Boc - Regular Meeting

Good morning. This is April 20th, 2026. This is the board of commissioners meeting and we'll call this meeting to order. You would all rise and we'll have a prayer and a pledge of allegiance. Lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the beautiful sunshine you gave us. Lord, just uh thank you for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Miami County. We also ask that you be with our troops and our president and guide them through the conflicts that they're going through and give them wisdom and uh just thank you for your many blessings and gives give us wisdom as we go through this meeting. Jesus name we ask those things. Amen.

Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, Harry Codwell, your first one up. Yeah. Please use the mic. Is it not on? Hello.

All right. Good morning, commissioners. Hopefully, you can hear me. Okay. It's not working. I can be pretty loud, too. Is that okay? Or you want me to wait? Is it on? Well, I don't know who you're going to wait on because I don't know how to turn that one on. Okay. All right. Well, I'll use my loud voice. across right here.

Pull it in closer, maybe. Hello. Oh, okay. Now, all right. There we go.

Okay. All right. Well, I'm going to lean back and forth, so sorry. I can see my notes. Um, good morning, commissioners. Uh, I'm here to tell you a little bit about what's been going on at 4C Health in this last year. So, I'll give you a couple of quick stats and then I want to talk a little bit about crisis care uh and kind of what's happening at our building uh over on Broadway. So, in calendar year 2025, we served 2,173 unique individuals at our Miami in our Miami County programs. Uh that resulted in 53,497 services provided uh in Miami County. We had a total of 785 new admissions uh to the center. Well, let me say this. 785 admissions. Uh about 42% of those were individuals seeking care at 4C for the first time, no previous episodes. And then about 58% were readmissions. Readmissions aren't um a terrible thing. most individuals, I think I say this every year, but I like people to remember that with behavioral health diagnoses, that if you've had one episode, there's about a 70% chance that you'll have a second episode at some point in your life with anxiety, depression, etc. So, we want people to feel like they can come back if they need to. Same with substance use disorders. They can be kind of a relapsing, remitting condition, right? And people may need help at different points. The second thing I'll tell you is here in Miami County, you'll see a higher portion of readmits because we have our crisis center here. Okay? So, when people need crisis, they might have a couple of admissions. All right? That occur while things are getting stabilized for mobile crisis services. Uh so, to date, since September of 2020, we have deployed 2,27 times with our mobile crisis teams. And our mobile crisis teams are on call here in the county 24/7 365. They will deploy

if local law enforcement gives us a call, if dispatch gives us a call, and now because of the statewide coverage for the 988 call line, the 988 call line will also dispatch us if needed. Uh local ERS also will call us to come on site if they have a behavioral health emergency. uh in calendar year uh 25 we deployed 328 times here in Miami County. So a on average in Miami County since we started we have about 27 deployments per month. Okay, that we are called out on. Uh and then if you give that in comparison because we are we have we are staffed 247 365 across seven counties. Uh we generally have about 150ish calls, deployments per uh month across all seven counties of which approaching 30 of those are for Miami County each month. Uh so then cutting to accessibility, this is always something I love to talk about because we all remember the days when it was like, oh, you know, to get into 4C health, we got to wait like four to six weeks, right? You know what I mean? To see a doctor, we've got to wait two to three months kind of thing. We have really really been working super hard at shifting that tide. It's taken a quite a long time, you know what I mean, to get the staffing right to make the investments necessary. However, today at the center, it is it takes 0.4 days to get your initial intake. That means today any one of us in this room could go down the road, go into the office and say, "I need help. I need my intake." And you'll start care the same day that you needed to get in. There's no make an appointment. I mean, that's part of the problem is when you have to make an appointment. Any one of us know if we put an appointment a couple weeks out, life happens. Even when you need something, you got to see your regular doctor. You say, "Oh, maybe I'm going to reschedule that, right?" Or it it just is not helpful. So now today everything is walk-in accessibility. Okay. To start care. So then the second question that

comes up after that is, okay, so great, I got into care, but how long is it for me to get my second appointment in care? Right? You know what I mean? So, what we know is that if we can get you in soon and you can get to your second appointment quick, that you're probably more likely to stay engaged in behavioral healthcare. And so, today at the center, it is 6.4 days to get your second appointment. Okay, which is pretty much a landmark. Um, and I'm pretty proud of what we've done because as one of the eight certified community behavioral health center pilots for the state today, we are the top numbers in that accessibility. Okay, so that is really amazing. I always like to say because it's in rural areas, right? You know what I mean? And so to create that kind of accessibility, the area where we're still having to put in some work is for an emergency psychiatric evaluation to see one of our nurse practitioners, our MDs. Uh, that could happen same day, next day. Okay, if needed. However, for routine accessibility, right, um not emergency, it can still take up to four weeks. So, my goal is to get that to at least two weeks. All right. Now, that's down to be honest, like from like upwards of like between two and three months to get that kind of employment. So, the progress is there. It's just not quite where we want it to be. We want it to be within two weeks, which really just requires us to continue to recruit and hire and psych psychiatrists and nurse practitioners. Um, so flipping to a couple more stats. So of the population that we see here in Miami County, 62% are Medicaid and HIPP insured, 21% commercial insurance, 11% Medicare, 6% self-pay. uh 52% of that population that we see here in Miami County are 25 years and older and then 11% are 18 to 25 17% 13 to 17 and 20% 0

to 16. So what you tend to see is we'll have a big population 0 to 17 18 to 25 it dips and then it picks back up 25 and older and the reason being is that what happens is there's this transition period where uh what were what might have been parent guided or adult and guided uh and engaged care from 0 to 17 starts to change about 18 to 25, right? And pe those those youth have to make the decision to engage in care right for themselves because they're independent adults. So, we're always having to work at that engagement because it tends to dip, but then it'll pick back up. All right? And they may return to care later um down the road. I highlight that Medicaid population because while we're preparing for it, uh and we just see it as one more thing we have to get through, I think everybody knows that come January 1, 2027, uh that there are new work requirements that will be going into place for individuals particularly on the HIP program. So, by most estimates, and you don't know until it happens, uh it is expected that in the state of Indiana that about 12 to 15% of individuals on Medicaid and HIPP will lose their benefits. So, we're expecting to see some blips, right? And so, what happens is we want to keep people in care, but we also know that folks who lose their insurance, uh they worry and then they will stop, right? Coming to care almost immediately because of being concerned about starting to receive bills. So, our plan is to begin to identify those individuals who are on the HIPP program today who will have requirements in community volunteering work requirements. I think it's 80 hours per month if I'm thinking correctly. And so, we're going to identify them and work with them if they don't meet exclusions and they're going to have to do that and helping them to find right either work or community uh volunteer opportunities. So, ideally they don't

lose their insurance in that way. Um so switching to crisis care. So you know we moved our inpatient unit here right but then last year we made a change. So for the longest time as a clinical psychologist I have felt that inpatient psychiatric care has what I call a no but approach which is is there are all sorts of rules about who you can and cannot allow into inpatient psychiatric care that the default answer first is no and only if somebody is meeting exceedingly high thresholds of harm to self can they really get into or others into an impatient unit. Well, that doesn't cover everybody who's actually in crisis, right? And so we decided that it was time along with our board to go with what we call a yes and approach and just develop kind of a full access uh crisis center. And so what I'm really excited about which I think is again really cool that it's in a rural area

is that we are the only crisis center in the state of Indiana here in Miami County that has all of the accessibility that I'm about to describe. So if you are somebody and today it's 18 years and older for this arm of it. Okay. But if you come in and you're in crisis, you can number one be dropped off uh by law enforcement. Okay? Uh number two, you could walk in the door at any time. And we have three prongs to our crisis center today. One is psychiatric urgent care. So if it is that you're having what I'll say is a low to medium level crisis that needs some just immediate kind of triage and support, then you can come in. We have chairs. will take care of that situation, help you get where you need to be. Secondly, we have what we call our high acuity crisis unit. That's really like having a behavioral health emergency room. It, you know, if you want to put it in the terms of understanding, you know, that kind of level of emergency. So, people who are moderate to high acuity, we can put them into and help them triage into a secure space in our Miami County building. And then we will have a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner do an assessment. We'll have a therapist do an assessment. We'll do medications. We'll have a nursing assessment. If there are physical health issues while if they need to go to an ER, we're going to get them there. But we can handle uh mild kind of like ambulatory medical concerns while they're in the facility. There they can stay in those beds about 24 hours. That's the rule in the law, okay, for that kind of a high acuity center. And then we just got certified to use several of our beds as what's called subacute. So let's say somebody comes in, they don't need inpatient care, right? Which is the most expensive care to get for anybody. They don't need inpatient care, but 24 hours just isn't enough, right? They need to be somewhere they're willing to be somewhere. And by the way, different from inpatient, we you had to have a mental health diagnosis, okay, in order to get into our inpatient unit. This crisis center

can serve both individuals with mental health or substance use crisis. There's just no differentiation, right? It's yes and come in, we'll help you. So in the subaccute beds, the the individual can be there another 3 to 5 days if they need to voluntarily. Okay? Now, we are still able in that location to take what uh local uh EDOS's, okay? So emergency detention orders. Um so if somebody does have to come in, it is involuntary, they can be there for that short period of time of an EDO. A lot of times if they have that kind of level of care, it can't be resolved. We'll look for the inpatient unit, right, for them to be able to go to. So, it's a three-part center where somebody can walk in and have three levels of care met in addition to the fact that if it's a routine issue, you can get your intake right that same day during office hours. So, we're pretty excited about that. But really, what does that mean in terms of does it change the numbers served? So in any given year when we had an inpatient unit we might push maybe 400 or so admissions in a whole year for inpatient because again you have to meet so many different layers of requirements. Now that we have this particular center in this and that that major change happened in October okay of 25 to give you an idea just in the first three months of calendar year 25 26 now so January February March we've already seen 278 admissions to the crisis center right like put that in perspective 400 in patients versus in in a year versus 278 with this entire crisis center um and so I I think We're going to be well on track to probably exceed 600 700. I mean, ideally, I'd like to see us have at least a thousand admissions over time. And it pulls regionally because we're the only crisis center in the region that has that capability. And it works in handinhand with our mobile crisis teams, right? So mobile might go

out and deploy, find, hey, they don't need to go to impatient or they're at a local ER, let's get them over to the crisis center, right? Then we have people that walk in and then occasionally we'll have some law enforcement dropouts also. So that's a lot of information, but you know, pretty excited about what we're continuing to work at. Um, and you know, happy to answer any questions that you might have. Wow, that's a lot of information. I know. I know. I guess I had one. Go ahead. It just sounds like you got it under control.

Well, there's no such thing as always having everything totally under control in behavioral health. Let me say that we are always willing to work at it, right? You know what I mean? And we still have a lot to work on, right? Like we're just not going to rest on our laurels. Um, and so, you know, I just always want to emphasize that, you know, we take our responsibility as the designated community mental health center seriously and, you know, want to respond to the need where possible and as quickly as we can.

Guess I was thinking you're making progress. You've got it under control as far as Yes. the best you can. I guess I had one question. Since it's more of a walk-in clinic and there's not a wait time, has you seen a reduction in repeat people not coming in coming back as often? You know what? No, we've seen higher levels of engagement and I think that's because so what happens is is

you you just think about it, right? If I have to wait weeks and weeks and weeks in order to just get into care, nine times out of 10 I might not even show for that appointment, right? And so what we know from the research is really consistent on this is the sooner you can get somebody engaged in care and then get to that second appointment. So those two markers are super critical first appointment and second appointment that they are likely to come back for the third and fourth and on average like if we just look at depression commissioner I mean it can take about 20 sessions uh you know and we're not talking medication I'm talking therapy here. It could take 20 sessions to get somebody into remission. You know, a good five months of care. So, what you really just don't the risk is and it it's present in the state of Indiana on a whole because this gets measured for the state is the level of disengagement that happens in care. Like I have my first appointment and then I just fall out, right? So, what we're seeing is we're we still see some of that, you know what I mean? But we feel like we're seeing higher rates of engagement because we're getting them in and hitting those two critical markers uh better. Much better.

Well, sounds like you doing a very good job and appreciate the report. All right. Well, anytime you ever want to see the center, um we are happy to take you through it um so you can see how that entire system works. So, all right. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Corey,

you would be next. Okay, good morning. Let me set up here. homework.

Thank you.

Okay. Um I hope everybody's excited to talk about some land use on a Monday morning. So, um, we as a planning commission have been working to update our zoning maps and just kind of get them more reflective of, um, some issu, uh, just cleaning up issues and getting them reflective of kind of the current happenings in Miami County. So, one of the big pushes um was around um, US 31 up there's on the northern corridor by the uh, interchange there. there are quite a few issues and so we have proposed to reszone I believe it's 19 parcels um and so looking at this first one this is actually up on 200 north um current zoning map right now shows it's at A2 you'll see that big green area there that is uh actually up there where the Indiana Highway uh commission state highway commission is so agriculture 2 was would be what that's zoned for that's not really indicative of what's actually happening there right now. So, looking at potentially reszoning that to I1. So, you'll see that gray box there, that's industrial. So, that would be consistent with the use of the land that's going on right now. Uh, and then the rest of it is that, like I said, up uh on that 31 corridor uh interchange up there. You can see a lot of this right now is in agriculture zonings, whether that's agriculture 1, agriculture 2. um you'll see some random B3 parcels which is uh commercial or our business parcels and there's a random industrial parcel out there and and I'm not sure why that's out there. So just correcting some of our zonings uh and we have proposed to re uh zone some of these uh a couple parcels back to agriculture one and then a majority to business. Uh and and that's consistent with our zoning

ordinance and um the use along a large artery right there like 31. So um plan commission did hold a public hearing on that on March 11th and they have voted and sent you a favorable recommendation to alter all of these parcels around here. Uh so today I just have this in front of you for an ordinance to officially get those changed. That would be changing one parcel from agriculture one to business 2 commercial. Um, four parcels from agriculture one to B3 commercial. Three parcels from agriculture 1 to industrial one. Six parcels from agriculture 2 to business 3. One parcel from agriculture 2 to industrial one. Uh two parcels from business three to agriculture 2 and then one parcel from industrial one to agriculture one and one parcel from industrial one to business 3 commercial that I have no problem with this. We accept their recommendation.

Second. There's been a motion and a second to go ahead and reszone. What' you say? 19 areas. Yeah. I think it's 19 parcel. Yeah. 19 partial. All in favor say I. I

perfect. Thank you. Um the other thing I did want to make you aware of is that next month um May 4th I believe is your next commissioner meeting. At that meeting I will bring be bringing a proposal for a data center moratorum to you guys for consideration. um it has passed through plan commission and uh they will like your consideration on that. So if you have questions, I'll get it out to you, but if you have questions, please let me know. I I will say our plan commission is working on an ordinance right now. Um it's a large chunk of it is done, but just still finalizing it. And so that moratorium will be put in place hopefully uh to pause right now until we can get that ordinance fine-tuned, finalized. So we're not rushing. We're making sure that we're getting all public input and and all the things right with that in place as well.

Thank you. Mary Lou, you are next. Good morning. Good morning.

Just want to come today to um more information than anything and keep you up to date with what soil and water is um doing. Um, back in January or February, I approached our board of supervisors um regarding my employment and wanting to um cut some hours and go to a part-time position. Um, and it was hard for us to know which whether whether to get the cart before the horse or the horse before the cart to come to you guys um to I guess soil and water is just so different in so many of the than the other departments and we have our own board where we make decisions but we also obviously have county employees and would love your approval on um what we're proposing. Um in the last I did check with Carrie up in payroll and in the last four years I've had 800 comp hours. So 200 comp hours roughly a year averaging. Um I am the only full-time in the office with two part-time technicians. Most of their work is out in the field. Gary her is um wonderful with his experience that he had at extension and is able to help in the office as well uh when needed. But with bringing on this um sixcount contribution agreement from the federal um I feel like and the board feels like that there is enough work for a full-time and a another part-time position in the office. So, we have, and you've probably already seen it, we have put out that we would

like to hire a full-time to to take the replacement of my full-time position. Um, I'll remind you that that involves um financials reporting, state and federal reporting, um, education with in in the schools and doing those all county school, fourth grade a day, fifth grade law sister trail uh, events. Um, so lots of event planning, lots of networking with many state, federal and local partnerships in the world of conservation. And so what we would like your approval on today is to continue to go ahead and move forward with um a proposed third time third part-time position in the soil and water office and hiring a new full-time position to take my place. Um we would like that to happen in June. We do have interviews happening this afternoon and um we feel like we have three good candidates that we're interviewing. Um in the soil and water conservation district world, a successful district, as I have seen through the years, has an administrator, a an educator, and a technician. We have had educator admin all rolled into one with some part-time technicians. Um, if you don't know, I think you will soon find out that Purdue Extension is feeling the pains of pinch and that they're going to be going more regional. So, you're not going to have as much concentration in the county with education. Um, we can help out with that. We do partner with extension and depending on who the board

will hire um we have candidates that could be more educational. We have candidates that could be more um aronomy helping out in the field more in agriculture. So it just depends on where the board what the board chooses um which area we can go to. But I believe that once and and with myself staying on part-time and helping make that transition um is totally beneficial. The board sees that. I have seen many districts who just flipped and in their employee and um it went downhill and um you know longevity is very difficult anymore. I'm not sure that it it's less existent. I'm sure it still exists, but it's less existent. Uh, in my position, I am just the fifth employee since the 1960s. So, there has been longevity in this position. I'm the shortest of time of 15 years. So, um, I would welcome any questions you have, um, regarding this, but I think mostly we're just asking today for your stamp of approval on that. And, um, we'll see where that leads us at budget time.

Sorry, we can only allow four retirements a year. Yes. So, I don't know. You got to think it it's been a good It's been a good run, but I'm ready to slow down. So, and they have the funds to Yes. Yeah. There is funding for me to stay on um part-time through the end of this year. And so therefore, if we would come to the um commissioners and council at budget time to ask for some funding, which would be very similar to what is already approved for uh our two technicians. um that would come at that point, but for the rest of the year, yes, there are funds from soil and water

to handle that. So, we're not asking for funds. You're just asking for a blessing approval. A blessing of approval. Yes. Make a motion we allow her to move forward with the change in status of herself and another full-time employee. A motion and a second to approve your request for a another full-time position and moving you to part-time. All in favor say I. I. All right. Thank you so much. Thank you for all you've done. Yep. Can't believe it's been 15 years of me.

Good morning. Good morning. I have uh spoke with all of you one on- one and expressed the need for a new building up at the EMA. So, um, I put this packet together to bring to you in this meeting. The one extra thing that was not, uh, talked about on the price sheet was, um, the 911 consoles. Uh, last week I had a radio go down, so the backup 911 room is not working the way it should. Uh, I spoke with Molly about it and so that's something we're going to have to speak about in the near future.

Is that one of the consoles that's due to be replaced or is that theirs out there? Theirs out there are due to be replaced at the end of this year. mine. The 911 operators do not know how to use my console. They have a cheat sheet that's laminated sitting up there for them to try and figure out how to run it because it's so they can't move what they're replacing to down there or is not going to be compatible.

That I can't tell you. Um just know that their equipment out there cannot be worked on. Yeah. So if it's moved to my facility then that is the same same problem. It it still can't be worked on. So, yeah, but um you know, I have looked at um I've looked at several different sites to to move the EMA. Um with the tower being there, it it's only probably wise to stay where we're at. So, um that being said, I I put this together. this is what it would cost to have a new building put up at the EMA start to finish. Um I I tried getting several different people to come in and and look at putting up what we need and I could only get one company that would do it start to finish. That's the demolition to the offices. So Just for our audience, I don't know if any of you have been out to the EMA. The buildings are rather old and I know the former EMA director was wanting something done to the buildings because they are deteriorating. Do they leak?

Um, I don't think they leak as much now, but we have had leaks. They're the way the buildings was set up. Um they had to pour concrete around them to divert water because the water ran into the buildings. Um several of the walls in the the emergency operations center are rotten. You can actually take the sweeper and put it up against the wall and move the wall out when you're sweeping the floor. So you're right through the edge then that thing.

Yes. Yes. So my proposal is to tear the garage and the EOC down and build a new building right in their footprint and um incorporate everything into one building and then also tear down the small office that sits beside those that myself and the deputy director are also in right now. Is the fire tower a part of this proposal?

No, it is not. that is working in in conjunction with the city. Um the city's proposed to build that section of the area up there, but we trade. We'll build the fire tower.

Well, um I spoke with the fire chief the other day and some of the plans that they have looked at are now in need upwards of $600,000 just for those containers. now. So, um it it it looks like it will be a a rather large project, both city and county, but um you know, hopefully if it's done, then we can bring money into the area having classes held there. you know, is there a long-term agreement with the city on the property or is this just a friendly handshake?

As far as uh I spoke with the mayor about it and that that is kind of what he felt there was was just a long-term handshake, but he was in agreeance that uh something needed to be drawn up to that way put that handshake down on paper. I know you put an awful lot of thought and work in this.

Well, it is something that uh will benefit the county and city both. So yeah, I see this addressing a lot of needs, not just for the city, not just for the county, every emergency service, not just fire departments, but I know you have a lot of options with any emergency service want to have training there. We also have the issue of a functional building. one that I feel is our responsibility for emergencies, whether that's a tornado or any other type of event that happens. That's what we're supposed to do. Be prepared. So, this is quite a project.

Yes. Yeah. And this is definitely not me coming up here and just saying I don't like my office and I'd like a new one. I mean, this this is uh an office that will be for all of the emergency services. Um if there was ever a disaster. Um there are things that will need to be brought into the county. There's no place to put them up there. They have to go either to the uh air base or up to the uh fairgrounds. So now stuff will be centrally located at the EMA. So when when there would be a disaster and all the key players are at the uh operating center where they're supposed to be, then all of that equipment will be right there with them. So, and just so the public knows, the ask is for 900,000 to um demolish and build. And has there been any talk of the land owner that owns the 62 ft in front of it? Uh not yet. No. Okay. have any idea where we're going to get the money at all? You haven't looked at it, have you yet?

I didn't know about it till today. Today. I just think we need to take this under advis

and quote bids and all that kind of stuff. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. This was this is one I I feel the best route to go. So it has been mandated for years and it's time moving to another location. There are there are other things in play that a pretty good reason why we can't operate. So well efficiently it can be done but lots of dollar then yes then there's doubling that figure to move others other than necessit and we just spent how much on the tower

that I can't tell you that happened right before I came in yeah it was pretty good show I'm not ready to say this is definitely the way to go but it is I'll make a motion to take it under adisement and start the investigation. Second. Okay. There's been a motion and a second to take under advisement uh construction of a new EMA facility. All in favor say I. I. I.

Wonderful. Thank you. Mr. Watson and Janice, you have a list. my best

Dave Buck here from Butler Fairman Cipher. He is an engineer for him and he has done the planning for CCMG. Um, also we've had the their engineering team do the planning for our structure on Walbash Road that we're going to replace. So now we have some contracts and some discussion to go over. Um, as you are aware, last the last board meeting we had um went in for CCMG money and they said to put the card before the horses and that's what we did. Um we um went out for the bid, advertised, did everything we were supposed to do and then I got it back that same day to uh downstate and we received the award. Since then, Fred Musleman has signed that uh agreement. So you're aware that we got the full amount and now we need some signatures and contracts signed. I'm sorry I have so much paperwork, but we've got several contracts here. And the first one is actually the the bid contract. Um, let me find it the CCNG everything. These are the these are actually the contracts from ENV. I brought everything up because I didn't want to forget anything. So, you'll just have to give me a minute here. Okay, this is the bid

and that was the award winner was EMD paving. And so I have form 96. I need that signed. See what's that thing? This is for Washbash there or is that

this is actually the um this is the bid for Wbash Road Pike resurfacing and the full amount was 1 million 99,741. I would like for you to approve that and sign the document if you would please. Didn't we approve Didn't we approve the bid last time? We We approved it, but we didn't really award it because it was pending the award for CCG. Okay. The additional Yeah. Okay. We approve. Second.

A motion, a second to approve the signing of the contract with END paving on Wash Road. All in favor say I. I. I. Please go through the construction. So if you want Sure. And so along with that, we'll need your signature on the construction agreement between the county and EMB paving um and accept their bonds performance and payment of all costs associated with the project.

Okay. I think your motion covered that. It's just we need something else signed to I have them tabbed. Yeah, they're tabbed.

I think only the president has to sign the agreement. You want to talk a little bit about the project? Sure. So, this is the third phase uh as as we've been working with the county over the last several years with Carrie and Janice to resurface old US 24 uh through the county east and west. Phase one was on the western side of the county. Phase two finished that western side to the Purdue city limits and then started on the eastern side of the county working back towards the city. Um in that third phase then from where we left off at what 450 or so um back to the east city limits there's a large culvert in there. It's almost big enough to be classified as a bridge but thankfully we've been able to keep the new design uh under that 20 foot span threshold. Uh so it will not be on your bridge inventory going forward but it is a rather large structure and so it's going to require closure uh for the contractor to put that new structure in. Um, in looking at that then the likely detour route that's going to get used the most is Paul Pike and it's not in the greatest of shape. So the scope of phase three began to become both resurfacing of old 24 Wash Road that last piece as well as when the detour is done put Pike back together in a better shape. Um so that it's going to see quite a bit of truck traffic during construction since we have to close the road for the Culver. Um that being said, the Culbert project um will be the first thing. They approve this.

No, it needs signed.

So another piece of business that we have for you is formally approving the agreement uh for the construction of the culvert. The low bid on that was also to he paving. So thankfully we will have the same contractor. There was a potential and situation we were looking at where we might have two different contractors working on the cover and then the resurfacing and having to coordinate that. This will simplify that quite a bit. Uh, but we had everything in the contract documents to require that coordination. U, EMD's price for the culprit was $711,764. Um, and as I said, that will be the first thing that they'll need to do. And that closure would start uh after notice to proceed and we have pre-construction meetings and they mobilize in. Uh there really won't be any work on the contract you just approved for the resurfacing until the work is far enough along with the culvert where it makes sense to go ahead and start doing wall bash road first. And when that's open and done, the detour on Paul will will become the construction area to resurface that. So that won't wrap up until the end of this construction season probably in the fall, October, November at the latest.

Keep in mind the structure also is all LPA money, local money. So we are paying for that 100% had to be done in order to move forward. So, just letting you know on that and I have that contract as well. Have these price pages. Am I supposed to sign that? So the individual sorry our sign okay bill

that they priced that out as um Wbash road was 780,62556 and Paul Pike uh estimate was 319,115944 so yeah also Butler Fairman Cipher they're also the um con the construction inspection engineer. Um I think you have Terry coming who Terry Holding and he was um the construction inspector for phase one. It's very familiar. I think ENB did that phase two, didn't they?

Yes, they did. And then Terry also I think he did one phase out at Eagles Point. So we're familiar with him. He did a good job. As a matter of fact, if I recall on phase one, I believe he caught a mistake and if I'm not mistaken, and it saved us about $20,000. So, he measured really important to make sure the project's done correctly. I think I have it marked there. Yeah, I only saw one signature page. checking all the others to make sure there was since you guys you've already voted that I appreciate that. Um, do you have any other questions for us?

I just think let's approve that over contract separately like a motion to vote. So I need to make a motion that we approve the signing of the contract. Second. Been a motion and a second to sign the contract for the culvert with ENB paving. All in favor say I.

Appreciate it. Um I said that we would talk about the ADA contract. So I have been conversing with uh Tim Clark and the other vendor that is interested in it. We've had phone conversation and of course Tim came here and met with him twice. So if we could have uh I've got a estimate and I believe I I know I emailed all three of the board of commissioners. Um if we could have a meeting um possibly Fred, you're on that committee. Um before the next board of commissioners meeting, I think we can make a ballot decision on what vendor we should use for that if you decide to go that direction. And um I already talked with both of them and said we try to have a decision by the first meeting in May. So that works with everyone.

And then lastly, I did get a phone call on Friday. I wanted you to know that I do follow through with things like this. I had a um woman call me from South Bin and she was calling uh for an offender at the Miami Correctional Facility and they wanted to talk to the ADA coordinator and wanted me to go out there and meet with them. Well, I said we do not have jurisdiction over the prison that they have their own ADA facility coordinator. Gave her all the information. I said I wouldn't be going out for a visit. Um and I actually gave her an budsman phone number. I went up and I looked everything up for her and she was happy with that. So I didn't just I I followed through with it just to let you know. But we do have no jurisdiction over the prison at all.

I would think so. That's a state. Appreciate everything. All right. Thank you.

And then I think Chad's coming up. He's got some work. Before I get to the few things I have, I wanted to make sure that everyone knows the hustle that went on to get this CCMG latest grant that we were able to tain obtain. Um Janice and the guys at BFNS spent a tremendous amount of hustle time trying to get all that information so that we were able to get that. So I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows how much work went into that in a hurry. So

appreciate it.

Yeah. Um, I wanted to bring up a ongoing issue at the intersection of 600 North and Paul Pike. Um, we have had multiple complaints and some people actually threatening legal action. As you're sitting on 600 North facing west, the view to the south is obstructed substantially. Um, the homeowner is uh Kevin Clark who actually was kind enough to come in here this morning and we were able to talk to him briefly before this meeting. And I think uh Brad, tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe that sounds like we're going to be able to work with Kevin and get that resolved without having to take any further action today. So, I'd like to to try to work that out before we do any more towards that. I believe there's what three or four trees that

correct. So, that was going to be a longer conversation than what I've had, but that's a good thing. So, I think we have to get that taken care of.

Um, just a few other announcements. I was able to hire um three new workers that will be starting the 1 of May. Danny, Leslie, Braden Smith, and Drew Hunt will all be new employees for us. Danny will be working with the South End with Kenny. And then Brad will be taking the the two other men. Um, be excited about their their hire, real quality standup people with with a lot of skill. So, I was fortunate to to have that. Um, I think we ended up with 25 or 27 applicants. So,

yeah, it's it's exciting to hear that the county highway department's becoming a place that people want to be a part of. So, um, other than that, if you don't have any more questions for me, how did I watched one of the trucks sell at the auction, how did things The auction went very well. Um, I think the total dollars were somewhere 40,000 or just a little over and by the time we paid for the auctioneering and everything, I think we cleared 37. So, we were I guess I watched the truck there chipper. I was surp I never priced a chipper. I was surprised what it brought. We were ecstatic with what everything brought. So, that that was that was a good thing.

And other than that, um, just a lot of projects going on right now. So, we're uh getting ready to enter the busy season. Hopefully, the trees stop falling to the point that we can start worrying about about the roads. And uh I know I've talked to Mark about a few tile projects that we've got going on that involve fixing some of our roads we've had problems with with a long for a long time. So, just a lot going on. Um hopefully everything will go well this year and everyone will see a lot of progress. So, has there been any followth through with the state on fixing 450? I know Carrie was working with them and

I just got an email from them on Friday and of course they want more information. They uh they didn't accept the information that we gave them as being sufficient. What do they need? uh more measurements which were already done and more numbers which were already done. So I'm going to set them a fresh set of me uh measurements and numbers and hope that they don't try to push that off even further. So it's in process I guess is my short answer.

Okay, good. I just didn't know with the changing of guard if that had kind of fallen off. Okay, good to hear.

Okay, thank you. This is Colin Solomon with Beller Bearman Cipher. We have an agreement here in pass now uh for the paser guard by annual paser rating uh that we do for the county and this paser rating that that we've done in the past it it keeps you in compliance with uh to get CCMG funding and if you have federal funding state or federal funding you got requirement to do so the first phase is us actually going out physically evaluating the roads, get an eyes on it. But this time, uh we're planning on bringing out somebody from the highway department to kind of help train and get them uh maybe the ability in the future to do this themselves uh to save some money. So, we thought we'd bring out the guys and and help. They've already been through the training course, but this will help be hands-on training as well. So, they'll come out with us and rate show them how we rate the roads. And then the this up. And then also included is an optional MBH analysis which we will assess all the roads that you have and make sure that they you are getting the MBH money for each road and it's actually on the inventory for the county. Um so if there's roads uh as subdivisions uh have been built in the past and maybe in the future that maybe have not been caught and they need to be added to your inventory. So, that's an optional thing that we can do. We put in there as optional. Um, and I think there's a subdivision coming. Is that right?

Yeah. But I think it's probably a couple years out. So, we'll keep it on there as optional. If we decide that there's a new subdivision that comes on and we need to make sure we get that onto your inventory, we'll do it then. If not, then we can just hold off on that.

And that subdivision would have to be annexed in anyway. right now on the um the rating on our roads, our our mileage is we've been working for I know a decade to get that correct and we're at 785 miles point uh it's out to a thousand and we have been there for at least five years. So, and we worked with BFNS on this uh PAR rating. Uh actually Toby was here when we first started it and we got it in a really good place. So right now that shouldn't have to happen because you know everything's right on with that. Um the other thing is if you recall I think three years ago four years ago I went out and got another bid for another engineering firm to for paser rating and they were actually at that time that was two years ago I guess it was it was like $14,000 higher. So basically, it would cost us more money to go to someone else when the wheel's already been invented and we keep it we keep that phaser rating intact. I think we're doing a good job. Chad and Brad both have been trained in it and we're getting ready to train another foreman and maybe bring on a couple equipment operators. So, um, we're definitely going to need them for the asset management part of this plan. to keep our funding, we have to keep paser rating in place. Um, and you said something earlier, uh, as we leave and people retire out, you're going to have companies come in and try to sell you, and I've already had them the last year try to get us to buy a software program plan, and it's new. And LTAP, is that even approved yet through TAP?

I just question. So, I I I pushed away for a while because it's new. Eventually, maybe it'll be a good program and it it's basically um AI. I think this AI rating, we're testing it now to see how it works. Uh it costs more costs more money. So anyway, um I feel like we have to have this uh Chad and his group, they they've done a good job, but they've got a lot of work on their plate right now and they're going to need this assistance.

There are new uh guidelines and and uh rules on Paser that there's going to be a QC QA phase. So there is an opportunity that um we still don't really know how that's going to be rolled out by LTAP, but there's going to be some kind of QC QA phase. And with you having staff that's been through the training, it might help alleviate some cost too that they could do the QCQA phase here.

There's several workshops uh Elap's putting on and Chad is uh going to attend one. It's a conference actually I think in August. So um we are working towards where we need to be but we we will still may we may always need their assistance. I don't know especially for the asset management part of it because they have an engineering team. We do not. We put together a plan and then it's was a five-year plan they put together and we got to submit to LTAP and then they give you a certification back. So we have to put that in a format that LTAP likes it and put it and it's a spreadsheet and then they give it to them and you get a certificate.

Carrie did the he did the he entered am I right? All the new road is that right Carrie on the asset on the uh road pacer he always entered the new roadway information. They did, but then they had to go back through and do something. I forget what it was to report to data behind the scenes. And so they offered also they'll train Chad to know how to do that the software.

I guess you brought up one question um talking about housing additions. If they're if we're going to take over their roads, do you have specific guidelines how they have to build the roads so we don't get into another mess of taking on more roads that are Oh, you're talking about if we annex a new Well, absolutely. And that would be the recommendation of your engineering team that we'll have to have engineering uh recommendation for that for sure. Is it the new group? Well, and I outside of Bunker Hill. I'm not on 900. Is that what I

They did have a thing in there for subdivision. I forget we had in place. I don't know what all it entailed or what it says in it about how what to do to the roads and stuff. So, well, I I think with the the new subdivision going in, the plan is the bunker will annex it. So, it won't be ours, but in the case someone does want to do one, I know we don't want to be taking on roads that were not built. Yeah. Yes. Should have some kind of standards, right? Okay. Agree.

So, um if Mark, have you read this contract? I reviewed basically what this is before and it doesn't look like anything's changed from last time. So, similar to the past. I think we just reformat the scope a little bit, but I would leave off the he had it in as optional. Again, we I think our our numbers are really good. Uh so far and there was a not to seed and with that optional part um was the MBH analysis. Is that what MBH analysis? It says optional. So, we can just cross that off.

Well, and leaving it in there is fine, but I'm just saying for the county, we don't need to do that yet. If we don't do that phase, then we won't charge that phase. Okay. So, I would entertain a motion to accept this agreement for the ACE rating. So, move second. Been a motion and a second to have BSF um sign we sign a contract with them for the pacer rating on our roads. All in favor say I. I. I. Thank you. Thank you. That's it. I promise.

Okay. Anderson here.

Yes. So, we will move on to lawn. Are you here? Oh, the That's okay. I'll pass for today. I gathered a little more information and I just want to hear. Oh, okay. Listen, but thank you. You're welcome. She didn't hear me. Is Rick here? I do not see Rickerson. No sh I guess. Yes. What else do you have for us besides then it's payroll and Well, we still have Okay, so the TK elevator.

Oh, yes. Sorry. Right there in front of my face. The two things with that. Our elevator um service safety thing is not up to date. So, we can't um move forward on getting that per bit. So, we're just going to take it out of November and put it move it up to now. That's what she was asking for. I sent you that. information says sign that and then if we could we'd have to pay half down if you could u agree to pay this out at docket and two at least two or three of the assignment this is for the safety report. This is for the safety report on the elevator here at the annex at the annex and it is for

oh $892716. Do I have a motion to accept this contract? So move. Been a motion and a second to approve the TKE contract for the elevator. All in favor say I. I.

Am I the only one that signs it? I think so. Yeah. And Jesse would like you guys to sign the bottom of that statement that she could pay it out of docket. We have to pay half down today if we could. This is to pay half of that contract out of docket. Make a motion to pay. Second.

Been a motion and a second to pay half of this out of docket for the contract. All in favor say I. I. I. And then you have the total waste ordinance. Total waste ordinance. And this is just to do the distribution of the to set up the fund, the non-reverting fund for the 3%.

So we're looking at an ordinance of uh between the board of commissioners and the solid waste. And what this simply does is takes out 3% to go to the treasur and the auditor's office. We just needed an ordinance to have that money split out to a different fund. So we have a solid waste ordinance. Move we approve. Second. Then a motion and a second to approve this ordinance with the solid waste. All in favor say I.

I put your minutes. I thought it was in here.

Can I ask about that? Sure. Well, I asked three times to I haven't been muted. Okay. Uh yeah, you should have a one front and back. Back.

Did you have your copy that we passed out earlier? No, it's right here. Yes, I have this right here. Can I just ask why that was approved when I've asked three times via email to see it before it was approved? I don't have an answer. No one respond, not one person until Mark said he was going to draft that ordinance.

So the funds for the ordinance is already established by the state for the solid waste. All we need it for the distribution of the 3% to see that supposed to be divided up two. It is it is um the treasur's office gets 1% and uh the auditors gets 2%. And that's what I wanted to have a conversation about before that was ever approved. That's what we had discussed in the meetings prior to also

but what has transpired is not what was originally agreed upon. My office is doing bulk of the work. The assessment for solid base was not done in the auditor's office. That was done by EPSOT our tax software company. So, we're fielding the questions. We're managing uh how they were even applied. Had it not been for our office, 2,000 parcels would have been built, not 12,000. Our office kept on asking FSOT about the assessment. So, if we wouldn't have done that, then it would have come out that we didn't do our job. we would have been blamed for everything and it wasn't even our responsibility to begin with. They would have got build for 2,000 parcels instead of 12.

Sorry, we didn't respond. I guess we and I could dispute that a hundred times, but that's beside the point. This was the agreement that we had come up with a long time ago and our office has done equally or more agreement based on a conversation that I never got to be part of the beginning and I told you I'll take the blame for that one. That was my oversight.

So I guess that's what I'm upset about. I sent an email three times asking for feedback from you guys. Where's this ordinance? I want to review it prior to not one person had the respect. That seems to be lacking all the way around. Not one person had the respect to respond to me and for that openness so I could review it prior too because I have some arguments to make about this.

Do you want Do you want this or? Yeah, I would. Well, you guys have already approved it. You're right. We did. What is it? Why is it that people cannot communicate with me? It's such a lack of respect to me. It's not intentional. It's not intentional that way, especially when I've sent three email. I'm the one that kept following up December 18th. I followed up again in February. I followed up again at followed up again last week. I just don't understand. I don't have an excuse. I didn't get email. So, I

That is not right. the amount of work that we are doing and she can sit up there and argue all day long that she's doing the same amount but for more than I want more than 1%. Who which which office pays for Exol? The assessor ex pardon you pay for Exol, right? That's the assessor pays part of the five-year contract that the commissioners pay for Exol. Okay. At minimum, I think that that vote needs to be rescended until we can have a conversation about that.

I was thinking that was standard as far as that type of a contract with other counties. The two and the one is normally what they get. So that's what I thought was standard. Well, like I said, we could dispute this, but I don't think it should be brought up in a public meeting to have discussion because of the work that we're forced to take on. We were forced to take that on. Our my office was not given the respect to have a conversation about it. We made sure that the solid waste had all the parcels filled. We have we have been fielding all the phone calls. We have been dealing with the disgruntled people wondering why in the heck they're paying the $30. We have been doing all that work, which is exactly why that never got done before.

Well, I got some of them. I can tell you that. Not near as much as either, but I've had to answer them. There were 70ome parcels that were built incorrectly that had to have revised tax bills go out. So, we've had those and we did all of those in the auditor's office had to be contacted to tell them, hey, uh, you know, your bill is wrong or we've had to deal with them coming in, your bill is wrong. You should be getting a revised tax bill. This is absurd. And we had these same issues when we went to the conversion for XSoft. That was also done without any communication. That is a lie. That is a lie. You were in on that conversation.

Well, let's deal with this. Are you wanting either you wanting to because like I said, we can dispute this all you want, but you have any guidance, Mark? You can resend it or we can amend it later at the next meeting if if we do a different percentages. I was going based off what was in a previous email, but yes, communication with Mary was I never had any communication with her other than her just asking for the or asking the status of the ordinance. So, I'm your call on that. I think Christ sending it might be the thing to do. Thank you. And the addresses. I don't I think the percentage is quite fair.

We're got to do all the settlement part of it. We have all to resend this decision for now. Second. No. I'll second it. Let's take a vote. All in favor? I I opposed. I

Mark, will you send me a copy of it then? I can't review that. I can I can send you what has been rescended now. Or I have it here, Mary, if you want it. I will keep that one. I'll have that email to me. via email and there's I would like to have a conversation about that. So I don't know how we need to set that up but we need to have a conversation. What? I don't know what we need to do to have the conversation about revising how that percentage is not divied up but when he sends me that then I will send my feedback. Okay. So then I guess I don't know if we need to come to the next meeting to have a conversation about that or what

would that take an exact meeting to have the conversation or can the three of us just talk with her? I don't think it's an exact session um falls with an exact session. So figuring out with what the percentages are. So yeah, we don't have to Okay. Yeah, it's it because of the administrative side, you don't need a public meeting for that. Okay. Did we have a motion on the minutes? Nope. I have a minute. Make a motion to approve minutes. Second. Been a motion and a second to approve the minutes. All in favor say I. I.

Next is payroll. We approve payroll. Second and claims. And we have the claims. Move we pay the claims. Second. And a motion and a second to pay the claims. All in favor say I. I. Okay.

What else do you have? Mark, do you have anything for us? I have nothing. All right. Um, we've got a little bit of time. Is anybody have comment dealing with stuff we've talked about today? I see none. I have a question about ADA access. Okay. Um, I was wondering why we no longer have closed captioning on the YouTube channel. We used to have closed captioning on these meetings and it has been turned off. And that is an ADA requirement. So I'm wondering how we restore that.

That would be an IT question. I as far as I know, it's not on this screen, right? Sure. I just want to because you're because the county is responsible for its ADA access. I want to make sure that you understand that we're not compliant and it needs to be fixed. So um if you could talk to your IT department about fixing that, it would really help people. Okay. Thank you. Make a motion to adjurnn. Second. Is that a motion? A second to adjurnn. All in favor say I.