County Council - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat.

I'm going to open the uh April 1st, 2026 meeting of the Hamilton County Council. Um, can I have a roll call? Ken Alexander, present. Brad Beaver, here. Tim Griffin, here. Mark Hall, here. Sue Mackey, present. Amy Masalami present. Steve Nations present. You have a quorum. Thank you, Mr. Auditor. And now we're going to uh have an invocation and a pledge of allegiance by Mark Hall.

Would you stand and bow your heads, please? Father God, we thank you for another day of life. We thank you for all the blessings that you give each and every day. Tonight, we think specifically pray for the safety of all of our servicemen and women in theater and out of fear. guide our leadership. Put your sovereign hand on all of them. We pray for wisdom and discernment this evening, Lord, as we go about doing your people's business. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

I pledge allegiance 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. Okay. I need a uh a motion to approve the minutes of the March 4th council meeting of which I did not attend. Make a motion. Second. All in favor? I oppose. Uh I need a executive session memorandum for today 26. So moved.

Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. This is a time for public comments. Anybody who wants to say something that's not on our agenda, now's the time. Seeing nobody moving forward, we'll go on to committee and officer reports. President reports. Only thing I have to say, I thank Steve Nation for filling in for me last month. Other than that, I got nothing. Steve, uh, I only want to say thank you for letting me have the There you go. Mutual admiration, right? Thank you. Highway committee, we did not meet, but there's several things on the agenda.

Finance did meet and Kelly has sent out, sorry, Kelly has sent out a memorandum of finance meeting. We will not go broke this month. Personnel, uh, we did meet and items u being discussed are on the agenda. Okay. Major projects. We did not meet. Uh, we didn't. Well, okay. We're not meeting this coming. No, we did. We did meet. We met last. Yeah. Was it okay? I guess that clears that right after. It's always the week after. Yeah, that's right. We did. You were there, but you were on call. Yeah. Okay. So, not there, but there. There. But not there.

Anything you need to report? No, it's been reported over. Anybody got anything under miscellaneous? All right, let's move forward. Under unfinished, I see nothing. Under table business, uh there's a parks fund request for $2.5 million. I'm going to make a motion to take this off the table. I'll second for discussion. Been moved and second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Okay, it's off the table. So I do want to say that approved to to um have a there's a motion. Yeah, but we have we have a motion to approve it. We motion on the table now. Motion to approve.

Now you just need a motion to approve. Motion to approve or motion second your and now now we can now we can discuss. Okay. Yeah.

I just want to say so we have a motion and a second to approve the item that just got unt. I just want to say that I met with the parks director and the president of the parks board for an extensive meeting last week. We went o went over what our financial consultant is asking for us, which means we're asking of them, which is to keep half their property t half a year's property tax in a cash balance is what we're looking for going forward, which is why it got tabled last month. And after having a lengthy discussion with what our wishes were, um they they understood and promised to do the letings on these projects to not let their half year's cash balance go below half a year. They'll string it out such a way. Now on our books, it really don't work that way. Once it's appropriate, it's appropriated. But they will let them in such a way that the cash balance won't go below. And with that uh I'll anybody else have any discussion points on this particular ad?

Okay. Uh all in favor of this motion say I I opposed. That one passes. We'll go on to new business which is approval of vendor claims. Move to approve. Second. Been moved and second. All in favor? I oppose. That passes. The next item is resolution 04-01- 2026-1, a resolution concerning purchasing real estate and 146 in Hazelville Parkway. Motion to approve. Second. All in favor? I.

Opposed? That passes. Uh, Hamilton County Tourism is requesting permission to disperse funds to the Hamilton County Airport Authority in the amount of 500,000, Connor Prairie in the amount of 500,000 and Hamilton County Fairgrounds in the amount of 250,000. So moved. Second. All in favor?

I opposed. That passes. Now I want to open the public hearing on additional appropriations. Uh the first one is fund 1000 general fund the uh requesting $2 million. Is that the total of these all together or is that a particular addition total for the general fund? Yeah. Do what? That's the total for the That's the total. So we'll go line by line. Auditor's office addressing a requesting a 144 amendment. Motion to approve. Second. All in favor? I commissioner's office is requesting a 144 amendment. So moved. Second. All in favor?

That passes. That Let's Let's talk about stop at the commissioner's office. Yeah, because when you put them all together or as such um am I wrong on this? Wasn't this related to the team lead? Yeah, this was related to the team lead, right? Yes. Oh, you're right. Thank you. Thank you, Amy. So, you had a motion and a second, right? So, then

So, I think the only question on this um Sheena, since we've talked in personnel, was related to remaining consistent for the team lead roles and from what has been gathered by council that it was actually a $2,80 pay. Are you opposed to us adjusting Sorry, we just since there are other team team leads, we just it was brought up and it was so that it could remain consistent instead of the

I appreciate that. I I thought when I looked at the 2080 we were talking about earlier and I thought that was more relevant to the sheriff's department. So, I didn't know if it had a correlation with a stipen because they worked like the 280 But we would be I think it used to be 1950. I think we used to do it like 1950. Am I wrong on this? No, there's there's no 1950s that I know of anymore. All team I think there's 12 or 13 team leads across the county. Um and they're all 2080. I know ISS has them.

Uh communications has them. I don't I don't think the sheriff's office has team leads that make 2080, but I know communications does. And that's that's a 40hour week employee. But well, we would be appreciative of the 2080. Thank you. Okay. Y Okay. So, with that adjustment, adjust the motion then. Amend the motion to Hold on. You guys actually already approved this. Yeah. So, you're going to need to do a motion to reconsider and instead to do whatever you want to do. Okay. I need a motion to reconsider. So, moved. Second. All in favor? Okay. Let's reconsider the commissioner's office request 144 and move it to 2080 instead of what?

2500. 2500. Okay with you, Chief. It's perfect. Okay. Now I need a motion for that. So moved. Second. All in favor? I. All right. Now we're through commissioners and we're to court administration requesting a 144 amendment. So moved. Second. All in favor? I

opposed. That passes. Buildings and grounds requesting additional appropriation amount of $2 million. As I explained to other council members, the auditor contacted me wanted to put a line item in our budget to pay for remodeling projects as they move forward so that they could be paid out of this line item to the maximum amount of $6 million, which we verbally agreed to. Is everybody comfortable with that language? Motion to approve. Second. You understand what we're doing here, Steve? Yes, sir. Okay. Uh, all in favor? I

opposed. That passes. Prosecutor's office requesting a 144 amendment. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. Sheriff's office is requesting 144 minutes. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. Fund 1025 airport capital improvement fund is requesting 630,244.29 out of their capital fund for ongoing improvements at the airport. So move. Second. All in favor?

I opposed. That passes. Health funds requesting $27,65.76. So move to approve. All in favor? I opposed. Major Bridge is requesting additional appropriation of one $1 one.5 million. So move. Second. All in favor? Opposed? That passes. Motor Vehicle Highway Fund is requesting 1,630,100.

So moved. Second. All in favor? I. That passes. Parks Recreation Donation Fund requesting a transfer of $22,000. So move. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Parks and Recreation. We're looking for a 144 amendment for finance and accounting manager. Motion to table. I need a second. Second. Okay. Uh a motion to table supersedes everything else. So that 144 got tabled. 144 amendment for facilities technician.

Senate. We have to vote on the table. What? We have to vote on the table. I'm sorry. I need a vote on the table. It's April 4th. We should all So, you have a motion and a second, sir. Yes. All in favor? Oppos? That passes. The tableabling motion passes. 144 amendment for facility technicians. So move. Second. All in favor? I. That passes. 144 amendment part-time clerical and financial assistance. Some move discussion. Second. Okay. Move and second. What kind of discussion would we have?

Um so um Chris um is this the this is one of the uh the um roles that was brought up in budget hearings. Correct. And and at that point in time it it's we turned it down as a full-time position and we and and this may be part-time in that at that time. Um it was submitted into the 26 budget as a part-time professional. It wasn't requested as full-time. Okay. So then that So now the request is to change that. Um yeah, based on the job roles and responsibilities um to make it part-time professional. Oh, sorry.

When you requested the job in the fall or early fall, late summer, did you anticipate that there would be job changes? I I guess trying to see how we got here, right? Cuz you had we told you four. You asked for four, I think it was, or five, and we said two. We said pick two. You didn't pick this one. And so then now you're shifting it, adjusting the job description. And so when did the duties change?

They've continued to change with more responsibilities that are coming down from the auditor's office and different uh CRG compliance. those roles and responsibilities are increasing this position and the hours that we're needing support. So there's new there's new responsibilities that didn't exist last year. Correct. And you did you know that would be the case? No.

Uh I guess because he said indicated that some of the things that the auditor has sent that their way. What what types of things have changed in this new year? We're automating the claims process. Okay. Um so that's part of it. I'm going to assume. Uh we also are budgeting at the cost center level. Those are the two major changes coming out of the audit. Did I hear that right? You're automating it. Yes, we're automating the entire claims process. Is it normal that when you automate something that you're that you're increasing responsibilities for manual input? That is not for me to answer. Good. Good answer.

I have nothing for them. Anybody else? All in favor? I I. That's three. All opposed? I I That's four. That one got turned down. Emergency management Emergency Operations request number 144 amendment. So move second. All in favor? I oppose. Fund 4807 non-reing computer maintenance fund requesting additional appropriation of $531,350.

Second. Motion and second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. Fund 4824 g bond series 2025A requesting a appropriation of $68,115.38. Motion to approve. Second. All in favor? I. That passes digital. I can't say that word. Orthopraphy. Great. They're requesting an an additional appropriation of $14,230. So second. All in favor? That passes. Amy,

um we would like to combine item L1 through four for approval. Second. Second. All in favor? I passes. Make a motion to approve item L1 through four. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Those grants are all granted. Grant appropriation. That's the end of regular business. We're going to go to announcements. Sheriff, do you have any announcements? Yes, sir. Can I ask about the vehicle, our special order vehicle? That mean we're done. Uh, it is going to be close whether or not we get that in this calendar year or not. They've told us it's going to be delayed again. So,

that's a pretty good business to be in. Somebody needs to just push them off for a year or two. Yeah. Okay. But you have the money. Yes. Okay. Uh but that uh incumbrance has been h has happened twice and will expire at the end of this year. Okay. All right. That's okay. County council attorney, do you have anything? No, sir. Uh quick question. On the 2025 bond that we just appropriated. Yes. Does that because it's 2025 go that's item J

J sorry is that 2025 like we may have uh bond bond funds uh once the bond ordance has been approved and the bond closes are automatically appropriated. So by reappropriating bond funds twice that causes uh or could cause causes issues. So I'll word that very poetically for bond covenant purposes but there just a question for why that was on there again. Yeah we can

so yeah so the bond fund should not be on the agenda to appropriate because once you have the bond ordinance it's done. So, we need to go back and I was just I would I would just maybe re do a motion to reconsider and reconsider. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. A second so we can discuss. You you made a motion to reconsider. Yeah, I'll make a motion to reconsider. And and item J and uh Ken seconded. Let's reconsider fund 4824 GO bond series 2025. So, it's been brought up that we don't reappropriate once No. Once the once the ordinance is passed

and the bar closes. Yeah. I was preaching. Okay. So, let's let's uh we're reconsidering it. Let's uh vote in the negative. Huh. Or you just don't vote and it it doesn't Why don't you just do Why don't you just move to vacate the vote? Yeah. I uh I need a motion to vacate the vote. Make a motion to vacate the vote. And I apologize it's technicality but it's on public record. So we just want to make sure we I need a second. Got a second. All in favor of vacating the vote for item J. I opposed. That never happened. Mr. Auditor, do you have anything?

No. Apologize that I got on the agenda. Sorry. delete that. We already uh It doesn't exist. It doesn't exist anymore. We're ajourned.