County Council - Regular Meeting

30. We'll call the meeting to order. Say the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, everybody to know we don't have a government shutdown around here.

Um, I got to get my glasses out or I can't hear. Senior services vehicle. Arian.

Hi, good morning. In your packet, um you should have an ex a letter of explanation um for some revised local match amounts. Um this is going to be for a vehicle replacement invoice number FT1 00003118. Let me correct that. That was FTI 0003118. It's for the 2025 uh Chrysler Voyager and I was here last council meeting. I'm so sorry.

Can you hear me? Okay. I was here for the last council meeting um and the invoice was incorrect. So, they have recreated a grant for us and redid the invoice. And now I'm here to ask for an additional appropriation of $2,622. And the reason for that was the check that was on the original invoice was for $31,200 for the insurance for the damaged vehicle replacement cost and the check was actually for in the amount of $38,500 which changed the grant figures. So this appropriation is now 2622 in additional monies that I need appropriated for the the vehicle.

May I? So um we've already appropriated the what she came for last time and we've advertised that. We haven't appropriate we've advertised it. We're having a hearing today. I'm thinking that at 2, what's that total? It was $2,622. $2,220. And opposed to doing an additional appropriation, if we could find the money elsewhere to just do a budget transfer that we could get this invoice paid yet this year. So, that was just a thought. You have a suggestion for where to take that? A suggestion of what budget?

Um, I think that we've kind of talked about it. I don't know if you looked at your lines. One second. I was I'm not sure what um fund it could come out of. I was thinking it may be able to come out of the same fund or you would county general. So, um,

well, possibly we could do a thumbs up for this additional appropriation and if we found something that we could transfer it in, we could ask for a budget transfer at that time because we're getting close on getting those appropriate additional appropriations advertised in [clears throat] time to hit our last claim cycle. $2,000. Why doesn't it stop 6,22? No, that's that's right.

Well, what she has any balances left in any of her funds? Too much work for senior services. Money. I'm sure we already have money to take care of all that work. Yeah. I don't really want to appropriate it and go through a hearing next month and all that kind of stuff that this late in the year for 20. I feel somewhere out of the commissioner's line. We could find $2,000. Yeah, I'm sure. The vehicle has been sitting there for quite some time. The actual invoice was from 2024, but there's just been some lolly gagging, I guess, going on until, you know, the last couple of months to get the all the paperwork. Um,

we understand all the process. It's just we got to figure out where we're going to take the money and get it done cleanly. Uh, so we don't have to Yeah. And quickly. Yeah. If we could if we do a budget transfer from one of the commissioners lines, I think that would be the best. Yes, I because that's where they're paid from. Correct. Commissioners, right? So, I [cough] move we just do a budget transfer [clears throat] and let the auditor find something that the commissioners. Would you repeat the amount again, please? $2,622. Did you hear me, Dab? I seconded it. All in favor?

Opposed? Motion carries. Could I ask Miriam something since Yes, you could. Since you're here, do you know uh yet about the 2026 budget for um senior? I believe it's 600,000. Okay. Okay, good. Um I would like to make note that the city used ARPA funds to pay um senior services last month $150,000. So they will not be invoicing us uh until the next uh until 2026 first quarter. But for 26 their for do they do a forecast or what what do they do?

Uh you mean hand uh senior services do they do a forecast? That would be a question for Suzanne. I usually just get all the invoices and uh the grants and all that information. So I would presume they do a forecast. Is that something I should ask her for? Yeah. You'd like to see that? Okay, I'll ask Suzanne. Any other questions? I think we're good. Thank you. All right, everybody. Have a great day. Thank you. Um, petty cash fund Gail Connley.

Morning.

Hi, I'm Gil Connley and I'm the interim chief for probation, which is why I'm here today. Um, I made a request. I spoke with Miss KS um about getting petty cash of $100 um to go on our cash um change fund. Um right now we have $75 which is not that's divided upon three desk. And so when someone comes in to pay user fees, which we want them to pay user fees, um we're unable to give them change. So we tell them to leave and go get change and come back. Well, they don't come back. So then it's difficult to get that collection. If we had a $100 just petty cash kept in our safe or then maybe our staff could make change for the offenders, that would be great. Miss KS gave me an an Indiana code statute on how to get that. And first I have to come through you um to get that approved and I would assume it would come out of county general and just keep that change. I don't know. I have no idea.

The other $25. Is that what we're talking about? Yeah, [clears throat] it just come out of their budget. It's smaller and smaller. This is good. Okay. [laughter] I know. But what we're doing well this morning. Are you asking to increase this to you increase the permanent additional an additional 100? Um when people come in pay fees, they're paying with $100 bills because it's a lot of fees and um a lot of them you'd end up paying the entire amount which could be hundreds of dollars and so we do not have enough petty cash to make change. How much is the total petty cash you're allowed to carry? That we're allowed to carry. Yeah. Like what's your what do you keep in the petty cash? What's your total right now is $75 which is divided by three deaths.

Does state board of accounts have a certain amount it can't go over for petty cash? The code that I found was how to establish that and what her what her process was in order to do it, but it did not mention a maximum amount. But you know that usually most of the cash drawers aren't more than $100. That's pretty typical throughout the county. Yeah. So what we're we're talking about is increasing this by $100. And is there not any line item within your budget that you can move $100 from? Not that we not that. I'm very new to this. So not that we could find and so we thought we didn't know if it needed to come out of accounting general or we're not sure.

Hopefully you would But you already have this established the petty cashache. It's already been established and for years. State board of accounts knows it. So everything's good there because they're a little funny about that sometimes. Yes, absolutely. They are aware. I worked in an office that had that same situation. So I know what you're talking about. Change and then people don't come back and then Yeah. There's other issues then. So how do you manage your cash? How do we manage it? Uh-huh. The um our office manager, it is is counted every day at the end of the day and um and it gets deposited every day. It is deposited into the bank account and then is pulled back out.

I agree. You're right on the 100 amount to ask for. Yeah, it has to be counted every day. Every day. What? [laughter] I would think we could take a hundred dollars from food and beverage and put it in there, couldn't we? Yeah. Sounds good. Does it It doesn't have to come from any specific place. we can allocate it from it just has to be in in form of a warrant and a check and and we we just did this recently I think for the treasurer. So what all we need is a motion that we can allow her to draw this check for the $100 for her cash drawer. Um, and we can do that from Do you want to

Yeah, you just made a motion to approve it and I and then I think I think we did do it from her budget though. But if she doesn't have it in her budget, it have to be Yeah. So, um, do you know what you plugged in there for next year? So, this won't be a problem come January 1st. Yeah. The cash will be there. It'll never it won't happen again. Yeah, they count it out and it should balance every day. Every day. Well, I'll move we do that. Whatever that is. Okay. And you would like to take that from establish a third drawer or something?

It would be Yes. Well, actually there are three drawers, so but yeah, it would be a fourth and it would be it would remain in our safe and when our staff needs the cash, they that's where they would pull it from. Is there a timing issue with not doing it as a budget transfer? Is it going to be I'm not sure how we would do it as a budget transfer. And the the Indiana code b it does state that it needs to be a a warrant a check needs to be cash. [clears throat] Yeah. You can't just pull it out of a fund that's being partially supported by the state at the probation office from another. But can't she just hold instead of depositing 100 bucks, you just hold it? Fourth. Okay.

Yeah. Just a transparency and a a tracking mechanism for state accounts when they audit that because they do audit the cash drawers. And I assume we have a $100 appropriated in food and beverage already. Yeah. Okay. Then I'll make a motion um to pay the $100 from food and beverage to increase the petty cash fund for probation. Jim had a motion on the thing. You want to second that or you want to I'll second that. Okay. Whatever. That's fine. We have a motion properly seconded. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. At least it wasn't $10 like the lady from the treasury came down. The treasurer came down once with $10.

Well, go big or go home. This was hundred. [laughter] Okay. So, is there anything else that you need from me? We'll reach out to you to help process that for you. Thank you so much. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thanks. We have um public hearing starting at 9:00 am. So, we have a little over 15 minutes to uh work on action items. Um for Jim's budget, yeah, we'll just start at the beginning. Uh Jim, would you like to give your budget update?

Sure. Sure. Uh we reviewed all the fund balances and they looked uh great. Uh we reviewed the 2025 geo bond sale results. We're paying on um average 3.11%. We got 6,934,634 bucks 65 and the auditor is busy distributing some of that. Uh we reviewed the uh 2026 lit changes that were proposing. We heard the Walmart tax abatement proposal. Uh we spent a lot of time reviewing the SB1 tax changes and um uh we'll just continue that in uh the December budget meeting uh concentrating on all of it uh including the library stuff. We'll try to have that ready for, you know, discussion, a lot of discussion. And Rhonda Cook uh uh discussed the the library lit stuff. Uh animal control interlock the interlocal agreement. We discussed that and uh requested uh some additional language put in it and [clears throat] reported that the farm master plan consultant RFP is moving forward.

Anybody else got any? I'm just quick question. I wasn't I was not needing was the what was the language you guys were looking at for Was it I know I put you on there someplace. It was a two-year with with the specific escalator. We have an amended service agreement in our packet. I don't know if that'll answer your question. That's a line item on at 9:15 too. What that is?

What what section is it? Well, the agreement uh by assuming section two was under the provisions of what we agreed upon and then a two-year installment. [clears throat] It was just the change in the shall be paid in two equal in it looks like well we wanted to make the point that we're basing uh the future payments on um uh use of animal control in the unincorporated areas. I had the language for that. I can't find it. Here's some place. I just want it. Okay.

Yeah, I did have have a question, Scott. In section one, it talks about um it said excluding only the incorporated city of greenfield, Indiana, and shall not enter into any incorporated area or town without first having received permission from the governing body or law enforcement officer of such incorporated area or town. I understand why they want that in there, but I'm thinking that could be an issue if they had a real problem with an animal. Yeah, it could because if you can't get permission, you need to go in on an exigent basis, you know. I don't Yeah, I'm thinking, do we really need that statement in there? Yeah.

And we don't we want to get out of the incorporated area of responsibility. Totally. So, kind of them sneaking that in. Here's what we asked was after uh in section two after for calendar year 2027 we would add in there as long as it is commensurate with the county being responsible for the unincorporated areas. I guess what we're trying to do is move the annual calculation for what we owe to a usage figure for them in the unincorporated areas and they're kind of resistant to that although the costs now are kind of based on that.

You want me to uh reach out? I think is more direct to him on what Robin just mentioned. Make sure that language you just provide put in there. So I don't understand what Robin was what that paragraph says. it it's saying that can't go into an area that [clears throat] you can't go into McCordsville unless you have the permission from the council or from law enforcement like McCordsville.

Well, okay. But in an emergency situation, the sheriff's department has the right to do whatever they need to do whether this agreement exists or not. Right. If it's a if it's a health and safety issue with an animal, the sheriff's not going to be in the town of McCordsville. Well, he c he can if [clears throat] can you you're talking about but you're talking about cross jurisdictions too. K I I think may [clears throat] be where this is coming from when uh the 911 uh people they keep count of the dispatching for animal control

and when the numbers came up and Janine was doing it with the uh incorporated areas like McCordsville, Fortville, Newal. They were having some argument as to the numbers. They were saying, "Well, okay, we didn't actually have that call made." So, this may be Greenfield's way of saying before we respond to an incorporated area since they kind of are supposed to be in the future paying for it themselves, we're going to document that we went. That may be what they're doing, I think. Okay,

I think that makes sense. I [clears throat] think this could be cleaned up a little bit though. Uh the way this is worded, it makes it sound like you actually have to make a phone calls to the jurisdiction before you're allowed to to act and that's not the Sunday afternoon. Who do [clears throat] they call when a dog is attacking a child? That doesn't work. Yeah. Right. That's was my [clears throat] if you had an emergency situation with an animal, you know, something like that where the animal's dangerous, I'll reach out to city attorney Greg, but okay. Yeah, remember McCorville wants to use a different city. They want to use Lawrence. [clears throat] Well, they that Yeah, but if you

They said that recently. That was stated before a long time ago. They changed it. Well, I I'm hoping that they changed it was stated. It was probably almost a year ago that it was said and I'm hoping they said it just out of off the cuff. I'm I'm hoping they they realize that and a response from uh the city of of Lawrence would not be probably very prudent.

Right. What I was trying to get away from was, okay, if you if you live in McCordsville and and your 911 call comes to us and they issue a 911 call, you're going to have you could have multiple jurisdictions reporting to that call, but you can't tell, oh, you Hancock County, you can't go. You got to wait for Lawrence or something because you got a 911 call with an emergency. You know what I'm saying? And so the sheriff's department has to have the liability. Oh, I've got an officer a mile from there. Oh, you can't go then. And that doesn't work cuz we're more likely to be close than another jurisdiction. Well, and I would be concerned with um reaction time.

That's what I mean. Yeah. I mean, there's a better chance of a Hanok County deputy being close to McCordsville. Well, you know, and it goes for New everybody else, too. Yeah. Hopefully, at some point, we'll get line where they're responsible. Well, I I understand that. I'm talking about emergency situations, but I That's was my Jim, do you know has um has your committee has Janine, have they spoke to Fortville, McCordesville, Newfoundal recently, or is this still something that was from a previous a while back conversation? [clears throat] Uh they talked to Greenfield, but I I don't think to those other

incorporated. I attended one meeting with Janine in McCordville, but gosh, that's been at least six months ago or longer. So, I'm hoping maybe things have calmed down and they they've given some consideration to I mean, I was encouraging uh Janine was the one that was uh doing the kind of the talking to

to kind of if she could back us out of it and sort of like we run 911, we don't ask for input from anyone. So, you know, Greenfield runs animal control and let them run it and we just take care of the incorpor uninccorporated areas and let them deal with the incorporated areas.

What I recall with McCordsville was the um per run call dollar amount being excessive and that there even the formula that they came up with at that time. I remember thinking that maybe there could been a better formula written as the way it had been written at that time. So I'm hoping that that maybe they can still work something out and just uh take a harder look at the the processes of what the charge might be for that run. Didn't we talk about last week bring up it's almost a thousand a run about a thousand a run almost.

Yeah. I mean, based on the math we were presented, it was penciling out to somewhere around $950 per run is what they were suggesting. Yeah.

Well, I know from in the past being on Center Township Board, when they figure how much a run, they figure all kinds of things into what that run, you know, to maintain the ambulances or whatever it is, they figure a lot of other things into it, not just [clears throat] what that run cost. Oh, sure. It's the full department budget divided by number of runs. Yeah. And but then I think uh as Jim was saying, some [clears throat] have disputed you didn't come do that many runs in my area and then there was I think some questionable data the way it was getting documented. So I think it was suggested last time that they have cleaned up the data process so that going forward there should be less disputable data

and this may be part of that cleanup. Yeah. And once again, my my concern was in an emergency situation where it was a dangerous animal and somebody was in danger, we don't want them, well, I'm not supposed to go in. What do you think it'd be all right in this? You know, every second counts sometimes in emergency. Well, and sometimes they're picking up horses and sometimes they're picking up wabbits. So, there's a big difference. Yeah, [snorts] but [laughter] there's there's other

but in an emergency a police officer and if there's an injury uh you know um [cough and clears throat] from the fire department should be involved anyway and the animal control is more about you know detaining the animal and so I can see why they'd say um hopefully they've worked out with these towns hey we're not coming to pick up animals unless somebody okay that I'm hoping that's why that's in there in the first place because they want to be able to say officer so and so, you know, told us to come and that the data then can be dis I'm also with Jim that that's their department and we just fund what we think we should fund and that's up to them how they deal with everyone else.

It sounds like maybe talk to them about the language. Yep. Okay. Yeah. Can we consider this our um We don't want the county to hold any lightability over their animal control agreement. You know, two years at least. We don't want to revisit this. I agree. The amount that I heard at night I thought was excessive that they need to they need to work on that amount that they're charging or minutes um to we can open the uh public hearing. Time we approve the minutes of October 8th and 21st. Second. All in favor? I opposed.

Uh all abstain on the ETH due to absence. Okay. So, uh we have um motion passes with one abstension. Add what's your additional appropriation? Um, is it something that you need a little bit of time with or is it a quick Okay, come on down. [clears throat]

Good morning everybody. Morning.

Um, I am coming forward. Um, we have a fund in our account under contractual services. Uh we use that fund for um review fees for our subdivisions and uh buildings when people come in to do them. Uh people pay um we pay our consultant to review those and then when the project is ready to be approved then we pass that along to the people who are going to be paying it as it goes through. Uh, as you know, we are the fastest growing county in the state and so, uh, the number of applications and reviews that we've had this year have a little bit went a little bit over what we thought was going to happen this year for our contractual. Um, and that pass through account, um, it has $150,000 in it. Right now, it has about $9,000 left in it. Uh we have two more pay periods um coming up to pay and we are expecting right around $22,000 uh in review fees coming back through there. Now part of that that money does come back to us. Um this year we've already collected over $65,000 uh back with that money from people once they've got their there and we have another 8,000 that's sitting right now in our office for people to come get and and get their review fees. Right now, we have seven major projects that are still out uh that are being reviewed in the county for where we're at. So, what I'm asking for is an additional appropriation of uh $15,000 for my contractual services uh which is account um my surveyor account 1131206 for where it's at.

Most of these projects are in the cities and towns. No. Uh, I only have one, [sighs] two, three of the seven that are major ones out that are in the cities and towns. Okay. Yes. And so, well, in the cities and towns, the only ones that we actually review for is is Fortville. So, uh, Mccorsville does their own. Um, and Cumberland does their own, New Pal does their own. Uh, but we actually partner with Fortville. We are their reviewing, uh, entity. So, we have three up in Fortville that are still waiting to uh be finalized and then we have four others in the county that are still moving along. Yeah. Any comments? Any questions?

So, where where's the money come from? If it's an additional appropriation, the claim schedule, the last we're at the end of the year. Okay. So, even wanted to use that money to pay it out, it wouldn't until next year. Yeah. Okay. We can't do additional appropriation for next year, right? Well, I mean, next year's budget is next year's budget. I'm not worried about that next year's [snorts] budget. Okay. Cash balance. All right. Unless,

yeah, I was going to say that this this time of year we have to clean things up. If he needs to pay someone and he's only got $9,000 and the additional appropriation comes through after the claim schedule, he might need some help out of food and beverage because we wouldn't Well, we still wouldn't pay it out of food and beverage because our claims are shot. That's fine. I I can get a hold of the our contractual person and hug them hold bills for a little while. I mean, I can do that. That's fine. We have a good relationship. So, I was just trying to make it clean for where it was at, but if it's not going to be clean, I'm fine with that as well. But so, so that pushes the money coming in later, but it doesn't take care of not having the money. So, well, no, I I I'll just push it into next year's budget. If it pays in January, he's got

pays into January's budget. So, it'll just come off next year. The problem is then maybe at the end of next year, he'll he'll be short. Maybe. It may all depend on how bills may need to come a little earlier. And as that money comes in, so as these projects get done, people pay that are in. And there's a couple of large ones that are being done right now. So that once those come in, that's a lot more money that comes in. Now, that money does come back into my account. It goes into the general account. But it'll all depend on what happens next year. I mean, if we get seven or eight really big projects, then we're going to be we're going to be at where we're at again. So, it's county and Fortville. It's not the whole It's it's the county and Fortville, right? So, it's Do you have invoices now that we could pay claims on right now? I've gotten everything taken care of. Correct. Everything's taken care of right now. I just know what's coming.

I just know what's just trying to be proactive is all. Well, we're already in November. Let's just leave it alone and fine. Let's talk with your contractual agreement. I don't have a problem with that. I can do that. Can make that work. Absolutely. Thank you. Yep.

Thanks. Okay, we're going to uh open the public hearings now. Um, first on the list is an additional appropriation uh fund 10001 which is county general for board of commissioners for $40,441. It appears this is for an Indigo invoice for a replacement of the van that they use. Is there any public comment for that? I'm going to open the public hearing now. None's [sighs] none noted. So we will close the public hearing and ask for any comments from the council. None recognized for that. Uh so do we have a motion?

Make a motion to approve of the additional appropriation for county general. It's a commissioner's budget 40,441. I'll second it. All in favor?

I opposed. Motion carries. Next on the public hearing additional appropriations list is funds 10001 which is county general. A request for the public defenders office for $120,000 to replenish attorney services line item number 3110 0 $120,000. Uh any public input comments? [clears throat] None noted. I'll close the public hearing. Are there any council comments or questions? All right. So, we will uh now close that and ask if there is a motion to approve.

Motion to approve 120,000 from county general to the public def budget for attorney services. Second.

All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Next on our line items for public hearing additional appropriations is fund 4913 jury pay $15,000 and this is just to cover expenses uh that have incurred for 2025 for jury trials $15,000. Any public comments noted uh we'll close the public hearing. Any questions or concerns with the council? I forget how much do they get paid per day. I don't know. You know, they've raised it in the last few years because I mean I just curious.

It used to be 35. I think it's up to 50 now. My my wife is getting they just passed 5 days worth. So whatever it is, it's not pass this. The reason the reason I asked is somebody somebody's spouse on here was uh on the jury recently and I did and I wanted to make sure it didn't exceed the $300 threshold with him not having to convey that he [laughter] it's that legal mind you going through going I won't I won't vote on this [laughter] no I think you can I don't think she got paid enough just in case I think that's why I was asking how much it gets paid. [laughter] Okay. Did you close it? I did close it and she was just asking.

This is just now for questions for uh the council. If there are no other questions, then we need a motion. I'll make the motion that uh we do an additional appropriation for 15,000 for fund 4913. Jury pay second. Go ahead. All in favor? I I abstain. [clears throat] I abstain. [laughter] Oh, that's he's going on vacation now with all that money. Way to go in the back. I think it was five key West Key West with all that money [laughter] and we never jury pay. We never get invited. [laughter] Any abstension? Oh, you've got obst. [laughter] So motion carries uh with one obstension.

Okay. Last on our public hearing additional appropriations list is fund 7201, food and beverage. This is to replenish for the year end of $90,000 for the board of commissioners um to spend on a study, but the total amount to be appropriated is 200,000. Any public comments? None said. So, we'll close the public hearing. Are there any council questions or comments? None said. So, uh, I'll ask for a motion. I move we approve the additional appropriation for fund 7201 for food and beverage 200. I'll second it.

All in favor? I oppose. Motion carries. That will end the public hearings. We've completed the discussion for animal control. Is that sufficient? Is everyone okay with the discussion we had with animal control? you've covered. I know it took all year, but that's the best appropriations hearings you've done since you've been president. Oh, I'm [laughter] She does a great job every single [laughter] It's one of those backhanded compliments. Hey, your hair looks great today. Better than yesterday. [laughter] Better than yesterday. Oh, yesterday was bad.

Hold on. What was my comments for the [laughter] minutes? Not can't make sure you get my comment in there. She does a great job every time she does. Oh, you want that in a minute. [laughter] Please. Mary needs a win today. Why not? Yeah, I don't feel well today. So, um I'm just trying to be nice. Yeah, nicer today than yesterday. It's a quick catch comment and then her [laughter] comment compliment straight out. Love that. Um additional appropriation for the uh surveyor's office. we've discussed uh so we can take that uh as completed. The Walmart tax abatement has been pulled. Uh is that coming back or not coming back? I don't know. All I know is it's pull for today.

Okay. Um so we will move on now to action items. Um auditor business. Well, I I'm getting there. Scott, you'll give me a second. [laughter] I just I move to put people in there. Slow down. It's like today. [laughter] Let's speed this thing up. I'm going to I'm going to pick and choose which one I want to go. I am uh Tammy had asked for the floor for a few moments, so I was going to allow that to happen first.

Thank you, Mary. Um, I wanted to put it on public record that it's with a very heavy heart, um, that I have notified Lisa Lofrren that as of December 31st, I will be resigning my seat as Hancock County Council member for District 1. Um, I want to thank my fellow council members for your time, your support, uh, your patience with me, and thank you to the audi auditor, your amazing team, unwavering support. Um, I think I've done a good job representing the taxpayers of district one and I am confident that the seat will be filled with someone who

this county and job. So, thank you. Well, I because you're moving out of the district. I am. Yeah. So, she doesn't have a choice moving out of the district. So, yeah. I appreciate your time served. I think you've done a great job in the short time that you've had a learning curve here. Absolutely. That's not the easiest to accomplish. I couldn't have done it without each and every one of these guys. All of you. We appreciate your time. Yeah. The party the party chair. Is today the day that kicks off the 30 days or No, we we've we've been aware of it for a while. So, we're okay. The party knows. The party knows. I've known for a couple since she

The party knows. [clears throat] It was just I wanted to wait for for our meeting today to put it on record and get it officially out there. But yes, the party's been informed a while ago. Well, don't be a stranger. And we have lots of appointments on many boards every year if you want to stay involved. [laughter] You know what? Like I said, this is my home. Will forever be my home. I will absolutely stay on the bottom with the county. I want the best. I truly do. So, thank you all. In a little over three years, there'll be some open seats on the um at large. So, don't forget that. Okay. I think it's his. Yeah. Okay. This may be Jim's and it was his signature paper.

That's my pick them all up. It came from that one. I know. All right. To appease Scott, we're going to move on to otter business. [laughter] I just I'm just trying to see if we get this done by 9:30. That' be a record. You set a record. probably would be around 9:30. Good luck for that. Thank you, Scott. [laughter] So, I u

I just something I want to kind of just put on your radar. Um obviously we know that um Kelly is leaving HR. Um, a lot of that work, um, some of the work my girls have been doing, um, that we just didn't weren't ever able to unload to HR, but a big majority is coming back to them and they've been carrying a lot of that load throughout the last year and will be picking up some extra stuff that they no longer do. It's not their job description. Um, right now we have our payroll, my payroll team is capable of doing this work. Um, so I would like them to be rewarded and there's not a lot that we can do for them, but I do think that we could, if if you and the commissioners are agreeable, um, maybe offer them a stipen for all of the extra work and the time that they're going to be putting in until we can find that HR replacement. Um the remainder of this year um Kelly will have just a little bit of her um salary left and I would like to divide that. It's um it comes out to approximately um $235 um that I could give each of my payroll clerks um a stipen and that would require a salary ordinance amendment, commissioner's approval, and your approval. And I I do want them to know that we we truly appreciate all of the work that they they're doing and that they are going to be picking up.

Is this divided between two positions? Two that's that is it's it it would be $4,716 divided by the two would be the $235. This is if we amend the salary ordinance, does that mean even after we hire the position that that amount is now built into the salary permanent? That's just amending our 2025 salary ordinance for the stipen. Our our 2026 stays the same. And unless it takes a while to get an HR person, then I will probably come back and ask for something for them as well. You know, the commissioners have started advertising for that position. Commissioners [clears throat] have started advertising for that position and I believe we've received it at

resumes at this point. Yeah. including your office in support of Deborah's request. And I'd like to make a comment that's really not in my purview at all, but as a former auditor, when they hire the new person, that needs to be part of Deborah's office. I agree. Deborah feels that way, too. I think

I I feel like a lot of the um work I think that um it it I [clears throat] don't know how you know how we decided that got split up but I do believe the onboarding the the ad the administering the the claims and the deductions and that type of thing needs to come back. Anything that has that fiscal responsibility needs to come back to the auditor's office. I think our HR person um and I and I'm not sure if Kelly would agree with me or not, but I feel like they need to be sitting in on interviews, handling the risk, reaching out to the insurance companies and putting those programs together, but some of that work needs to probably come back and that might offer um some relief to that position as well as maintain the um credibility and on the claims that gets processed. the sweeps through the treasurer's office and our office and um I think it would just be it's it would be a good fit.

Has the commissioners uh looked at rewriting the job description for that position? I'm not 100% sure, but we are scheduling an admin meeting and I know that I'm sure Kelly's going to have some some ideas how that might have benefited her to have done something different, but I haven't actually talked to them yet. This is just um my request to to kind of make sure that those that are doing some work are getting paid for it. I don't I would hate to leave my have [clears throat] my payroll girls leave me because they're doing other work that's not even on the job description. They're an integral part and the thing somebody doesn't get a paycheck, right? That's the first thing we want to ensure every

So question though, what if they hire somebody next week? Well, um, Kelly's going to be gone on Friday, I believe. Kelly leaves this Friday. Training this person, but the other person they hire will have to pay them, right? So, that'll come out of that would if you if you delete Kelly's budget. Um, then there's then we have to pay between now and the end of the year for the new person, right? She have any other line items within her budget that she hadn't tapped into that we could possibly We would have to look at that. So, I mean, and I'm happy to do that. I'm not against I know I know um splitting the money she has left up, but I I agree with you.

It's going to it's going to give us But I don't want to restrict the commissioners from bringing a person on as fast as possible either, right? And we don't have the money left to pay. It's not going to be feasible probably. Okay. It's not going to be feasible for it. And that transition time with this, it's going to take time to train someone, but we can go one step at a time. I mean, I'll I'll make the motion that we to use the money for the for the other people. I'm sure whatever the situation is, we can work it out. Yeah. Yes. I second it. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. Thank you, Mary.

Could I just uh [clears throat] you were talking about what the HR person does and is there a statement of work on uh what that person is supposed to be doing? Does that need to be changed or I mean I thought an HR person was doing some things that it didn't seem like she was doing. Well, I and you were kind of Yeah. saying that there, like I said, it's just different when it comes to government honestly because there's the jurisdiction of the auditor and all of the money and the the claims.

It's a little bit different. And I think in the in the corporate world, there's an HR person that oversees payroll and all of the benefits and it's just a little bit different because of the risk and the internal controls that we have to have in my office pertaining to the money end of things. So, uh, and I know that they've been working very hard. I know Kelly's done a good job at trying to identify how how this works. I haven't had a chance and I know the commissioners are are focused on this and they're looking into doing whatever is right for everyone and we just haven't had our conversation yet. So, I don't really want to step on their toes. I don't want to it's just a you know, it's new and the county needs an HR department and I think that they're doing the everybody's doing the best that we can but this is going to fall back on the auditor's office. I mean, we've already gotten calls about that. We got one this morning about FMLA, and we haven't been doing that [clears throat] since we got an HR department. So,

one of the arguments for the HR [clears throat] department was it would uh help eliminate suits. And it seems like since we've had the HR department, we've had suits. So, I don't know that I'm the one to speak on that. So, I I'm probably not going to can't eliminate lawsuits. I think another consideration and you know Kelly came and asked for a whole another person in the last budget cycle and we declined that request and um and if we we are going to keep it a one person HR department I do think the commissioner should really hone in on

it is only one person right it's not a team and so payroll benefits this that lawsuits exit interviews it might be too much for one person and I hope they focus in on what that one person should do and leave the financials in the auditor's office. That is my request and the commissioners have heard that they should be under Deborah basically as are on board with that idea. I think at the have to articulate it and make sure it's clear with the new person what they're doing and then with the daughters.

I think again if they rewrite the job description in a way that it spells it out very specific to her duties and what we'll be moving over to your office and that'll take care of that that problem. I think it'd be very helpful and I I think that everyone is kind of working towards that. So, we want to make sure that we do it right and taxpayers are covered and everybody gets a paycheck. So, yeah, we Yes, we all want a paycheck, no matter how big or how small. Well, and I don't know if we made it its own department because I don't remember, but the idea there might have been, well, what if somebody wants to say that they're being harassed by the auditor, right? And now the auditor is your boss, but you're

You could do it where the auditor is not the boss. You could do it where the commissioners are still HR boss and the audit has no say on them, but they just work together. I just think though that we are a big enough county now that we should have an HR department. It just makes sense. I agree that that that there's duties that that HR person would do that shouldn't fall on the auditor's office at all, but they've been doing them for a while and now it's time to establish that position. What my feelings

and and we're we're fortunate because we still have um one of my payroll gals did this before HR was created. So, we're fortunate that we have someone that can step in right now and and kind of pick up those pieces and just do what we can do. Um, you know, I think the concern that I would have moving down the road would be if [clears throat] I didn't have someone in that office that had done a lot of that before, it'd be harder to help with some of those HR issues if if we hadn't had somebody that's already in there. So,

one more question on that. Was there somewhere else in the HR budget that still had funds outside the personnel line item that might resolve for Ken's concern? What if, you know, we we get somebody in two weeks before the end of the year and now that line zero and you can't move money before January and all this? Is there somewhere else in that [cough] we could [clears throat] Well, Mary and I were just We were talking about that. So, she's going to pull that up. Did they have a part-time line island that they never used for 2026? Oh, it started next year. That's why I said I'll plant the seed for next year if an HR person doesn't get hired by then. [clears throat] I fig January.

I just don't want if they find the perfect candidate and are ready to move forward, it's like, well, we got to wait four weeks, six weeks, whatever, because the council spent what would have been the money we paid you with. [laughter] I agree. I agree. Do [snorts] we need to have a Yes, there is other money in there that we could do budget transfers. Quite a lot. Okay. I just want to make sure we can get money. In fact, maybe we should just pay it out transfer and do it out of there. We can I mean I'm happy to do whatever works for everyone. Is it within the same um fund or will it have to be a it's with so we don't need to be involved then you can just take care of it

different categories. So, do we want to leave the motion as is or do you want to amend it? Um, I'll I'll make an additional motion that um where feasible tr to allow the auditor to budget transfer within allowable funds to cover the approved expenditure other categories from other categories. And then this is a this is a public request obviously that I'm making. I have not made this a public request of the commissioners yet. So I want to make sure that I'm we will I will not take any action until they're agreeable to this.

Yeah, you could add to your motion approval from the commissioners also. This is our recommendation. Yeah. Intention. Yeah, because it is a salary ordinance change that they'll have to approve also. And is that the 4,000? You had a number $7,16.37. Okay, I'll second her motion. Okay. Are we clear on the motion? [snorts] We're contingent on I'm asking those guys and contingent on commission and we appreciate you and I know and I know my team appreciates that. We appreciate them and keep everybody appreciate everybody. All right. Uh all in favor? I motion carries. Real close to saying don't call.

What? [laughter] What' you say? I was real close to saying don't call. If I knock him down, will you will you pick him up for me? Cuz I don't I'm not He's He you know, you're not asking me. We should give We should have like a minute. You have a minute before without anybody saying anything or somebody going off topic, then you can ask for you know [laughter] question. All right. Um that's in the rules. Deb, do you have any other auditor business that you want to bring? I'm not real good. Okay. Uh it looks like we have the 2026 meeting calendar in our packet. So, if you want to take a quick look or if you've already looked at it, we need to approve the meeting calendar for next year. So, so on November 11th, we I guess we can't meet because the county is closed,

right? We just can't come in here that day. I mean, you can come in. I mean, we can have the meeting. We can have the meeting. [laughter] We can see see if uh Deb will come in. We can Oh, she's not. She might. I'm usually around here somewhere. Yeah. I don't think we have a lot of choices on the date. Uh yeah, it's the it's the second Wednesday is November 11th, which is a holiday next year. So it'll be the 12th that day. No, that's your RDC. Yeah. Can't we meet then? I really want to move it to Tuesday the 10th. Does the commissioners have a meeting that day? Just put it back a week. Yeah, you could do do it the 10th. I might be a few minutes late.

18th. Uh, is this is this the budget meeting or is this the council meeting? The council meeting today. So, we do have to have it. Um, yeah, I would opt for Tuesday the 10th, but I would just be a little late, that's all. Well, we could make it at 9:00 if that would help you. I'd be fine. That would help you. So, or Jim said move it back a whole another week to November 18th or whatever. Does anyone It's getting so close to Thanksgiving and that I'm kind of pinching. Jim, you don't cook, do you? Are you starting [laughter] 18? She's buying her turkey there. We're doing t Well, you have to buy your turkey about a week in advance.

Yeah, I have to plan my turkey around. Back that far. That wouldn't be like the last I mean, we're getting closer to that last claim schedule if there's people that want to do those additional appropriations. Oh, that's [snorts] right. I I would say uh November 10th at 9:00 unless anybody else has a different opinion. Is that a commissioner's meeting? No, it's No. No. We'll just have to make sure RDC is done. Kent and I could probably manage that. Hey, so you'll already be here then? Yes. Oh, that's good for you. What? No. I would like one of our day before, not the day after. Yeah, she's talking about Tuesday, not Wednesday. Well, or Thursday. Yeah. Well, I'm talking about Yeah. Yeah. Never mind. that make Yeah, cuz we can't do it on the Thursday because of that. Right.

Deb, do you need a motion to do to make that change or is it just noted? Well, I' I've got a request to for um the [clears throat] uh April uh budget meeting, could we move that back rather than having it on April Fool's Day, April 1st, that we come on, that'd be awesome. I [laughter] think it's appropriate to the 8th and that would then move the council meeting back a week to for April. Uh I will that's okay. I will miss if we move those April meetings I will be out the following. I don't know. Jim's going to miss those. That's what he's saying. He's missing April. Yeah. Because he he goes to

Key West. Does Why don't we have it in Key West? Have the meeting down there. Can we have that in a motion? [laughter] Um, so the the question is our problem is is on the 8th you can't be here but on the if we move it to the 9th you can't be here. Is that correct? Well, you're talking about moving a whole week, not a day, right? Yeah, a whole week. He's trying he's moving the council meetings back a whole week. But I will be gone that following the third week or however that falls. That's fine. I'm just giving notice. that that would be the budget meeting on the 8th and the council meeting on the 15th. So that would mean you would miss it

on the 15th. I would miss I wouldn't miss on the 1st and the eth. But I would miss the 15th. Um I'm kind of confused. I don't If we leave it on the 8th, Jim won't be here. If we move it to the 15th, Keley won't be here, which is fine. Which is uh the council meeting anyway. No, that that's uh the eighth would be still be the council meeting. Yeah. Okay. I'm fine with just leaving it in line. We definitely mesh.

But in April, is that too early for the budget cycle problems? Yeah, probably is. it deep into the budget till I I'm fine with leaving it the way it is. And uh you're talking about missing a budget meeting which Robin can run wonderfully because she's his backup. [laughter] You're going to be here the 15th though, right? Or the eth. April Fool's. You're going to be here the 8th. Yes. Yes. All right. I'll be here either date. Either date. So, okay. So, um have a council meeting.

Let's just since let's just leave it so it seems more consistent with how we typically meet. I like to get them done. Uh it looks like then is there any other discussion about date changes? So, it looks like uh we will move the November 11th meeting to November 10th with a start time of 9:00 a.m. I make a motion to do that. I'll second his motion. All in favor? I I opposed. Motion carries. That's the hardest thing we've had to deal with yet, [laughter] but we left April. Oh, wait. They're We got a bunch of budget transfers. Yeah. So, April, we're leaving alone. Yes. We're We're leave everything else alone. Yeah. Um

we're going to be sending that to the paper. Like we have um a budget transfer request for the coroner. That's they're inside their current budget, right? Yes. Yes. I move we allow the transfer from autopsies, funds for autopsies, $26,400 from account 112000 to account 3142. Noting that that is coroner deputy to coroner autopsy. And I I just note that because the public does not know those account numbers and this way they will know what we're actually doing. And I second that.

Uh we have a first and second. All in favor? I opposed. Motion carries. [clears throat] Make a motion to approve a budget transfer for Purdue Extension Office. $5,000 from mileage to office supplies. All in favor? I I Oh, Jim second. Okay. No, ma'am. Um opposed. Two people second it. Motion carries. Yep. Budget transfer for community correction. We don't have that paper. Do we know? I have it right. Oh, you do. How much?

Need additional funds for year-end salaries. I don't have it. Uh Mary and Deb, do you happen to know why these these funds were short [clears throat] or these these line items were short? Grant. was not as it was going to be. Okay. Okay. Looks like it would be u $15,000 uh from equipment rental to account case manager and then $10,000 from motor vehicles to FICA. What

I'll make underestimate FICA. What happened on that? I mean, FICA is usually a set number. Don't know. Don't know. Any other comments or questions? [clears throat] Scott, you're shaking your head. Do you have a question? No, I don't. Jim, no motion. Okay. So, uh, I'll second Jim's motion. Jim made a motion. Yes. I didn't hear you. I'm sorry. Uh, Jim, made a motion and Keely seconded. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries.

Do you think on that note, so this is 2025. We've already approved the 2026 budget. No, no comment. Did Huh? I'm saying no, they didn't account for it in I was going to say we account they're not that advanced. So, so do we know for a fact or do they know for a fact what they're getting in 26 yet or they guess? Actually, they just sent a contract. It's a docu sign. I don't I don't even know that I've signed it yet. I just got an email yesterday that one was coming. So, I haven't even seen it yet. So, but they'll know but not until

because if that grant is short for salaries, I think we should discuss that earlier in the year rather than the end of the year when it's short. They typically have been running behind on their salaries the way they're the way that they pay them because they're paying the salaries and then not getting that reimbursement till later. So, I think we're we're pretty much caught up now, right? So, it that was concerning for a while about the community corrections grant that for one thing, isn't that grant like midyear? It's not like it's calendar year.

It's a monthly grant, but is does it start in Jan? Does it start takes a while? It starts in January. It's calendar year. Okay. But it it just seems to run behind quite a bit. They used to, but they changed the calendar year. Yes, you're thinking correctly. New. Don't tell Mary though. Oh, Scott's favorite attorney services. Oh, I'm fine with it. [laughter] Yeah, but that's internal. It's mumbling down here. I know it's internal. Yeah. So, uh I guess we need a motion on this transfer. I'll make a motion to approve $1600 budget transfer in the public defenders office from office supplies to attorney services. Second.

All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. All right. Mary has council. So, Mary has uh a topic that has been brought to me by uh a number of sources and I decided uh I would start today. So, I have everyone here. It's going to be close. It's going to be Thank you. working hard. That sock's for dad a little harder. You

kick it out there.

I know. Couple extra. It's been asked of me uh more than once to uh open a discussion about the funding that we approved um for HDC's 5% abatement reimbursement on the cost savings that they get from the abated properties. I reached out to uh Nicole in the auditor's office and she ran us a current distribution uh amount. That is your page one. Page two is your IC code. that spells out what the fees establishment can be used for. Uh page three is the original uh resolution that we passed and then page four it let me take that back. Page three is the current resolution that we're working from and page four is the original resolution that we then made some changes that created the updated resolution. So I wanted everybody to have that information and to see if you wanted to open a discussion about this. Uh what has brought this about is that I was asked is there other things that we can use that monies for other than just pushing it all in one direction and it appears if you look at the um resolution that it is 2022-4-9 that it does say it can be expended for capital or operating costs and provisions of or emergency management E 911 fire police and other public safety services, educational services, or other lawful purposes in accordance with Indiana law as agreed upon in the agreement. Uh, another uh topic was asked of me as if we could push any of that money towards parks. Uh, I don't know, that would be a Scott Binky

question. I don't know if that falls into any of those categories at all, but first we have to look at the amount that we're pushing that direction and feel if uh that we think it's excessive or if we're okay with the amount that we're we're pushing that to that department. So, I'm just opening this for conversation. So, question um when you say change where we're pushing it now, where are we pushing it now? It all goes

right now. Uh it was approved that u a resolution was approved that 5% of the cost savings of every abated [clears throat] every abated property would go to Hancock County Economic Development Court which is Randy Surell's office at this time. Um it was at done at his request. I don't think any of us at the time uh had a problem with it, but we really didn't really think about how much money it was going to generate either. So looking at the amount of money that it's generating is what brought this It was well less than $100,000 at the time. Okay. And then the explosion of all these properties,

if you can see the escalation, we're up to over $700,000. If another big project hits out there, then that goes over a million.

Well, and Tammy, I know at the time [clears throat] the thought among some of us was the public perception is that the HDC works for developers. Uh the HDC has historically been funded by individual taxpayer dollars, little from here, a little from Greenfield, little from towns, whatever. And so the idea was, you know, if if they're not um if they're working for developers anyway is the public perception, then why shouldn't developers fees pay for the existence of that office? But as they said, it was a very we were trying to get $50,000 a year off of individual taxpayers and now it's turned into, you know, 700 some thousand dollars a year.

That's an excessive amount to in four years we've given $1.4 million to that. Well, do within four years. Do remember that this money is being uh is [clears throat] coming from the developers from their tax abatement. Right. Right. So there they are funding this right with the knowledge that kind of this office has helped them to get to where they are

and we all understand that. I think what we're trying to understand though is whether or not that we are pushing too much money in that direction that we could be uh offering some assistance to some of the other areas that is in dire need that we keep talking about trying to figure out how to put more money in the fire department in Buck Creek Township which is where all this money is coming from. And uh E911 was some of the newer issues that they've come up with. parks was brought up to me which I thought was a great idea that it could be a jump start to put it into parks if it's allowed.

So, uh I think what we realistically uh I have asked Randy for a um his month or his annual budget and uh I I I'm not getting it. So, I don't know what they're running on. You may be able to speak to that, Jim. Well, [clears throat] the this money is temporary. It doesn't go on forever. because their abatements come off, right? So, HDC is putting some of this money aside for the time when it goes down because at that time they would be coming back to us for taxpayer money to Well, that's partly [clears throat] here, right? Sinking fund.

Let's put it in perspective, though. I mean, let's say this goes on for another 10 years because you're saying it it sunsets, but that's still another 10 years. And I have the breakdown on that. I just didn't I did not print it, right? I could have.

I I'm not against us funding some of HDC because I voted it for the 5% back when it was 1650 16 to 15,000. Okay. Um but um now that it is it's exponentially driving up, I'm not seeing the bang for the buck because this year we're giving them $732,000 and they've taken 52 phone calls. um we have not they haven't done anything for us this year yet uh that we couldn't have done ourselves and so I'm wondering if the county [snorts] is better served with its own person or one or two people surely we wouldn't have to fund it to the tune of surely you don't pay someone 250 or $400,000 to stand there and wait for a phone call from someone else or or something like that if it's a couple hundred,000 or $250,000, then we don't have then then the conversation changes, but we're talking about an extra half a million. If a if another large project comes in, then we're talking about more than a million, even if it's for a few years. And so, no, I'm not I'm not in right now. I'm not in favor of us throwing hundreds of thousands of extra dollars at these people. um for most of it happens through the county anyway. They they don't they don't do anything other than research for these companies. Um they come to them. They don't go to them. And I've got on my table with the RDC, I've got the Buck Creek Township Fire Department claiming they don't have

enough money. Um, we just had an Amplify board meeting yesterday and I've got a lot of good news to talk about Amplify, but we when we did the budgeting process for Amplify, we cut that project to the bone. We didn't allow for any extras for things that we were discussing how we're going to stock the paper towels.

How are we going to stock paper towels? We buy furniture for the building, but we didn't allow for any extras that things are coming in at budget because we cut it to the bone. Okay? There's not going to be extra hundreds of thousands of dollars on on this on this thing. and and if that's what it took for us to get, but we we were frugal. But if there's if we're paying an office an extra $500,000 and we can't hire an administrator for the school, th this is bigger than the whole budget for the for the trade school. This office with their two or three people is going to get more money than the whole trade school's budget, operating budget. Ken, it's four people. You know, and the last time,

okay, four people, you know, this trade school is huge. Last time I saw an HEDC budget, and I will say that's [clears throat] been probably two years ago, 80% of that budget is salaries, right?

So, I'm what I'm what I am what I am complaining about is the excess. Okay. And I don't know if we can cut this thing in half and take the other half uh and use it uh because it does say educational service does say police and fire and and use it in a better that other half in a better in a better fashion. Um because I I tell you we're so deep into into getting the cross the finish line and amplify. We're struggling to decide how much electricity this building is going to use because we got to figure out where we're going to get the money utility bills.

When you're teaching children welding and mechanics and stuff like that, how much electricity does that office use? We know how much electricity u that Deborah's office uses being in an office, but how much does So, we're trying to set up a budget and we could be 50% off on how much electricity is going to be used. And so, that's how that's how deep we are right now into trying to get the budget for Amplify. And I'm seeing a some I'm seeing some possibilities that we may have to say,

"Yeah, this is we can't afford to buy this simulator because we can't afford to pay for the the electricity for the welding shop." You You know what I'm saying? It's that tight. I have a quick question. Um, are the commissioners planning on continuing the EDAs? I mean, they'll No. Well, see, that's what I thought. So eventually it's going to and they've collected very little I think in NA money anyway as a whole.

Right. I'm I'm actually going to have conversations with the commissioners. I I shot through the first thing across the bow yesterday at the amplify be meeting because Bill Spalding was there about talking about a little bit of re looking about how many millions we're giving to other people. you know, we we they originally had planned on giving millions to to McCordesville, millions to other things, and trying to make sure we take care of our own scenario first. Um, and part of that is this. We're giving up 5% for an office of three or four people that serves the whole county. Uh if you add those budgets into this budget from Greenfield and from the other people that donate in, it's a huge budget. It's that's why I said it it dwarfs the the whole operating budget of the trade school. And

you asked me to kind of weigh in on this for my legal opinion. I do think this resolution and Kent alluded to this a second ago, it's gives you pretty broad discretion um on what you can do. But what about the code is my question because the Indiana code says, [clears throat] tell me I'm wrong.

One or more nonprofit entities established to promote economic development within the limits of blah blah blah blah blah. Um, something else I read that's not on this sheet when I looked into it said uh I thought it alluded like we could buy land with it. we could uh extend utilities to land that we own with it for economic and so I guess and I'm not asking you to do [clears throat] this today but if you could look at the resolution we I mean the broader the better as far as I'm concerned but I'm not sure if the resolution we pass lines up 100% with Indiana statute and I just want to make sure as we keep discussing this that we have the right idea on the brain of what we're allowed to do by code

well economic development is kind of the operative term and that's a broad term too. I mean imagine what could argued is contributing to economic so and you know home rule things like that weighing still have their off the limits of your authority you have if it's not prohibited for example you have some latitude so I I agree with that that that's well taken I mean I hope you come back and say you can do almost anything you want with it but I just want to make sure just because we said that I don't know if the state says that I mean that's the thing what economic development versus what you got in a resolution. I

I I think this is the first negotiation of this. You know, we're we're they get 5%. Okay. So, we got to first off to you guys have to develop in your own mind if you think that 5% is what we should continue to allow them to have. Okay? And if they need 5%. Okay. What if they only need 4% from us? what if they only need 3% from us? And that's where I'm leaning towards. And then if if then if we have those extra percents, where's our priorities in that area? Um and and and I can tell you a couple priorities that I'm getting pressure from from the the Buck Creek Township Fire Department and from and from getting across the finish line for Amplify. And so

I agree. So that's my spiel and that might be economic development job training might be well within says educational services says it here and and we've put Buck Creek Township Fire [clears throat] Department in the position they're in by approving all of this growth down there all of these abatements down there all of these huge buildings down there that they have to protect. So I I feel that this money's should be considered as being part of what we need to do to help them do their job. It might be easily justifiable that economic development cannot continue until those other services are

and that money is not doing the most good. It that money is not doing the most good for four employees. It could be touching so many more lives if economic development terms going to be liberally construed.

Right. So, while while I've got your ear real quick, let me throw a couple great things at you because Amplify is in a in a fundraising capacity right now. Okay. And we have not signed agreements, but we have verbal commitments for about $450,000 for people, companies wanting to name and be involved in the the actual training like we have a large um um automotive company, okay, a local that wants to be involved in the automotive motive training of of

what we're offering is naming rights to different departments, right? Because there is car lifts that cost $75,000. There's paint booths that cost $100,000, things like that that have to go in these training things. And so we the bond cannot pay for that. The bond's not paying for that stuff. Have to try to figure out how to raise the money to get this equipment in this building. There's going to be there's going to be training for um for construction, home construction. and stuff like that.

We we have a $100,000 uh verbal commitment from a a local uh contractor um to help fund equipment in the construction part of the training center. Okay. Um so we have around 450,000 they just started. they've located 180 or 190 names and they're going through those names and asking if they want to be a part of the building, they want to be a part of the of the scenario and that that's very positive. Okay, we've met with um he's been gracious enough to come and actually meet with us uh Congressman Shrieve. Okay. And and and he is is we're working with him to try to get some of his um allocations he has next year. Okay. To help purchase some more equipment and stuff. Uh I've been reached out to by uh uh Todd Young's [clears throat] office and I'm meeting with Todd Jung's office next week. Okay. And so we're hitting up for federal all the people we can to try to get as much funding as we possibly can. Um,

but with that said, most of those meetings and those decisions will not be made till probably next year, right? And this school is scheduled to open in the fall of next year. So, the monies needed is immediate. It's not it's not on the the furniture came in under budget a little bit. So, we know we're going to have our furniture and that type of stuff that was that was allowed by the bond. Okay, that's that's on on on online. But just for example, we have a big aviation department, okay, that we're we're trying to set up. And it takes at least two simulators. There are 100,000 a piece, okay? And the schools don't have the money to buy the simulators. And have you guys approached Walmart?

Well, I had got the number from them, but I'm not I have a contact there, and no, I have not reached out to them yet. I I I'm a little apprehensive depending on they were on our agenda then they were off of our agenda because they didn't have the correct documentation for us to proceed with and um I I'm just talking about I've just had something like this I think their name is in the it's on the list and we have a we've hired a person that's actually doing the fundraising coordinating it and we have a whole scenario whole campaign we have a whole campaign we have a whole campaign it's they are wanting something from us and I [clears throat] wouldn't know why we don't go sit down with them and say

what you could do. Do we have the funding for like the administrator? I mean there's going to have to be some kind of the bond does not cover any cover that I didn't know if there was there is a fixed amount that comes from the schools when you talk about getting children from the schools.

The problem is that's a fixed amount. So [clears throat] what we're finding this is normal stuff. Okay, it's very tedious, but this is normal. We're finding that we can't go back to the schools and say, "Hey, the uh the electric bill was $10,000 this year, more than what we thought it was going to be, and we need more money." They get a fixed amount. It's a fixed amount. Okay. [clears throat] Now, we might be able to go back to another vendor. We have lease spaces with IvyTech and um

and hospital and we might be able to increase their rates, but we can increase the school's rate. Now, the good thing, here's another good thing is they are currently doing uh feelers out to all the children that are capable of coming to the school, okay? From every school district. And so they're getting they're having them fill out surveys. They're having them fill out things that say, "Yes, I'm interested in knowing what I can do with this." Okay? And they haven't reached everybody yet, but they're already pushing six to 800

six to 800 children that have said yes, I'm interested in the thing. Now, we were estimating 400 to 450. We're already So, if we get 800 900 children saying they're interested, we're probably going to get four or five or 600 of them commit. And so, it's already looking we're going to have to we already know we're probably going to have to turn some people down. Okay. But that's not my concern as much as can we open that when he comes to me and says can Jefferson Shrie get us two simulators because he's on the aviation board

and I said well we'll find out you know I mean and I think he can but it's timing and I and I told them yesterday if if I had to come to the council and come to the commissioners and say we need to pay for these things and then get reimbursed later because the opening is going to be in August. No matter what happens, that school is going to open. Then we might have to do that. Scott and I sat down with Walmart and [clears throat] they they said they're looking for opportunities to work with us. So, want me to set it up? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. And I I I want to be there to help represent Amplify. Okay.

And don't you agree, Scott? I mean that.

Yes. And I, like I said, I'm meeting with Todd Young's office. They reached out to me. Um, want to be involved in a part of the project. Um, Jefferson Shre's office has already, we've already met with Jefferson, the board has, and and found out what his capabilities are and what we're working through for next year. It's like February or so when he decides uh some things for his money. And then they're giving me the contacts for banks, okay, which is another senator here in Indiana. So I'm trying to get if there's any federal dollars. I'm asking all these people especially for different programs. There's a lot of activity in the United States right now for aviation. Aviation is the thing from from traffic controllers to to pilots to everything. Aviation is where all the money is starting to go to. And if you watch on TV, everything is about the airports, okay? It's the hottest thing happening. And I'm trying to get we would we really would like four simulators, not two. Okay?

And kids starting these conversations are excellent. But again, I want to reiterate that this money that he's referring to isn't going to come tomorrow and it's not even going to be discussed until next year. And then it probably has to go through all kinds of committee meetings and so on before it actually becomes dollars that we have access to.

It's very it's way too hard to get these people involved. I've had a personal conversation with the governor myself. Okay. And it's it's very hard to get even him excited about the the the newest trade school in the country being built in his district and or in his c in his state. And it's very hard to get those people involved. I I'm disappointed in some of it. Okay. I worked on Todd Young's office or on his campaign before he was ever elected to anything. Okay? So, I know him from years back and I'm asking I'm not I'm not ashamed to ask these people, you've got to step up. This is in your district. It's the newest school in the country. You've got to step up and make sure this is a success.

I would I would think the companies that uh would tend to benefit from this would be the primary. They are. And that's what I said. We have $450,000 of local money already. Okay. Okay. And my little that commitment over a number of years or something. It's like a fiveyear commitment and x amount of dollars, but but still like you say, you get a $100,000 commitment over five years. That's only 20,000 a year, right? You know, so and we're looking at an operating budget of probably around $450,000.

Yeah. I would say pushing 600,000 up to that because 600 closer to it's closer to 600 but we're looking at giving 700 to a million to [laughter] to that office for four people and I'm looking at the whole trade school's budget operating budget is 600,000. So I'm going or I it doesn't make sense to me right now. It's not helping the most people that I can. So beyond the vocation. So, okay. I'm glad to get that update, you know, cuz not all of us are that privy to what's going on with the vacational school. And thank God you got the team you got working on it because I know it's a huge They are working their butts off. It's amazing how how difficult it is to start something.

This Mount Vernon Schools, if you've not talked to Dr. Parker yet

they with SB1 are going to take a massive hit uh in a couple years where you know you might be talking about increasing class sizes because you just can't employ all those teachers anymore. So that's also going to be coming down the pike. And then parks is new and they need money as you mentioned obviously the fire department. So, if I can bring it back to what we were talking about on the 5%, I think we should continue these discussions probably at least once a month for several months because these are all things that we need to prioritize and sort out in regards to the 5% fee. I think step one is Scott coming back with if legally any of these are hard nos so that we know that before we get too in the weeds. Uh, but as far as the HEDC fee goes, part of my problem has always been, um, and know Tammy, you weren't here. I don't think Scott was here yet, but when I first got on this council and tried to pry about the budget at that time at HDC, the answer kind of was, we're a nonprofit. We're not required to disclose the details of our budget to you. And so at this point, I don't want I'm not suggesting I want to defund HDC and fire people and chop it this much, but I have absolutely no idea what it really needs to survive because there's not been transparency because it's not required. And so I would argue that point only because we've got the

we are we are funding that. So yes, they are a nonforprofit, but if they were not getting the 5% from us, they would not be there. So to provide us with a budget is a legitimate request. I totally agree. And they have we've got the budget. I ask, well, you don't have it broken down by personnel. You don't know what anyone's getting paid. You don't know. You couldn't There's not [clears throat] enough information we've been given to identify if anything seems um o frivolous or out of whack.

Well, and I want to see what the return not only just that I it's the return. We've not approved any abatements this year that I I can think of. Uh we've had one on the table that we denied, which um was Walmart with personal property. It looks like they have some interest in coming back, but did not have their documentation ready. So, I don't know if they're coming back or not. Sugar Foods withdrew. So, those are the three things that hit me when I think of economic development. What bothered me was when I asked a question of HDC about what businesses are you talking to that are not seeking abatements? They're just wanting to come to Hancock County. They're only needing 30 or 40,000 square feet. And and his response was, well, they just talked to the realators. And my thought on that was, why aren't we building through HDC relationships with these commercial developers and realators? So when uh Wakeman Kushman has companies that they're looking to place somewhere that we have a relationship with them in Hancock County and they they reach out to us and say, "Hey," and and we're not going to get anything back from them as far as uh an giving an abatement or anything like that, but it's going to bring jobs and it's going to bring people. And I think to me that is the primary goal of HDC. It's not chasing companies that are asking for abatements. That is my opinion.

Well, but structurally we've encouraged that m accidentally, right? We said, well, we want the people who actually benefit from this to pay for it. And that's what we did. But what I wasn't thinking about at the time then uh is that we have essentially created a system where why would they do anything but try to get abatements because that's how their office budget, right? And so my other thing that just got mentioned, Jim said that they are retaining for sustainability knowing that these abatement fees are not sustainable. Um, but really I think that and interest rates are dropping, but we've had very attractive interest rates that have really helped the county budget in recent years. So, we shouldn't be transferring more than is needed for one annual budget to them. The taxpayers should hold on to any excess funds and bear and bear the the gain of the interest until the time they would be used. So, let's say we look at their budget and say, I'm making this up. Let's say, okay, well, we don't want you have to lose anybody. We're not trying to cut anybody from your office, but this is more than you need. Um, and we're looking at the sustainability and these fees are going to fall off a financial cliff. And we know we need to retain X in the H in the fund for to for your sustainability. That should still be money that stays here and bears interest here until it is used. I don't think any of us when we approved this realized how much money it was going to generate. So I think it's very prudent of us to look at it now and just give it a second look and decide is this still the direction we thought we wanted it to go and make those kind of decisions based on what we know now

and and I think we need to look at the state statute. Yes, that's the first thing. The first thing is state statute. We may be going down a rabbit hole. I agree. I agree. First thing is aligning state statute and all these other things that can't be funded there. If that's the case, we can discuss other sources.

Well, along with all this, I wanted everybody to understand too [clears throat] if I the challenges that that um that that I'm having with the RDC with funding for some high priority items. Okay? So, don't be surprised if yeah, we get these commitments and yeah, we everything and we get 50% more kids involved than what we thought we was going to get and and we need to get this building over the finish line. Okay? Don't be surprised if I come back next year and say, you know, I can't get money from from the federal government until March or April and I need it in

or or until May or June, and I need it in February. Can you define uh what monies you absolutely think you're talking about monies for capital for for equipment? Absolutely. Versus the operating Stan is so in tune with everything. He can tell you to the penny what he has to have to open that classroom. I want to know specifics. Yes. You know, can they buy $400,000? Anyone you talk? Yes. Absolutely. And I I specifically have asked Shreve for two simulators, okay? Cuz he is on an aviation board,

you know what I mean? And he's the one that mentioned that Sean Duffy, who's the head of all transportation, has the ear of everybody, has all the funding right now. And I said, 'If you're having trouble getting air traffic controllers and you're having trouble getting pilots, okay, and [clears throat] we've learned they're paid by the federal government, then why aren't you supporting a program that would give you more of them, you know? So, it it's coming full circle, but um but I've got to start my pitches now. This is November. Uh because that school's going to open up next week. It just seems like next week to me, even though it's nine months away, it's amazing how fast things go. Well, [clears throat] come back more students.

Well, I just want to say I I had reached out to this uh DLGF a number of times when we were starting this program with the 5% and I'm looking at just some of my responses from uh Steve McKenna who is oversight for the DLGF for abatements and personal property and all that. And uh one of my question was about usage and he uh he his response was the language in the resolution establishes the particulars of it. The code has language given the county to authorize the fee. It is totally a local matter.

Oh well that would be wonderful news. I just wasn't certain that was the case because it said it said the words entities established to promote economic development and I didn't know how. And and that's just from Steve McKin's my Q&A with [clears throat] him at the time. Yeah, I'd always thought the state statute uh was set up to fund HD in the counties. So maybe that's not true.

I did Google because of that one line being so vague and not knowing how to interpret that. I had I I didn't print anything off. But when I got to digging to try to define what is considered economic development, I definitely saw somewhere acquiring land that, you know, for development, getting utilities to that land for future unnamed development. So, I do know there's, you know, outside of some of these, not that that's the priority, but even in a worst case scenario, if you feel you have funds that you could be better used to do that, I definitely, subject to Scott's affirmation, thought that something like that would be an option.

And I'm curious too, why why there wasn't a position hired that um by the county? You mean by the county specifically? I think historically I think at that time the county that's what we did commissioners at that time that's where it came from leaned on HDC to take care of that. Now saying that I don't know about present day commissioners and what their opinions are. I think it's something to look at because the money's going to for people that not discrediting what they've done, but

I feel after last week's meeting they could do more. They returned 52 calls out of a 100 received. Oh, we just don't return those. That's a lost opportunity potentially. Well, they they returned. [laughter] Greenfield pays too, don't they? Return the call. It's Does Fortville pay? Fortville? I spoke with Joe Rener and he said that they don't participate because they never give anything back because [laughter] we don't have the just like I mean honestly unless they've revoked it. When I was on the city council,

the Greenfield City Council approved the 5% abatement fee also, but there it's no com I haven't seen the math, but it's no comparison. I didn't ever they have approved the 5% but they just got it approved. Oh, they just now plus green. I thought they just So, how much money does HDC get from private companies? Because private companies also participate in HDC's. They have a paytoplay kind of. They have a paytoplay. Greenfield pays. I don't know if McCordsville pays. Cordsville and Cumberland are not in it now.

Okay. So, Shirley, welcome. And I think um something else recently

I I do want to and I'm very detached from the HDC. I am not all the person to speak to it, but based on some conversations I've I've had recently, I do think there has been a more recent effort as their staff grew from two to four because it was two forever, forever and ever, and now it's up to four. And I do think there is an effort um to use those added positions for quality of place initiatives for they're doing like um a retail study to find out what people want in terms of retail. Um you know Mitchell Kirk I think does an excellent job. Uh Erica Boswell I know has been trying to get involved in more of the the community development outside of those abatement. So I think there is an effort I don't want to I don't want to allude there's not an effort to do things other than warehouse abatements.

Right. But it it kind of it kind of is on the wrong pendulum. When we got 25 companies abated in one year, they had two people. Now that we have no companies abated in a year, they have four people and their budget is five times what it was. And so the money came after that and then so it was like, okay, now we got all this money, so let's build this staff up for no reason basically because they're not getting now. They they get a lot of calls, but it's the activity isn't there yet. Okay? And there isn't we're not going to double the size of that with 50 more companies. Okay? We're going to get a few companies. Maybe one of them might be real big. That's what kind of scares me when that when a big company drops in there. I'm talking a10 billion dollar company drops in there. What's their 5% then

and then it's limited $100,000 a year. Okay. But still it's going to grow to over a million. Okay. And um and I'm not saying I'm not saying that we shouldn't we shouldn't fund their office. I'm not saying that. But I'm I'm saying that I think there's I would be there's about 50% of that money that I need to be comfortable want a broken down budget that we need to decide if we want to approve x number of dollars for. Agree.

Yeah. So on top of all of this, our three-year agreement with the Buck Creek Township Fire Department, the county's RDC three-year agreement ends next year. That's the last year of it. Okay. That was an elaborate agreement set up so they could hire additional people and all that stuff two years ago. Okay. So now they're saying that they're underfunded from the impact of $2 million. Okay. And so Greg Geratas and Baker Tinsley and all those people are saying no it's not that much. So, we're kind of going at it right now to just say, okay, but we do know that there is some unfunded liability there. It may not be 2 million, but it may be a million. And so, I'm starting the conversation with the commissioners, starting the conversation with Baker

Tilly, Tilly, starting a conversation with Greg Geratas. what is the actual number so we can continue this agreement on with Buck Creek and they're and they get what they need. Okay. And so you guys need to know that too that's happening and you might as well just go ahead and look at Mount Vernon schools while you're at it because that's over a million.

To give the schools credit, they haven't came to the to the Amplify or to the RDC or anything and said, "Hey, we're going to get slammed." What I'm is that amplify will every school is going to get slammed. Some of those kids into that building that will help eliminate the growth issue that they're thinking additional classroom sizes because these kids are going to be moving to amplify for part of their schooling which will open up classrooms,

actual rooms in their building. So then it will become down to maybe hiring another teacher. We had we had 320 children from Greenfield alone say that they were interested in the trade school. 320 and we were talking about a full capacity of 400 for the whole school. That's just from Greenfield. 320. So So isn't that good news though? Don't aren't Didn't you guys negotiate a a cost per pupil to use it the the the uh amplify? Yeah. Yes. As it as more children are in there, there is more funding.

But that's what I was saying. There's anomalies in that. If our the school can't increase, if our if our electric bill is higher than what they can pay for, they can't we can't go back to the school increase. It's a flat fee. Okay. Um we we can on some of the other vendors, but we're starting to see these anomalies, you know what I mean? when we get down to the pennies. We're right now looking at the per square foot rate that we were going to be charging for the uh uh we want to take on every child we can get through the door. We need to maybe increase that amount as what we proposed in the beginning was maybe not enough $10.

But that's just a crazy number with the day lease rates per square foot for commercial properties. You're not going to find $10. Well, but we're we're going to turn children away. Yeah. Unfortunately, I already know that we're coming to reality. We're going to turn children away. Okay. Um, and so that's going to put pressure on us to get as many. Yeah, I I agree with that. My biggest concern, and I'm happy to meet with them, is I appreciate so much the companies that have come out and offered support and not ask for anything in return other than their name be put above a door. What I'm not looking for is if we give you this, then we get an abatement.

I don't want a string. I [laughter] don't want a string attached to that. Yeah, because honestly the Well, the personal property goes straight to the taxiing units and not to the RDC, but without if people break, we'd be better off letting the money filter through.

When when I'm not going to say the name of the company came to us about a data center when then the gentleman was standing up there, that's what I was mad about. You he should have came to us with a whole plan. this is what I'm going to do for your community, okay? This is what I'm gonna do for your taxes. This is what I'm gonna do. They should have came to us and said, "Because [clears throat] this is going to be a burden on you, this is what we're going to do for you." And he did nothing. Okay? And so, um, you you don't specifically, you know, like Walmart says, "Okay, we're going to give you x amount of dollars, um, out of the tax abatement we get, you're giving us or whatever to be used the way you you want and and then we can decide or the commissioners can decide where that money goes." But uh so you don't you don't you're not like holding these people hostage, but if if they're wanting to come into the community and they're wanting to have an impact in our community, then we need to make sure that the money um that that they adequately compensate us for the impacts and we've been short on some of it because Buck Creek Townships is telling me we're short on impact and I and I'm hoping that the school doesn't end up short on impact. Okay,

let's just stop the conversation right now, leaving it with what questions do we have that we want to move forward and have answers maybe to and I agree with maybe talking about this once a month until we resolve it. I think that we need Scott to ascertain if there's anything that's off the table that for use and then and you you've got all the handouts that that we're working with. What else can be expanded on to that that we're worried about and then I think the too from just talking to DGA.

Yes. Yeah. That's Steve McKenna if you want to talk to him further. I have one question I I would like answered added to that list is if these com companies make these commitments, they're going to do [clears throat] certain things and then they don't. Can we hold them to that? They're signing. They're signing. Yes. You mean like I3 did contractual? Well, yeah. Are you talking about amplifying? We wouldn't want to have to enforce it, but they are sign. That's as good as we could. Are you talking about amplify? Like they're signing. I said I3. I said, "Oh, I agree." Yeah, that's She's saying, "If you get people to agree to stuff in writing, can you enforce it?" I think it's time um away from them. The uh

the HDC probably wants to get in the weeds on their budget. And I'm talking who's eating meals, who's traveling, how often, what I mean, because to me, if I was going to cut somebody's budget, I would be doing that um very methodically, not just a a well 50%. You know, I would want to go through and say, well, okay, I don't want don't want these this person to lose their job because I think that they're valuable and I I don't want nobody to be able to go to training. So I would very methodically go through and think how much I think can be cut without impacting operations negatively. But somebody and I I used to ask when I first got on this council and was told I was getting out of my lane and it was none of my business how the HD spent their money. Uh but if if we're going to vote on reducing their revenue, maybe they would be more willing to really get in the weeds on how they spend. Robin and Jim are our representative to HDC from the council. Is these are there questions that we can specifically ask these guys to go to their next board meeting and say the council is requesting

a breakdown of their budget being more definitive than just line items that say salaries X and travel X, but maybe a little more definitive uh in some way. And to add to that, Mary, maybe no, not too specific. Um, I'd like to see any business, any nonforprofit still do a budget. You plan what am I going to have left, how am I going to start next year, so forth. I would like to see next month their last two years budget, how it came out, and I want to see their 2026 budget. How do you have the money budgeted? How much money the last two years?

That's a great idea. That's the That's the ask receipts, expenditures. Just give [clears throat] me the bank. Nonprofits are very want to release those kind of things. A lot of them, which I think is a big failing. Absolutely. Like our nonprofit should have audits, but a lot of people don't. For Riley's Foundation, I do it. If someone asks me, I'm like, [clears throat] absolutely. And when I apply for grants, I have to give a very specific, probably more than I need to, but I give a very specific budget of this is what we started with, this is what we've spent, this is what I'm projecting to spend, this is what I'll have left, here's what we could use. Yeah. And I'm in the same way. I'm on a nonforprofit board and

uh it's a cemetery board, which you think doesn't sound like it'd be much, but we bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. And we are we have an audit every year to make sure that we're putting the the proper amount in perpetuation which is something the state law requires that we do uh and different I mean we we make sure our ducks in a row and we do that through an audit that's presented every year. Yeah. And it should be like an outside auditor. Yes. You bring somebody in to audit but they most of them don't want to do that. But is that so Robin and and Jim is that something that we can request for next month's meeting is we'd like to see your last two years budgets.

Yeah, we can request it. I don't know if they'll give it to us. We'd like to see your 2026. That that'll if they don't and don't commit to it, that says a lot. We have struggled to get that from them before. I think they gave it to us one year and they require one time and it was two or three years ago and it was very broad. It didn't give a lot of details. I've got them in my folder and they're I'll bring them in. But well, we're not asking for that broad. I I know we're asking for what Tammy just said. Specific and yeah, this is taxpayers money. Where's the transparency? I got the point. So, let me ask a a quick question. How many people on the board can name the president of the HDC?

Me and me and Jim probably. Um, I can may be a board member, but I can't tell you who. Is it um Harold Lolan? I don't know myself. [laughter] Kent, you were actually asking a question. I was asking if anybody knew and I don't know myself. We're not used to I didn't. That's absurd to me that we're giving them $750,000 and I don't know from one year to the next who even the president is because that's how little interaction that we actually have with them.

N Randy Sell is the person that does their mouthpiece, but other than that they have these wonderful meetings and celebrate all their victories and all that kind of stuff. And I've been to a couple of them and I I'm sitting there thinking, who are these people and what are they doing for the county? So, it did you come to last year's? I didn't go to last year's because I went to the all the ones before at the Greenfield Bank and everybody's giving everybody else's awards and doing all this kind of stuff and we did all these tax abatements that had nothing to do with all those people that were standing up there saying how great they were, you know, that that it was. And it just seems obscure to me. So, I'm going to ask the auditor to put on our budget, not our budget meeting, but our council meeting for next month.

[snorts] Uh let's say 30 minutes to discuss. Yes, I know. Same topic. So are they going to request that we have those budgets? Yes. And prior to and that is our we'd like to have those prior to I swear. So I swear. [laughter] And I guess to go to Tammy's point is not bring those to the meeting, but get those and get them emailed out to us prior to the meeting. So, say 5 days prior to the meeting so we have some time to look at them and then we can use our time effectively. Yeah. Have our time to discuss it and then Scott's going to work on some uh breakdown on what Key was asking about. So, those will be our two topics for next month's

timeline children. Could I bring up another topic? You can do anything you want alone. landing. The landing an update just seniors. The landing is in their new building. We were all invited to go to go visit them.

And uh they as they presented to us, they uh had a $300,000 uh bill to to buy that building. They did a lot of other work on it which has all been done. We said that we would fund a half of that 150,000 which we did and we um challenged them to go to Greenfield to get the others. I remember that. So they went to Greenfield and Greenfield gave them $5,000. Of course they did. Hard for the courts over there. And I mean it's in Greenfield land. It serves 90% of the people. So uh who's

Greenfield doesn't have the money to do it. So, I'm I think we should challenge ourselves to maybe make up for Greenfield and um think about uh buying the rest of that building so that they don't have to use their money to pay off the loan for that. They can use it for I can't imagine Greenfield doesn't have that money that much money. I you can talk with your Yes. And I have your councilman. I And I've got nowhere with the councilman. is do [laughter] they have a bunch of I'm probably the wrong person to talk to the landing to see where they're I would say ask Jim he seems I would assume they do but I I've not seen it so that's a great question

I've never seen the the landings budget I know a little about it from uh hearsay and honestly a lot of their staff has been funded um by the state through operating a recovery cafe program so that has enabled them to have some paid staff um and some ongoing funding that they didn't before, but I I haven't asked anyone recently. You know, the state the mental health funding, I mean, you just never know year to year if it's going to be there next go around. So,

well, and in the past uh past councils, we've kind of challenged ourselves to um come up with some some way to prevent people from getting in the justice system. And people ask me, well, you know, how do you stop people from shooting up the school? And the only answer I have is is work on prevention. And it seems to me that something like the landing is is an is an entity that helps. Could we put this on the budget agenda then to discuss a little more in detail and possibly you could bring with you their budget that they operate on so we can see that they're trying their best and they you know we can just do an overview of that.

I've not seen their I've never actually looked at their financials. Um but I I am under the perception they h they keep really clean records and have paid staff to do that. And Brent Eaton has long been the board president. Is he still the board president? I don't know if he's the president, but he's still on it. Oh, he's not. He might not be president anymore, but he did the board president for a long time for them. I don't know who does it now. So, yeah. So, are you just be an investment, I think, and and Yeah, I'm open to Yeah. listening to it.

Um I think that ends our council business, but I'd like to see Does the library have anything that they're here to say? Are you just here to hang out with us [laughter] today? Can't get up here. Say books come up like the HC Buck Creek Fire Department. Did you have anything you needed to say or and ma'am, I don't know you? Um, okay. Just Okay. So, I'm going to say meetings adjourned. I need a motion. Motion second. Second. Thank you. [laughter] I was first and second today. I was fourth.

Who was first and second? I just give it