is probably pretty low. So I my recommendation is you're okay to let it go forward if you want. So, with that, he had a digital sign on his iPad that he wanted to bring back. If you guys are okay with proceeding with allowing him on the property, I'm okay with signing that if you guys approve me to or I can have him come to a commissioner meeting and one of you sign to release the liability for them to spray on our property. So, I'm okay with them coming and spraying it. I don't think it's going it's not going to bother us at all. Is it not a docu sign that it's a different form?

Okay, I can I can ask, but the one that he brought was not your pleasure, gentlemen. I'm good with it. I'd make a motion to allow them to spray on county highway property and for and for Ben to sign and for Ben. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to accept the uh with motion to allow Ben to proceed with the spring as presented. Any other questions or comments? Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I.

I opposed. Motion carries 30. And then the last thing I had was just a question followup. That's mostly for Bill. The docu sign documents for countywide bridge inspection, countywide bridge inspection and excuse me, countywide bridge inspection and community crossing matching. Did you get those signed by chance? No, I didn't think so. that they're having an issue with the something with the state and then people's also been out for help. So somehow we need to re change.

Yeah. Need a motion for me to sign that actually Jim. Well, I mean it we made the prior motion for the president to sign. It's just the I'll just have to change the president um since it's after the first year. Okay. I will reach out to them and give them your information. So, you'll more than likely be receiving two docuign documents, okay,

from end do. It comes through in a different format. Um, you got a question, you can call me and I can verify it, but you'll have to sign those within 72 hours once you receive it. I will get with them and have that be sent to you. And I've asked in the past for me to also be notified. That way I can relate to you that this is legit, you can sign, but I don't always get that. Bill's gotten it and I haven't. So, I'll work on that and it'll be coming your way. Okay. Thank you sir.

I also think the docu sign um is something that we need to look at and um I get many of them and it would be nice for them to come to me as the secretary so I can download those documents and get them to you and then once you guys approve it then as your secretary I have that right there and then I can sign it. I just think it would be easier and more streamlined. Um, so that's something that I would like you guys to consider. I get others like I get community corrections and I get other grants that come to me and then I give them to you before we can sign. It's just something I think she won't

she won't get any sent to her from the state then automatically go to the ERC. That's what ERC is for. I'm the middle person between the county and the state. That's what I got to take the state class for every year and be certified. This only can be one designated per LPA. Um, but when I get those, I forward them on to you guys in the attorney and Susan, you get it in a draft form and then once you docu sign, that goes back to the state and once it goes through all the levels of the state, I will get the signed contract back. Then I forward that on to Susan. And some you may be able to get, but these particular ones from the state, they'll all come to me. Then you guys did the resolution I don't remember when back for authorizing the commissioner president to sign the docu sign contracts. That way we didn't have to change it each year if the at the particular person's name change. We just documented as the commissioner president. Well I just got to keep that information updated within dot with your contact now and then it'll be sent to you. and I can relay whatever to Susan or they're not always real prompt on historically they've sent the docu sign stuff to Bill before I've even received the contract to review how they do it

and is that I think you can I can try but typically it's one person does one another person does another and they're not simultaneously in this age of cyber attacks. We have to be really cautious what we open, right? The windows we open, what attachments we open and these come just to me as president and it's like I open this thing or not. Is it really legit or not? So, I tried my best to inform you when they're coming, but they have sent them out without me even knowing when they're coming. Okay, I've emailed back. We We need to approve this before I can sign it.

Right. It's like they send it to me thinking, "Well, you can just sign it." Well, I can't do that. I'm not supposed to do that. But even open it poses can pose a risk. So, if you get something, if you know it's coming, don't hesitate to reach out, Jim. And certainly will. Just to make sure if nothing else. Absolutely. But the contracts for this one has been reviewed. Countywide Bridge, community crossings, and they're fine to go once you get the link. You guys approved on it prior and approved the contract. So, we're we're good. It's just a matter of getting us. So, that'll come from INDOT.

It will, but it don't it comes up a different link. I can try to get a copy of it for you know what it looks like. Okay. Okay. because it'll come up through the docu sign contract. That's then you'll have to open that to see what it's from. And this right here is the whole reason why they should come to me so that I can man that and get them the information. I'll let you do it. I'm pretty sure that you can change it. Other auditors get them. Be to me. I'm just trying to make it simple.

Let me know. I will look for That's all I have. Okay, gentlemen. Question. Is the covered bridge roof completed? Not totally. The the roof is complete. The awning is not off the side. Okay. Uh should be hopefully this week, but the main part of the roof is complete. Yes. And it looks very good. Yeah. I I took a picture of the southside, but had some snow on it, so I didn't get a really good picture. Right. Yeah. No, it looks really good. Any other questions? Thank you very much, sir. Thank appreciate your time. No problem.

Okay with you gentlemen. I think uh for those that are in attendance, we will move down to the public uses ordinance 2025 seven. Is that okay? Yes, it's fine. It's fine. We have had first and second reading on this. Um we're up for third reading. Is there Can I make a comment first? Sure.

Um, so there's some confusion I believe that's going on now in the public that we were hiring a full-time co compliance guy to drive around. We only increased his hours, the three of us, from 10 to 20 um because there was a backlog of complaints. I made the motion to allow our co- compliance guys with the my thought process was as he was driving to a complaint if he saw another issue that he could stop and educate that person on hey you you're out of compliance. Um heard some feedback, got some discussions, dug into a little bit more. So I would like to make the motion on third reading to go back to the original wording that was in place for Chris. You want to come up here for a second? I'm going ask you some questions. Original wording from when it first got put in

that stated, if you want to read that, Chris, since I'm having a hard time. Was that the first reading we approved? First reading. Oh, this is the all the way back to the original before any changes were made.

The one from 2023 or the ordinance that was passed in 23. Um, Uh the violation reports violations of this chapter shall be reported on forms to be provided by the and submitted by the code enforce code sorry code compliance official. Um a violation report may be submitted by any resident of Decal County in the same neighborhood or community of the alleged. [cough] And the reason so I proposed a change to that to basically allow for any I think I actually took it out in the original change because there's nothing in our ordinance that defines what is a neighborhood or community in the county. Right? That's if you live in the county, are you part of a neighborhood?

Right? So what's what defines a neighborhood or community in Decal County? So that's what we were that's why it was changed. Um and it was removed and then it was put back in for it to be any resident of Decal County or across the street from um another county road. Yes. [snorts] So

my motion is to take it back to the original. It seemed to work for a while. I didn't see I don't see a reason upon all the discussion with community members and with Chris myself to change the wording. So to take the third reading to switch it back to the original wording. That's my motion. is for my clarification. The 2023 the 2023 version of for that portion of it. Yes. But accept all the other changes that have been discussed. That was motion correct. That was my motion. Is there a second? I'll second that motion. We have a motion, a second. Is there? And that's to approve it on third reading with that change. Okay.

Yeah.

Any other questions or comments from commissioners at this time? My comment again is it was never my intentions to have a full-time person driving around um looking at properties. The only thing I was wanting to do with that when I first thought about it was to allow our co- compliance as he went to another property if he saw another property out of compliance that he could stop in and be like, "Hey, you're out of compliance." And educate the person on that. Um because we want the ordinance is in place to beautify our county. We want a beautiful county. We want our county to be a place that people come to. um upon conversations and digging a little more deep into I could see where there could be some problems with that. Um I do not believe it would be our current co- compliance that would have any issues with that but as we all know it's it's the first time is not a problem. It's down it's the fourth or fifth guy down the line that could take advantage of some of that situation which I don't want to do. So I'm going to go back to the original what we had. It's been working. Everybody seems to be happy with it. It's complaint based only and we go back to what we were doing.

Thank you. A second. Yeah, Miss Susan, any comments? Okay, sir. No comments?

Comments? Press? Any comments? Okay. Um, I know there's people that wish to express an opinion. So, at this time, I would ask anyone that wishes to speak to please come to the podium. Give us your name and your address, please. Anyone? Okay. Oh, sir. Kurt Hartman, County Road 19, Auburn. um not knowing a whole lot about the the um ordinance and and how the code is working and just the what was mentioned here just recently that the number of hours needed because of the workload and what I was looking at is data wise the number of calls that the county is receiving how many in-person interviews does the person who is doing the review. How many violations are issued? How many violations are resolved? How many violations are still open? Um I don't know. Do we collect a fine if they don't proceed to get um in compliance? Um, and so what you're looking at doing is if you see something else, and that was my question, as someone else, if you observe something while you're out, that's good, and can we, you know, complete that. Um, are we also looking at what are the projected number of violations that you think you're going to find based on data that you have right now? if you're, you know, if the compliance officer is driving around and seeing something, how many times are they reporting something that they have, you know, that they could do?

So, this ordinance is currently complaint based. So, they're not going out and going to and your motion and seconded is to not have it be correct drive around. It's all just complaint based. So, if they drive by something and see that it's a mess, they're not allowed to Okay. I I missed I thought you were actually allowing them to no do something else by that. No.

Okay, that was my questions. If we're seeing a trend going, are we actually going able to do a better job, you know, in doing that? That's what I was looking for. And how can we, you know, make those improvements? You know, if we're adding additional costs, is it how much more of a benefit is going to be if we're able to resolve these issues quicker? So, Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Hello. I'm Kathy Beerline. Um I own um all the property around 6585 County Road 40, Butler, Indiana. Um and I own all the surrounding s Kathy Beerline, Katherine Beerline. It's probably under on the plat map. It's probably under Katherine Newcomer. Um, my last last name my last name now is B I E R L E I N, but I think if you look at the property maps, it's under newcomer. Ne W. Um but but the reason I'm here today is to share photos of what happens when a property is not it's had this property has had multiple complaints against it and nothing has been done. Um it's a rent believe it or not when you I'm going to pass these around for you to look at. This is a rental property in the country and my far my property completely surrounds it. um both on the on the opposite side of the road. Um I own my my children also live on my we call it our commune [clears throat] out on County Road 40, but I'll let you guys look at these and you can just pass them around. I it was suggested to me that I take a pictures from the front side. At one point this property

the whole people live in this property. Okay. And at the um and And with nobody going out there to say, "Hey, I how this all started." I thought I would just share with you finally after multiple years of a mess. I called um Pasha, who did I call? It sounds like this could be a health department. If somebody's living, if that house is currently occupied, yes,

it's probably a health department. uh um use my words here uh a h a habitable health code issue versus but it's more it's health and safety violations as well as the next thing I was going to talk about was how this topic even came up was finally after I see those a couple of years of this going on the animal control went out and took in several animals and the renter was actually arrested Ed. Um, and my children who live across the road are animal lovers and vet techs and they are just appalled.

Um, so but one of the animals um obviously they get out on a regular basis, run across the road. One was hit. My daughter says you got to call. I know the land owner and I said there's a dog dead dog laying in the road. Nobody's dealing with it. But animal control came out. They took all the animals. So then I proceeded to call um county and say because I just wanted to know because the owner of the ground called me want me to finally told me that I could buy the property at an a terrible price. You have a question?

Well, just a comment that um this this we are not here to discuss uh specific problems. I I would highly recommend that you either fill out a complaint form and let it go through the proper channels. Okay. If if you would please, I'd greatly appreciate it. That's that should be the process.

Okay. Well, the only reason I wanted to um just come here today and the reason that um is I have we have had it's not just me. There were other people in the community that also called and and lodged a complaint and that's when we found out when I called after animal control came out there and he wanted me to buy the property. I said it's potentially condemned at this point. It's definitely not worth what he wanted me to buy it for. My my what I want to do is I want to do what like we were talking about this Sunny Meadows farm and how that people could buy it and this is what could happen if you don't have control over it. And what I want to do is I want to buy it and get rid of all that stuff and nobody's gonna live on it obviously. I just want to clean it up again. Be beautifying the county. Okay, that's I mean it's obviously a mess. So yeah, that's all I needed. That's I just wanted folks to know that um things can get out of control because control has definitely been lost on this property and nobody cares. and I've told them multiple times to to start to get things cleaned up and it's fallen on deaf ears. So,

okay. Thank you. All right. Make a comment to that. That's part of the reason why the commissioners increased it from 10 to 20 hours because there was a backlog of complaints and we don't want these to be backlogged and people feel like things are not being addressed. That's why we've increased it. We we know there's an issue. We that's why we I'm speaking for myself and I'm pretty sure I'm speaking for the other two commissioners. That's why we increased the cost was to help our code compliance guy to be able to catch up get these properties that have been complained about up to code and then that way we can stay on top of it. But again, ordinance is just

just a little more to that to add to his comment. We doubled the hours from 10 to 20 hours. Still a part-time job, so we're not involved in in benefits and so forth. So, we're going to work through this, see how this works out, and then maybe move on from there. If any more changes need be, and we could do that later on, but we're going to try this and see how it works. My comment is this that u one of the other reasons that we increased the hours from 10 to 20 was the fact that this officer is going to have to go to court with some of these cases that we are involved with and it's going to take additional time and resources on his behalf to present our case in court for somebody that uh can go above. So, the process is pretty simple. You fill out the form. Chris gives it to our resource officer there who is part-time. The most he can work is 20 hours a week. At last, I knew he hasn't worked close to 20 hours a week. But from there, it comes back to Chris to the department. He makes a recommendation that no, we don't need to worry about this. Yes, we do. brings it to the commissioners. The commissioners then have a public hearing with the person to determine is this something that needs to be taken care of or not. The commissioners have that say. If the commissioners say no, it looks good, it's not an issue, then it's a dead issue at that point. From there, the if the person doesn't agree with what the commissioners have decided, they can take it on up to the court system. This is not a one process done in it. It it does take time and we have cases now that are probably going

to end up in the court system which is another reason why we increase the hours because he's going to have to do his diligent work so that it's presented to the court as as it needs to be. So that uh this and I'm sorry I'm going to go off on a tangent a little bit here, but uh with the uh and I don't do Facebook very much. I only do it to watch my grandkids, but I've been told that Facebook has just been going nuts with the fact that this person is full-time. If somebody would read the ordinance andor watch the commissioner meeting, they would know it was 20 hours and which is not fulltime. There were no more benefits. And it just kind of irks me that people are out there making comments on Facebook or whatever else that are not true. If you don't want to research, please don't make comments that are, I don't know, disheartening at the very least. Uh, that aren't the truth. And I feel sorry for the person or persons that started the whole thing that said, you know, this is a full-time job. I'm sorry. That is as far from the truth as can be. I just, it really bothers me that somebody started this whole shindig to begin with. I'm sorry. I'll up now. We have a motion and a second on the floor. Is there any other discussion?

Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I oppose. Motion carried. I'd like to make one comment though. Yes sir. Um I do appreciate everybody that did reach out to me with Sunny Meadows and for the co- compliance. You guys were very respectful in your emails. Um I very much appreciate it. you were very concise with your your points, very um professionalism and I appreciate everybody that did reach out to me like that. Uh, second that. And I'll go third by phone number. No, the ordinance is the Chris that our that ordinance will be up on the website.

Yeah, it'll be in 10 days it gets put back on because we have to do a process and it'll be on there. Okay. [cough] Okay. Again, I wish to thank everyone that uh showed up and and has been part of this process. I personally greatly appreciate it. Public comment is is very important. Thank you. I believe we can move on. Uh the WW Williams generator maintenance agreement. We have the Jill Jill Oh,

which one do you want to do first? You tell me. Every I'll do whatever you want to do. Uh, let's do the jiggle building corporation deed. Okay. That's probably going to take a little bit of time. Okay. I don't know anything about it. You just had asked me to put it on the agenda, so I wasn't sure. Well, it was Yes, please.

85 And so the building corporation are set up. separate companies own the building.

Yes.

What happens though sometimes is that you have No one remes and uh looking at that. The only reason not to do that would be the original.

No. Assume that's all. Yeah.

But I would just like approval. should have been talked to him personally on the phone and he's like Another member.

Second. Have a motion, a second to allow uh Mr. cruise to get this situation rectified. Any other comments, questions? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Thank you, gentlemen. Yeah. Motion carried. Read to zero. A uh Williams generator maintenance agreement.

All right. So, this is the annual service maintenance agreement. Um, we did one last year for all of the generators. So, we just need to renew this one. Um, let me see. The total amount is 10,613 and that's for one, two, seven, looks like seven generators. Sounds about right. Does that include the jail? It didn't include the jail. That right. Yeah, it did. Yeah, it does. Yeah,

it's got courthouse, media corrections, jail, health department, annex building, central dispatch, and the highway. I don't I don't It's not on here. I don't recall them ever doing that. I don't remember it being on there. Yep. We have a motion to accept uh the contract as presented.

I'll make that motion. We have a motion, a second to accept the contract as presented. Is there any other discussion? Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Motion carries 30. Sunny Meadows combined report for November through December 2025. That is this is the one where we need to just acknowledge receipt that I gave this to you. And then you sign three sign the front. We have this report as presented. We have a motion. Make a motion to acknowledge the report. I'll second.

We have a motion, a second to accept a report as presented. Any other acknowledge? I I stand corrected. Acknowledged. Is there any other uh customs? Yeah. Any comments or questions? hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I.

I post. Motion carries three to zero. Down to miscellaneous items. Is there any item before this board from any commissioner?

I'll do my final Sunny Meadows update. Um, all residents have been transitioned out. Staff has all been released as of Friday at noon. Me commission uh committee that was put in place for it has been disbanded. I have now it's on to the new committee to decide what to do. Well, again, thank you for all your hard work on that. Been a long process.

I also the community corrections had came out and looked at and took any remaining food that would they could be able to be used in their facility and they were very um happy and receptive for that. [clears throat]

I have nothing. I'm done. Um, I have a statement as we begin 2026. [laughter] Wish to issue a statement. The county elected auditor, Susan Sleeper. From what I can find in Indiana code, you are responsible for the following. Attend and record county executive meetings. Act as clerk for executive meetings. Provide treasures monthly report to executive. issue warrants allowed by executive, keep accounts and appropriate records. I believe you not only fulfill these requirements, but go above and beyond what is statutoily required of you. When considering what you that you are the clerk to the executive, I must consider that you are also a duly elected county official. We both find ourselves here as a matter of public support. To belittle your elected position would serve to also belittle my elected position. I want to thank you for what you have done and I may hope to continue to do your work with you. Without your diligent work, these meetings and the county as a whole would suffer. So, thank you, Susan.

Thank you, Jim. Do you have any other I I do. I have a I think just I have two things. Okay.

So the um Michelle Fosna had sent this is after I had sent you guys your stuff. She sent the um audit report the residential work facility um audit for see what period this was. I guess it just says the site was visit was performed on December 18th and um we normally just acknowledge receipt of it. So I just acknowledge receipt of the what committee corrections sent on their do this by consensus. Do you agree with it? Yeah.

Yeah. So you all you just want me to put you all acknowledge that you received it?

Yep. Okay. Then um we have not heard back from an attorney, but we have a master service agreement um that is between Santi and Cypriyani and Wernern. um that the commissioners need to approve so they can move forward with um the work that they're doing. I sure what all I can say.

Go ahead. I could not find any place in that agreement what the cost was. I've read it twice and I can't find I don't know that it's an actual dollar amount. Um it's makes no sense to me part of the insurance. This is my understanding. But

I'm sorry, but I'm sure there's a it's going to I mean it has to cost the county for I think it's costing in our I guess I'm confused because like I said there's there's no number in there. I think it's in our costs for the um insuranceances that we pay like our liability and our cyber insurance. I think it's part of that from my understanding. building. We haven't contract.

Right. leads me to the next question. Is uh are there a time frame that has to be signed by? I didn't see it in there. Gentlemen, your opinion, gentlemen. [cough]

I mean, we can proceed. It's I'd like to table it. get information. Okay, thank you very much. Is there any other business that you have? The only other thing that came through was um Courtney Butler had sent an email to you guys on shelter, possible shelter. Um and I don't I think that's all

Miss Butler um the humane shelter committee that was created uh is going to meet with her to to do some discussing. Okay. Right. So we Yeah, it's on the agenda. Okay. Anything else? I don't think

I'm done. You're done. Anyone from the public wish to speak? Hearing none. By consensus, meeting is journ.