Boc - Regular Meeting

Good morning. It is 9 o'clock. This is uh November 20 November 17, 2025, the board of commissioners meeting for Miami County, Indiana. Welcome. And first on our list is Jessica. Jessica Good morning. Good morning. I am the Jessica Freeman of the Justice Arnold of the Justice.

Okay. So, we came today requesting the commissioner's approval uh to move forward with the proposed upgrade to our current phone system, which is specific to the 911 center. Uh the existing system we have is being phased out and as of next year, I believe May, it will no longer be supported and the current system that we have is just going away. So um in order to remain and maintain reliable operations, we uh are requesting an upgrade to the system we have. We have gotten two options for the upgrades. Um two different costs and we would like to go with the cheaper of the two. Um we thought that was the best fit for us and at this time we have the funds. We do not need any money from the county. We are just requesting approval to move forward with the upgrade.

That was the news I wanted to hear. [clears throat] Yes. Yes. Um do you want to say anything about the two companies or

um so in digital is who offered us both um quotes for the two different products, programs, whatever you want to call them. Um they have Vesta, which we have had in the past. Um no complaints with it at the time. And then the other is a newer company, Resilient. Uh they've been to the sheriff's department to do uh demos for us. Some of the dispatchers were able to interact with it and use it at the time and really seem to like it. It's pretty user friendly. lots of options and pretty good technology on there and they are fairly new so they're like they're on top of everything with the technology. Um the reason one of the reasons we've chosen them not only the cheaper of the options but um has been bought out by Motorola

and we are trying to get away from a lot of Motorola stuff. We have had very bad experiences with them. customer service-wise. So, we're trying to and this would all be through in digital. They would maintain do the support and service. They're always great. If we call their call center, they'll have somebody there within an hour or two. To clarify, in digital currently right now, I mean, we use in digital right now. That is anyone that comes through the county or lives within the county and dials 911. All of that call routing and whatnot goes through the company in digital. Um, we've changed the admin lights to them as well or still AT&T.

Yeah, I'm not sure. But we utilize in digital now. So, it's not like we're trying to find a new company or anything. This is an upgrade that they are offering since the current call work system that we have is going to be end of life next year. And they feel good with the reliantly. Yes. Resilient. Yes. Yeah. Resilient. Okay. And with any changes coming with EMS, it all that's not an issue with this script. It'll all integrate. Um, yeah, it it'll all it ties into that was one of the things we asked them, but if it would tie into our systems.

I'll make a motion we go with their recommendations. I don't have any other questions. A second. There's been a motion and a second. Just so you all know, this is an expensive adventure. The first year it's 16742607 with the annual cost of maintenance and stuff is 21,16688 just like everything else [snorts] electronic getting old, outdated and worn out. So it's been a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. I. So we're good to go. Here we give Christian

testing. There we go. Sorry. That was my button.

Oh, this one. I think that one's on. Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you. Good morning. Good morning. I'm Chris Brooks, president of the Miami County Cemetery Board. This is Debor, one of our members, range of the outfit harvest worker publish. Um, you're not baring. I know. I'm a smart man.

We're here. We have a $2,000 budget every year and I got a report just a few weeks ago from RC to see where we were at our money. And to my surprise, which normally we spend that uh during the year we spend that money on just PR basically. Um and we sometimes we have to buy some equipment but now our equipment is real expensive. Anyways, we had Marc gave me the report and uh at the time it was like 1,700 some dollars we still had left. And I started going to my mind, why why is that? We had several. So our our usual agenda for work days is we'll have our meetings and we'll make a make a day for the work days. It's usually one or two Saturdays or Sundays a month and for four or five hours and that's what we do for work. Well, if you remember, I happened to be laying concrete blocks at the time, but in June and July, it was super hot this year. So, we're all I'm 67. I think the might be a little younger than me, but the rest of our members are that help us the elderly. So, we canceled a few few of those and we had some rainhouse. Anyways, bottom line is we just spent $300 some dollars on gravel. And what we're looking to do, we've been talking about for a couple years now. So, the routine on the workday is I take my trailer, flatbed trailer, store our equipment up at the county highway garage. uh that morning or the day before I go up there to that building, get our equipment we're going to need for work and and then go to Aries and get our gravel in bags, 50 lb bags

and then we just do our work and I might I might if I got different schedule I might get the gravel the day before but that's the normal rate. And so we brought up the idea if we had an enclosed trailer, a small one, not not real big, that we could get all the equipment in there and have that always ready and it always be out of the weather. That would be a big advantage to us. So that's reason we're here is I found one in Mbury. We have to go get it and I'd be glad to do that if this goes through up in Mbury. It's a 6 by12 that we closed for $3,800 and we have I think if my figures are right right now we're we spent some more for one session we just had we're down to 1669 in our budget and I guess I don't know if there was an A or B or not but A would we'd like to try to encumber that money into the next year's budget and then try to find some more for to balance which would be 2130 or the 3,800 is what we're after. Um, if that is I don't know how that process works for you you all, but if that can't happen, then I was thinking, well, maybe we could take this for this year, spend make a down payment on one and hold one for us because he keeps advertising get them while they're that price because the tariffs are coming and they're going to go up. I've been checking the Indian order for three months and they haven't gone up yet. But that's what we're Are you going to have more expenses this year?

No, we're done with our work days for the year. So, you know, really our ask is, can we carry that money over and can you give us some more money next year? We can buy the trailer. We're all volunteer. You guys know that. It'll just cut down on the time that Chris has to spend or whoever is loading up the equipment. just makes it easier on us all volunteer folks. Please, I think it sounds like a good idea. My questions are with the county on the trailer and then the licensing, the insurance, who's going to pull it. Yeah, that those are just questions. They're not concerns. They're just will it becomes property? Yeah,

it'll be pulled either by Chris or myself. And how does that work as far as Does the pickup truck insurance cover the trailer or would we have to have insurance on the trailer? I think the counties would cover That's what I heard in the past. Not the truck, but I don't I don't know about the truck, but the trailer for sure. I would assume this is an assumption. I would assume that the pickup truck insurance would cover the trailer. Does anyone here know or doesn't cover our trailer and it's just a flat trailer, but we have to have insurance on that.

So, so I think the licensing and registration would be county and then any liability would be whoever's pulling it. I believe that's correct. Thank you borrow a neighbor's trailer and you have a wreck, your insurance covers. I could be wrong, but it's just something to check into before we Yeah. actually buy it. And then where would it be stored at? Is there room in that building to store the trailer as well? If Well, I have if we give them permission to do that, that'd be that'd be great. And or I mean, since this got equipment is is in, you know, out of the weather, sorry about that. Um, well, I also worry about the trailer being missing at

Well, it'd be either if it wasn't up there, it'd be either my house or dad's place. I think it'd be I know it' be safe at hers because you got to climb a mountain to get up there, but but yeah, I'm that would be the case if we didn't store it up there. That would be that would be a good thing, too. I mean, it'd be out of the way. It would be said keep out of the way, but it' be out the way. And I'm not concerned because I know you would figure it out and you take care of it. I I there's just a lot of questions I don't know the answers to as far as you can come bringing the money if it's possible. How does that happen? And those kind of things.

Well, we talked about that a little bit and what I mentioned to Fred, if we could take the rest of your money from this year and add to it, you could do it this year and then you would be appropriated next year in your full budget. Um, I talked to Annette and 4D has plenty of money in it. I just don't know how we get it from 4 D health. Oh, okay.

Yeah. They're not going to be using their money till like 28 29 is what she said. And $2,000 a little bit isn't that much to worry about, but you would you would get it this year. to encumber the money, you have to have a sales slip or something to give to the auditor to encumber. But if we could do it all this year, you don't have to encumber. That'd be sweet. I'm with Brenda. I would I think we could cover that out of commissioner's budget and then it would leave you a full budget for next year. Thank you guys. Yeah. And there there wouldn't be tax provided for the county or would there on a trailer? No taxition. Yeah.

Yeah. And I guess since we mentioned it, it wouldn't be like we wouldn't need that still need that equipment area up there, the county garage because we got stuff that wouldn't be able to get in that trailer. But that we don't use usually. But if that had to be the case, we we can make sacrifice whatever you want to call it. Do you have a clue, Janice? Is there a room? Yep. As a group garage. Mhm. Well, the garage itself is full. If you want it if you want to keep it on the the outside. Mhm. I'm guessing you want it inside. Is that Well, we have it inside now because they got that little room in there that what they let us use. That's what we did use. And so,

just pull the trailer in there. We don't want to just leave it outside where someone can put up their truck and go. Well, we have the lock. Yeah. Okay. It is locked behind gates, but that building's pretty hard. As long as you know that, well, it's in hard shape. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And so, I'm going to want to have that at my place this fall so I can trick it out, put all the storage stuff in it, and then we could move it. We could then move it from You have a key to the facility, Chris. Yeah.

Then we can load up the equipment and store it there over the winter. Yeah. And why you said that we have a key? I don't know if it's my responsibility, but the east west side door. I I got to I don't care. I I don't think uh can't remember his name. M county highway director. Carrie knows probably that that door on the west side's messed up. You can't use it. I have I can text him and call him or whatever. I can do it, but I just let you know. on that. We've got some spare things when we get you. Yeah, we have to have one. Yeah.

So, yeah, I'm I'm just Well, you said you want 2,000, but when you have whatever's left out of this year's budget, you may need a little more than 2,000 for next year's budget. No, for this to buy this to get plates and all that. Yeah. Well, 21. I got my numbers right. It's 2130. We need to make the 28 mill. Okay. Need right. We're going to need some like 100 200 to get it plated and registered. Yeah. Yeah. Good idea. So I I move we allow and appropriate whatever money needs to add to the rest of their budget so they can acquire a trailer for their equipment and get it plated.

Yes. And get it plated and everything this year. That way next year you start fresh. Just say not to exceed 2500. Sure, I can do that. Not to exceed 2500. That'll work. And then my next question would be when I told this guy to let him know or go up there or whatever, can the auditor, is there going to be a check made out to them for Yeah. the trailer money for you. They'll just need to contact you guys about getting a check with us. Okay. Thanks. Y good deal. I have a question. Did you say you're going to uh it's going to be county owned? Will be county owned.

So, you're going to license plate it to the county as well. So, it will be going on our insurance. That's true. It has to be on our insurance. So, and I do a lot of plates and title work. It It's a It's a little bit of work. Okay. So, I don't think you guys are You two will be able to do that because you have to be an official. However, I would help them plate that since we've done trailers. I mean, there's a little bit to it that takes you if that's what they want. If that's what you're saying, you want that to happen. Um, yeah, I I believe it is. Sometimes I don't think of every

when I said it was coming from too. I didn't know. So, that way it'll also be on our insurance. And when I say ours, the county cover just let you know and that would be consolidated union and I would be happy to help you guys get that on the insurance if this is what you decide to do. Thank you. I will second Brendon's motion. Then a motion and a second to appropriate 2500 not to exceed $2500 out of the commissioner's budget to help buy a trailer for the cemetery board. All in favor say I. I very much. Thank you'all.

You know the two ladies to contact them. Yep, I do. Appreciate you guys work. Yeah, it doesn't seem important sometimes, but it really is. I'm going to retire retire year. probably not from that probably doing it on my own. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.

Good morning. Good morning. I am Courtney Aline with the Miami County's Office. Um, council approved a new prosecutor position for our office. We need some office space for that position. So, we have a conference room that we're looking to split into to create two offices. Um, this is something good news. We'll be paying for ourselves out of the users fee fund. So, we're not asking for any money uh from the county.

Um, but because it is I I believe this would qualify as public work. So, um, or statute, we of course do need to seek a referral. Um, the company I provided you all with an estimate. It is under the $25,000. So, that is good. Not not uh doesn't make things a little more hairy. This is the same company that did the construction for uh title 4D a few years ago. So, we're looking at using um same or similar carpet. uh say he did a a stain match to the current stain, mixed a couple of colors to get a u match that that matches the entire courthouse. Um so we're basically just went with him because we were happy with his work and uh some consistency. So if we have any issues or either office, we can call the same person. Um effectively what we're looking to do is split that space into two um create two office spaces. We believe the wall is a concrete wall. Um where we best case scenario if it's not actually concrete then we'll just put a door in and have two bigger spaces. If that's not possible then we'll do a small hallway into the two offices. But until these starts we can't really

right say one way or another. Okay. I'll make a motion we have approved this project. Second. Been a motion and a second to allow the prosecutor's office to get an outside contractor to make a new office for the new prosecutor. All in favor say I. I. I.

Thank you. Um, one other question. For the previous job, he had worked after hours where he wasn't disturbing business. Um, we had, I believe, got approved for that. got him a card and a keyed temporarily until the project was finished. Um, that's something we'd like to do for this project as well, so we can keep business going without instruction or glue and glue smells in the in the office. Is there any issue for you all? You say it was allowed the last time and there were no issues. Correct. I see no reason why we can't do it again. I didn't want to just assume that. Thank you for Thank you. Thank you. Y'all have a good one.

Janice,

actually the only It's really not highway business. We kind of scratched it this week. Carrie had another project going on. Um, it's actually the I think I called and talked to you for just a minute, Fred, about the homeless uh Miami County homeless task force. I went to the first meeting um this month and uh very very active group, very aggressive. I mean getting things done and they asked for a place to store bottled water and a few supplies, bottled water, um maybe some snacks and a few tables about that size. I think there's four or five. Uh they need access to this uh close in town if possible. So, uh, right now it's over in the building across the road and they don't have the space. So, I would ask if we could maybe find a place, I don't know if it's in the annex building, uh, two or three turn keys that they could get to the supplies and it would have to be, uh, of course, uh, air temperature or room temperature, control temperature I should say, so that the bottle, the water didn't freeze and the, you know, the snacks they can put in oats and so forth. So, I would uh ask the county c or county commissioners if we can possibly find a place over here if anybody has an idea that they could get to this these supplies.

I still haven't come up with that space, but I'm willing to look after the meeting with that'd be great. Um I don't know if I don't know anything about the health department if there's the new health department. I I don't know. they would the health department would have space who would be getting access.

So, um the committee uh Debbie Wallik is uh she's the chair Jennifer Yates. It would probably be three people. We said we had to keep the key, you know, because they're going to get in there after hours and so forth. Um they've got a a committee that they would only allow three keys to. So, and that would be like like I said either the we would make sure you know I don't know who that part of it is. This is my first meeting that I attended and that's like well you're going to go to it. You got to contribute. So I don't know who that would be. I have to get the health board's approval. True

for a king. Or what about the the the annex building over here? where I would have to look. I I don't remember off the top of my head what's okay. So, if we could look afterwards if we can come up with something. Uh they said that that any given time there's about 20 cases of water. That's the most of it is the water. So, only thing we have is the break room. Don't know who uses that anymore. If anybody uses it, break room over there. Here. The only thing we have is the break room. I didn't think you No.

Break room disappear. Yeah. Well, sometime you would consider that. I need to let them know because they've got to find a place for this stuff. Yeah. Okay. Like I said, I'm willing to venture into that after the meeting. We should have time to take a look. I don't know if there needs to be official action for that until We have to approve a key at some point, but right appreciate it very much. It's a good group by the way. They are really proactive and helping the community.

Okay, that was short insurance. Insurance morning, commissioners.

Good morning. So, we have been going over um all of our insurance and the rates and things that are costing us. And we currently have a life and short-term disability that we offer to all full-time employees at no cost to the employees. So, we pay the whole part of it. It comes out of our medical fund where all of our other medical comes out of. We are currently paying $16,33 for $10,000 life insurance on each employee and short-term disability on each employee. going through with a company that I've worked for in the past, National Insurance Services. They've given us a 19% discount on um the short-term disability, and a 21% discount on life insurance if we go with them. They offer some medical insurance. They don't have a bereavement clause, but they have a employee assisted program that will handle everything. The great thing about National Insurance Services, they will come in and hold our employees hands if anything were to happen to them. If they were to pass away, they would walk the family members through absolutely everything. Short-term disability, they would walk them through all the paperwork to get it together. Sun Life currently does not do that. We have to jump through hoops and play games to try and get our employees on there. And we have used it since I've been here at least six times. So, this was just a proposal to bring our life insurance from $16,000 a year down to $13,800 a year. And you can see how much our premiums have risen from Sunlife over the years um on the sheet that was given to you should have been given to you. So it went from 14,000 to 16,000 over the past two years. Um National Insurance Services should be under that every year. Their rate should not raise as high as some life has. Sounds good to me, but

insurance isn't my strong point. That's what I'm here for. That's what she's here for. So, I don't have any questions. It sounds like a smart thing to do. We approve the move to uh National Insurance Services. I'll second. There's been a motion and a second to make the change to National Life Insurance. All in favor say I. I. Thank you so much. You're welcome. So, is there anyone here to represent the the import or is that

I don't know if anybody was going to show up. Unfortunately, we have had some issues at the museum with some emergency repairs and some just routine maintenance. I do not have the I do. I've printed me while Okay, there we go. I did not print it out.

So, uh, one of the repairs was 2 in backflow valve, $296. I don't have all the that happened. There's the two. Okay. Okay. Here's what they've said.

And then there was another 26.98 for 3-in pipe leak. I That was the emergency. They had a leak and they're wanting to upgrade another backflow valve. And that is a total of 3810. So roughly all this is about $8,000 worth of repairs to the museum that were unforeseen. And like I said, one of them was an emergency. It started leaking. So I guess we need approval to move ahead.

Courthouse maybe. Yeah. Yeah, we have. Okay. So moved. Second. Been a motion and a second to approve the repairs on the museum. All in favor say I. I. I. Marcy, what else do you have? The commissary reports for um September and October. We've received those in our office. So um just needed to note that for the record. been received from the sheriff's department.

Have the minutes from November 3rd. Yep. I move we approve the minutes. Second. Been a motion and a second to approve the minutes. All in favor say I. I. I. And I have the claim payroll claims. Move to approve the payroll claims. Second. Been a motion and a second to pay. All in favor say I.

I. I claim. Oh, move to pay the claims. Second. Got a motion and a second to pay the claim. All in favor say I. I. Herb, you got anything to report?

Last week the company came from Wisconsin and updated all of the sirens in the county. Um, they installed the new siren out at Eagles Point. There were a few hiccups between some of the new equipment that they installed to the old. Uh I'm waiting to get all the paperwork put together and the next commissioner's meeting and I will be able to talk about that better. Just a few things that need updated that extra some repairs that needed equipment. That is it. Sheriff, do you have anything?

Anybody else have any comments? Hearing none we journ and I'll second the motion to adjurnn a motion a second to adjurnn. All in favor say I. I.