County Council - Regular Meeting

Oh wow. Please stand al for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Okay. Just a show of hand. How many of you were here for the last meeting? Okay. You know, we're going to go through this in the back when you came in. I do not have Mr. J nor do I have the uh commissioner's attorney who uh had a lot of information in regards to the process. So what I have done is I made a sheet like this made out for the process. Those of you who were here in the last meeting we went over it fairly well. You have a copy of this and there's still back there that little um uh and explain the process. So rather than go through that and uh read through the process think a lot of you were here take home it's enjoyable reading get a nice fire going cooking and you should have a good time. Now that means that normally what we speak on at the end of the meeting is we speak on those items that are on the agenda only. But one of the things that uh I can do is change the agenda and after seeing the last meeting and thank you to the crowd that was here uh earlier and uh

what we're going to do in the meeting with a time to speak the center is not on the agenda but you are going to get a chance to see there were several of you didn't get to speak in the last meeting and I want you to be heard. We all do. As a matter of fact, as you saw the last meeting, we want to be very transparent with you. What we want to say is that um unlike the city of Alzo, their county council handles two areas. The legislative which does ordinances and the fiscal which hand off the checks. The council a little bit different. The commissioners, this young lady standing up right now, our president, one of our commissioners, they handle the legislative, they ordinances. They say what goes, what, where, when, and who takes care of what building. We, the council, handle the physical. We write out the checks for those who need it. That's our primary responsibility. So, if this data center was a 12step process, we are step 20. with the very last thing you're going to come to. But we want to hear what you have to say now. Okay? And rest assured that you have questions. Uh some of you know that uh when I said that earlier that uh I had some phone calls here and I many of us got emails that we've answered. Some a lot of you everyone that I got and I know Mr. Bullac did uh as well as commissioner things. We responded to everybody who wrote this. Uh some a lot of you I called. So with that being said, what you have is very important to us. It really is. This is why we're going to have you want to speak by the data center and let's say majority of you here because you're not for it. I know that way. So without further ado, we're going to go ahead and start with our agenda. Mr. Question, is this meeting being recorded or are we live

now? That's a good question. Joy, we are not live, but it is being It is being recorded, but we are not live. We are so I would like to make sure that going forward multiple times help involved in the meeting. So make sure that we're live underneath that suggestion sir. So the motion motion second uh Mr. over there auditor. The auditor is there voice or as I am not the auditor but we did do a roll call yet. So we have here presy here. Mike Brickner here. Greg Sims present. Jeremy Reus here six present. Okay. No, digress a little bit here. I would like to make a motion that all of our meetings going forward are live stream on the internet. I'll second that. And Mr. Wish you who's not our auditor. Uh the course of this will be your Mr. uh Harper. I would do a roll call. It can't hurt. Okay. Can I get a roll call, please? Redstone. Yes. Andy Boswas. Yes. Mike Rickner. Yes. Greg St. Yes. Jeremy Rivas. Yes. Andy B. Yes. Okay. We will get to the IP office. We will do our very best by the next time we have a county council meeting or a meeting that you can zoom here. But definitely next county council meeting will be live as well as recording. Okay. Moving on to business. I make a motion

to approve the mask for November 1st. Second. I got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. Motion cares. First meeting sir. The following appropriations have been brought before you for your consideration. General fund overtime 50,150. Overtime 50,150 interfer 650,000 interront transfer 200,000 MBA by 2 minutes 200,000 inmate processing medical life insurance 8,832 foundation holding interphone transfer $850,000 share black grant transfer funds $100,300 for [Music] You have two sets of Yeah. Yes. Motion to approve October 22nd. I was going to say November October 22nd by the way. Second. I have a motion second. Greg Sims, yes. Mike Brickner, yes. Andy Vasquez, yes. Michelle Redstone, yes. Andy Bosik, yes. Jeremy Re, yes. 6. Okay, thank you. Moving on to our special presentation. I believe he's here somewhere in the audience. Uh, Mr. Chris, just please stand if you so kind, sir. Uh I'd like to introduce real quick to uh our council for many of you who are here. This is our veteran service officer. He's in charge of the veterans program. Uh Mr.

[Music] um has left us to other endeavors and Mr. Molan taking for those of you who are veterans like myself probably serve United States Marine Corp. Just want to throw out that out there. But uh if you're a veteran, please see Mr. uh Molan, sir. Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you very much for that. Welcome. Welcome aboard. Thank you. Presentation. I'd like to mention that we had uh an open committee that we met for um Grant and myself, Greg Sims, Commissioner Regence, uh and Jesse Har. we had um met together and we came up with a process and we had it put out there by the county website to put in for some money with any program that would help towards the easing of drugs or helping to overcome this. And we had five recipients uh and they were the car place um got $40,000 school $10,000 the morning house 25,000 recovery association $25,000 and recovery commission uh resident approach and give the information list. The way we did this at the commissioner's meeting is each recipient get less than a minute to just explain a little bit about their what they're doing. Would you like them to say anything or would you just I would rather them so the people out there know exactly what what the money and basically their money is going to and how these dedicated people work within the community so you

got to give me a live microphone. [Music] helping people in recovery, man. You're going to have to cut me off in 60 seconds cuz this is my life. Uh I'm the executive director of recovery association. Just got that promotion yesterday, which is pretty cool. Don't blame this shirt. It's my first day on the job. But uh we want to build funding in city of portage that anyone seeking asylum from alcoholism addiction, any kind of domestic abuse, homelessness can come to for a safe haven. We want to offer a resource center. We want to offer a a a gymnasium area, a library, um recreation as far as volleyball courts, and some of this money to go towards administrative uh costs and labor and materials as well. But we want to have this recovery world of project off the ground. As soon as we get the okay from you guys, we're ready to roll starting tomorrow and getting this thing going and we have a solid plan. I think it's going to be successful. Is the coffee thing still um that's still going on, right? where we started last year. So, we had a donation from Northwest Health last year. Uh it's 15,000t building. So, we combine the PR and our cafe into one building like four times the size the cafe area. You guys are doing some great work. Thank you. and the next step. [Music] I am Alan Rula, executive director at Free Fund Recovery in Chesterton. Um, first of all, thank you all for this support. Um, this means a lot, especially where the funds are coming from. So, thank you for that. Um what we plan on doing is continuing to offer multiple pathways to recovery. It's not a one-sizefits-all approach. At our facility, we have um a fitness area, we

have great cooking, nutrition class, we've got um art, music, uh we've got a faith night, and so this funding really does help us continue with those initiatives. So, thank you all. Thank you, sir. Hello, my name is Jessica Luke. I'm the president and CEO of the Caring Place. Um, most of you know us at the domestic violence shelter, but we have for a couple years now also worked with women in recovery. We've seen the the correlation and the success with the services that we provide for our women in recovery and for our women um trying to start their lives over. And it really has been a successful fight. And we're really excited about this money because we do feel like we have created a plan that is sustainable and supportive to really help people make big changes in their lives with therapeutic services, um, job assistance, all kinds of really great stuff. So, this is this is a big deal for us and we're so thankful for your support and we are not really down. Jessica, what is this money? Was it a year of the program or um so what we have what we have done is we had created this program a couple years ago with Porter Stark and what we recognized is having um a full-time recovery director that's going to help with that. So we have weekly case management with our clients. We do medically supported um case management. Um we really have improved the services that we're providing and they can stay in our care for up to 2 years. So that really increases the chance of success for them. And so for just some of the basic stuff like all of our groups and and thank

you is here from school corporation. At any rate, we awarded her $10,000 uh to expand inschool programming and resources with within the department of teaching and learning drug development program and peer mentoring mental health programs and is Michael Okconor here from House? No. At any rate, one of the things that they really want to do is there are a number of rooms in the men's silver living home that are in desperate need of sprucing up and renovation and they have requested a lot more and this is what we felt that we could award them this year and we're hoping that you will also uh consider awarding them as well. Mr. How long is the plan for? This is for one year. For one year. That mean the whole program, the grant. How long will it take? Oh, so our our funding will last through 2038. So there's other organizations out there next year. This is a yearly thing that applying to. Yes. So for those of you out there in the audience, if you know a program that we are somehow falling shortsighted of, please let them know this uh that next year is what in January? Well, the applications will be available January 1st, but since the different commissioners and councils have reorganization in January, that committee won't start out their work until February and everything will be off by one month next year. So, but still we'll be absolutely accepting applications at that point. Well, thank you. And so, this already has the answers. Yes. Unanimously on every single one of them. And so I get

motion to approve all five of these for a total of 125,000. Second motion to second I I congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. up is director Lee [Music] Taylor. We have a transfer of 151 data processing 3200 [Music] traffic one people in Texas software. I make a motion 15 processing second to motion and a second. All in favor say I. I I same oppose say I motion carries just one thing you heard that we didn't make a motion we got to be live yeah there's already an email in your inbox time thank you sir that is what I would quick we appreciate that you have you do as well Mr. J right key surveyor wester $9,000 from 11200 hourly to 1100 salary transfer to cover salary due to job reclassification motion motion I'll second it motion a second can you tell us what we have what what do you what are you

reclassifying the party chief will be upgraded from A to B and the executive administrative assistant from common C uh will be upgraded to common C from common E. So their salaries will go up. Is that because they got certified on something else? Is that how that works? Experience and uh just comparatively to the uh jobs or salary survey that we did looking at the salary ordinance. So it's commensurate to so is it giving raises pardon? They're giving reasons. Well, it's elevating their uh position. Yes. Why didn't we do that during the budget? Yes, we did do the budget. No. Why? Because at that time we didn't have salary orders for me to do the comparison of jobs. Any more discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say I. I. Hi. Hi. We're going to do roll. We got here. Roll, please. Call this, Mr. President. Um, the transfer first and then the form 140 orders together. That's okay. We had a motion on the transfer. Yeah, there's a motion on the transfer then. Okay. All right. Jeremy, yes. Greg S? Yes. Mike Britner, no. Andy Vz, yes. Stone. No. Andy. [Music] No. 33. That's mean. Thank you. Okay.

Okay. Um I'm not against this. what you're doing and why we're doing it this year versus the budget season. So maybe conversation offline or telling you whatever sent a letter to all of you. You did? Yeah, I sent a letter originally. I apologize. [Music] I questions for you, sir. Thank you, sir. We'll see you next week. [Music] CC local service fun. [Music] Hello. How are you? 500 $5079 transfer needed from trauma and injury to easy for meal health. Make a motion. Second motion a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor say [Music] I help immunization grant fund. Nobody all together. Okay. Transfer the power as follows. 13,500 to $1,100 to 2100 off supplies 2500 from 11200 to 2400 medical and dental 20,000 from 11200 hourly to 32300 postage 1050,000 from 11200 hourly to 4500 equipment

4,800 from 1200 fraation [Music] 15,250 from 1,200 5,361 the reason reimburseable grant with period ending 63025 to maximize utility of funding motion second. Any discussion? That motion second. All in favor say I. I. I. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] See you [Music] later. How you doing, [Music] sir? We're not talking about this shirt as well. by two minutes. Total income tax. Yeah, all three of these have to do with the matching uh money for the CCMG grant. I I think these were talked about the uh last budget session or they were approved. This was all approved during budget, right? It was already allocated. This is just this is the cash for the application, right? Okay. motion. I got a second. [Music] [Music] Yes. Jeremy, yes. Andy, yes. Redstone, yes. Andy, yes. And I have an additional 200,000 to 61

transfer. I make a motion we transfer the 200,000 to 61 61,000 [Music] second any discussion please [Music] yes additional I was by two minutes. Thank you. From 113 uh group second discussion is all the same thing. Correct. Has to do with the CCG procedure. So I have a motion to second. Any discussion on robot please Andy? Yes. Andy Mike. Yes. Thank you. Okay. Additional [Music] 850,000. Cheers. Thank you all. Thank you, sir. Have a good night. You should wear a shirt. I I tried everyone. How you doing? Good. We have an additional 50,100 to appropriation. Okay.

Any discussion? a second. Uh just so everyone knows uh just reach out to the state board of accounts and on our books we have a lot of dormant funds. This was one of the dormant funds and they wanted us to start closing these out and returning them to where they came from. So this is just transferring money that was already on our focus one fund to where now they actually use it. What was the fund? Bond who was the sheriff and it's been on the sheriff 2017 back in 2014 2014. Yes. We I would like to thank the office for going the extra mile and finding this money sheriff's department. We appreciate that. I'm pretty sure they have. Oh, I absolutely will. We have a second. Uh motion second. And any discussion? Call please. Jerry Rivas. Yes. Yes. I Andy Vasquez. Yes. Andy Bozer. Yes. Yes. 6 additional $100,000. This is what we spoke about earlier. This is the money that uh we just want to go through the process. Make a motion to approve the transfer. I second additional motion and a second. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Yes. Yes. Grievous. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Moving on to the jail fund. Additional 50,150 to the overtime. Once again, same thing in regards to $100,000. [Music] $100,300. Motion second. Motion second.

Any discussion here? Roll call, please. S. Yes. Reus. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. We have a form 144. Jill Mland/court services coordinator. Resuming name. the major position to jail service coordinator. No salary change. I like that. Thank you. Mr. President, I have a motion. I have a motion second. Any discussion? A question. U says no on the [Music] um 61,000,000 is that increase. I could repeat that in here on the uh on the wage um report that was 2024. That's 25% increase. I didn't realize that. Yeah, that came from October. No budget change. No budget change whatsoever. All right. Thanks. Okay. We have a motion, a second discussion. [Music] Please read. Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Uh we have an additional $8,832 as well 200 medical/life appropriation used to cover medical insurance not covered by precal grant [Music] fun any discussion items question uh for cover medical insurance not covered by queen Charles what does that

mean that thank Yeah, the pre-trial grants was not fully funded until after budget season. So, we didn't know they weren't going to cover all of the insurance and I didn't catch it in January. So, we [Music] just Okay, I have a motion and a second. Yes. So, yes. Yes. And yes, we're Yes. Thank you. Thank you. If I may add, uh those everyone did the uh last year printouts for the social work positions and what they did through the opioid fund funding. So uh uh they've done a great job. I'm going to give a shout out to them publicly on what those two uh individuals have done uh to help uh people in our county that are struggling with mental health and substance dependency issues and homelessness. So we've done a real good job. I I I hope you see that the uh good investments. Also, thank you for Thank you for the overtime uh appropriations and approvals. Uh those are going to go to good use. Uh most of that is going to go to what we talked about uh at the last meeting. Uh about the flex unit and saturated patrols on areas that are going on throughout the entire county. Uh we're already seeing a big benefit from that. Um we've had several hundred uh traffic stops and a couple dozen arrests. They're serving warrants. They're helping other jurisdictions with saturated patrols where they have note taking certain things. So uh I commend all of you for doing that. Thank you. Thank you. Shar one one question is that is that going to last just the year or do you plan on moving that next year? Well, I plan on that. Kathy just told me today that I had to make sure that we don't lose all of it. Thank you. funding too much. He's the gatekeeper.

All right. No, I plan on that uh not being used uh all of it and we hopefully can carry a lot of that over in the next year and that'll be wrapped up in the budget. Okay. Council woman Paris or something. Wasn't she that was assistance please Gabby? And I would highly recommend that if you guys have not been through it. Uh that's a great program building that community relationship and assistance over this as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. So, uh and it just kind of shows uh our community members, our systems. It's open to any community member that wants to do that once a year and it really just shows what we do and why we do it. Could you demonstrate sir and agenda [Music] here to 200 secondary approve all I to 1525 and [Music] 1150. Okay. All in favor? I I All say motion carries. Second meeting [Music] sir appropriations been passed tonight. General fund overtime

50,150 overtime 50,150 lit air fund transfer 650,000 transfer 200,000 MDH by 2 minutes 200,000 inmate processing medical life insurance 8,832 foundation holding inter transfer 850,000 share block grant transfer funds 100,300 [Music] Secondary to approve second any discussion, [Music] please stone. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. [Music] Nothing present tonight. And and given that there's nothing present, I'm not going to uh get into anything. Um otherwise, given the number of people that probably want to comment tonight, I don't want to horn in on that time. And I I was going to ask Mr. Harper a question, but I I'll do the same. It's about the CCMG grant, the wheel tax, and when we might be forced to pass a wheel tax in 2026, meaning forced. So, it's interesting legislation. We'll keep that negativity next year. Well, it's something we're going to have to talk about. I know. No, you're right. It's unfortunate. It's unfortunate half, right? So, we'll see where that go. You want to talk about next? [Music] Yeah. Well, we got to do the hospital. Okay. Oh, yeah. We have to do the president. Uh, yes. Uh, that wouldn't Oh, yeah. That's right. on [Music]

here. Please. Yeah. Uh I'd like to make a motion that we um appoint Amy Gilbert from she's a Chester fire department been involved for many many years. I would like to make a recommendation on her. I would also like to make a recommendation that the gentleman from Highland comes because he says in his application that he's not appointed. He still like to be part of a lot of knowledge. He's not from the county but um he does own property application. He own a house andor property for county. He did underlying property. So a lot of experience there would be helpful to that. [Music] Okay. That's what I'm going to ask you. We have a motion and a second for an Amy Gilbert um to be the council committee. Mr. President, I'll make a motion to not a range welcome to the committee that I don't believe in. So I I I just don't think this committee is really has the authority to do what it's being tked to do in a resolution. If you look at it and read number six of resolution, it can't engage in negotiating with um you know if I'm not mistaken that's a commissioner that's commissioner has and this this has this committee with that this committee would have no authority to enter negotiations. So I mean I think that we have to look at ways better ways improve ways provide emergency services in this county. A number of us have been saying that for a while that nothing's been done. We're up against, you know, time now with the contract expired at the end of the year. I'm not certain that there's many options on the table here. But I think this is my opinion. Commissioners passing the buck to a committee that doesn't have the authority to do what needs to be done. So this is just, you know, they're passing the buck

having the responsibility cuz ultimately they have to approve the contract. We have to fund it. But I I thought it was a nice I thought it was a nice olive branch to get I mean since I've been here 2 years what I've seen is you know the council complaining about the commissioners and now we actually have a voice you know whether you think it's you know illegal or you know whatever it's you know we do have a voice Greg Greg's on that Michelle's on that we're going to have a citizen appointment and if they can we need to approve that guess I think you're on it right so we need to make That looks correct. Yeah. Well, when the committee moves forward past this year and looks at alternative ways to provide these services, I'm all for that to to less be not just, you know, what they're going to probably end up doing is approving a substantially larger contract probably with the same um lender here, but I I believe that we should look at everything that includes fire territories. Me and you have talked about that at Lake I I I agree about fire territories and districts, but again it's those townships those townships are going to have to do that for themselves. We can't, you know, tell a township, hey, you're going to do a fire district fire territory. It's raising their taxes. They have they got that board set up. It's, you know, it's not our responsibility to to do that. Why why I think it would be great if we could establish something like that or maybe give some type of a incentive to do that. I think that would be be great. But I would like to see that the the council or the the board, wherever they are, would would have tons of options to present and part of that would be fire territories, ambulance territories, awarding a contract and maybe a year contract before more discussions can be made down the road. But we definitely know something's got to be done and and I and I agree with you that hopefully this is a voice to the commissioners who at least hear on other side, right? you know, and I me and Jeremy talked about

this at length. I'll give you, you know, an example. We have Liberty on board where district one where I live was Liberty, Liberty and Jackson. You know, Liberty provides a fire for Jackson. And, you know, there's about 15,000 people out there. Jackson, Liberty could be in itself could be a fire territory, you know, but as long as Jackson supplies the services for or as Liberty Surv, you know, gives the services to Jackson, you know, it's not it's it's hard to get done. I guess that's what I'm saying is, you know, we have to have the township trustees talking and you know, different township trustees talking and saying, you know, how can we best provide these services as well? Same with cities. Yeah. I mean, so but it's commissioner, are you in the audience still? She had a meeting with the uh uh trustees for economic development and that would be a good segue for her to bring that up to them over all theirs and discuss the very thing and maybe uh council member to come in those meetings and I know I'm usually there and um so let's see what they have to say in that regard cuz we do that. Yeah, we're half in half. I mean, we cover half the county with and we do that by contracting with a private, you know, business. I'm I'm not sure, you know, that everybody would be okay if all of a sudden we decide to share, you know, we can't cover the whole county. We're not going to fund it. So, privatized half of, you know, the sheriff's department, you know, we've got we privatized half of the ambulance service in this county. I I think we can do a better job at the end of the day. And I don't think the county should be in the business of ambulance service. So I think we got to find you know a way out of the business and you know improve it. So and B on it I don't know you know since they they had the township and this the city they created a territory a while ago. So led to the way on this

and see exactly how they did that. Yeah, because each individual count is you have to have from the house and well not only that though see what the other counties throughout the state are doing how are they operating this what you may we learn from that too what's efficient what what being done right now and council Harris not here uh when we were down in Indianapolis we got on a system which uh we're asking obviously very same question we did email uh I don't know if uh you got the link that But I'd love to have have the link so that we're all on this on the same page. So when we say something you can actually you don't have. Okay. Well, I'll make sure before the end of the day that you guys will have it this way. We're speaking with one voice. All right. The individuals who are I believe it was. Yeah. You got Amy Miller and Randy and Randy and I second Randy. Right. There's two motions. Okay. We have two motions. We can do this by voice if I'm not mistaken. I will say he probably can't the other gentleman he's out of town. He was supported fire. Like I said, both candidates, but one guy maybe have him show up to where he's he's an advisor, not an actual member. Let him know when the meetings are. He said he's by all means more. We got people who have knowledge of this. Let's face it, who here's a firefighter? None of us. You want an organic farmer? I know. Okay. But uh firefighters people. So we have a motion. Do we have a second? I second. He second. Why don't we do a roll call? Vote for who? [Music]

We put one in the game. Gilbert Gilbert is what he said. Um, Gilbert Stone Amy [Music] Gilbert Gilbert and Mr. So the other gentleman that I was talking to from Highland, he um was part owner of he owned an company for 40 years 10 years. So just as I was saying maybe send him a letter maybe we're interested by all names. [Music] Okay. Thank you. Now council members uh we had were asked to have two council members other spoken with uh who presently exactly I'm sorry. You doing what exactly? You're like an EMT. So there you go. Alex and I ask for Councilman Stone and Councilwoman Harris who happen to be in prayer right now for so she's not here. We have to give her a motion that council members I [Music] don't [Music]

time welcome and we'll leave some uh car in this regard. Very very important for everyone in the comments. Moving right along. Any other uh questions, concerns coming from this board uh from the council hearing? None. uh resis and then the uh take we're going to take five minute then we're going to have all canvas anyway okay but there's a lot of areas for [Music] [Music] [Music] I don't know. [Music] Yeah. Yeah. Heat. Heat. [Music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] I will I [Music] state my Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] I don't

[Music] know. Heat. Heat. [Music] table as well. Mr. Soning, Mr. soon. I thought you called me up. I'm like, that would be such a controversy. We're going to talk [Music] about who you are and where you're going to use your community portage or in my case, Morgan Town is the most beautiful place on earth. And uh come up to the microphone. Uh one person's down here. We'll start on the side to speak. The next person wants to speak up here. This is probably going to be RC that way. Everybody had their say. So, do they did you say anything? Yes, sir. And please [Music] record and shy. So, John International School Corporation appreciate this opportunity to speak. I've been [Music]

superintendent and how they're going to potentially impact town schools. And I know that that item is not before you today and hopefully it doesn't make it way too. and what we intend to do and they will get to you. But we are concerned we've got the approach to uh data centers. We know that there is a place for data center. We still believe that that's a Union Township, particularly at the area that it is currently proposed, which is directly across the tracks directly from We High School, Union Township, Middle School, where we are completing a roughly $30 million pathway expansion. So, first of all, our concerns are the potential of a 10 district. So, we've already heard the tax abatement thing. Those of you who are following legislation know that schools are going to be impacted as the county is going to be impacted by the uh bills and legislation that's being going through these uh the process now to eliminate operations dollars. So we are concerned about the loss of revenue. We're also uh concerned about the environmental concerns the issues of gas noise pollution. uh we know that that's going to um affect our property taxes as well. Uh I was speaking with uh a contractor construction person and he reminded me that if we put these data in where we are anticipating or going or where they're supposed to go, we are going to create a dead zone from a residential standpoint from 7 road 475 west to uh west to county road and from highway 30 up to north tobury. That's considerably that's about a third of our township. So

our township is roughly 30 square miles. That would represent just under 10 square miles. So that's going to have a huge impact on our school corporation as well. And and finally, what I would say uh before I pass the mic on is I know that if we were before you to try to put a school next to an industrial area, you would have serious concerns about that. I've been before some of you before and I know that you would be asking me what are you thinking right so what I'm asking respectfully is for you to do ask why would we put an industrial area around the school thank [Music] you My name is uh I know you emailed you all on Sunday and I think you had time to review some of those attachments. Um I know we just approved core ordinances perhaps that might come forth because of industrial areas that are new to the county. Um I just want to make sure you understand who QTS is and what their parent company Blackstone is. They are $140 billion company set to have an IPO here very shortly. They are going to be flushed with cash. There's absolutely no reason that we should give them a dollar for anything. 140 billion an hour have a lot more cash where the family spends an entire year for everything. So, since a big dog comes to the porch, um, and I know you're very careful about that. I I know we're cautious. I don't know if I

was doing that, but I don't want it to not much. So, [Music] uh, you know how the tax go. Um, it's very likely we'll ask for one, maybe even 10 errors. But what you don't understand about their method of development is that Blackstone, the big parent corporation, develops these industrial areas that are 100,000 acres, 2,000 acres and basically build 800,000 ft, 1 million square foot spec buildings that are customtailored to the many hundreds of companies that they actually own. So what happens is they come in here wanting a tax abatement, but what their little scheme does is they create subtenants of themselves all collecting rent. So their expenses are very low in doing so. And they start out with a few hundred acres. Let's get a couple more. There's another 3 400 here. And before you know it, the width of that is way more than the Johnson Farms or Sarah's Creek property. They extend further east, maybe even by another mile, potentially bigger than the area the school board. And all of those companies are going to want a handout, a tax, something all of them. So, it's not just going to be one, it's going to be men. And it might take 10 years, but they go with a split once they get their foot in the door. We're going to take down wherever they can. Um, case in point is camps are still in Missouri. If you go black room, 800,000 ft that they used from their parent company, custom.

So, talk about any bonds that are going to come up for roads. um road improvement, further extension of the blue program to a little suspicious that already 130, but they're going to want it all the way down. So there's that expense on the taxpayers, not [Music] um so that you can give tax to a dozen other companies over thousands of acres. Um, as to the fire department, I didn't quite realize that just right now the way it is, the trustees who work within the townships for that. Um, I know a young fireman who was part of the inspection crew for the Amazon facility in Portage and there was an interior area that they were not even allowed to go look at. So, how can you create a fire department for a massive industrial complex with taxpayer money when they have a maintenance? You can't do it. I mean, they don't have a ladder to get up to 130t tall building. So, how how does that work? How it doesn't depend on the taxpayers case in point all over this country in the last 2 three years. This is a new um situation. It's not like Virginia or North Carolina. It's not like those data centers at all. These are 10 times bigger, 12 times bigger. Um so I don't I don't know um that they might sway anybody to think it's okay because they want to make promises they can't keep because their parent company is so big. 30 months. Keep asking and keep asking and literally they'll let this county pay all their overhead in a way because there's going to be at least money for

themselves. So, um I think that's all I wanted to say. Yeah. Um thank you very much. Appreciate your time. I would use this microphone cuz weird something. Yeah, I didn't hear it on this one. Okay. My name is Danny Hill. I live in East Township and I am going to say I do live on 650 West. This is going to greatly affect my family and my neighbor because we are the only two farms that this is going to completely surround. There is nothing else is going to be there. It's just our two farms. Johnson is getting rid of his farm. Why doesn't he want to be there? Why? Why did I die? I came to die. Oh, there my question is why does he not want to be there? Why is he selling his sight? He doesn't want this behind his family. So why should we have it in the high car? My kids grew up in Wheeler. I grew up in Miller. We all graduated from there. My son want to move to Fall Creek. I'm telling them not to right now. I don't want my grandkids to go through this. It breaks my heart to know that this could possibly go there. We don't know what this is going to affect. We don't know what the health issue is going to be. I don't know if you guys have ever seen the movie with Julia Roberts where they're in a little town and people are getting cancer and it turns out if those I don't even know what they're called. That's their electrical. Do we want to be those guinea pigs and have our kids go through that? We don't know. But I know I don't want my kids or my grandkids to experience this. So I ask you take that in consideration. [Music]

[Music] My name is Kyle War. Um I spoke at the previous uh meeting and just had one other additional thing I'd like to say. Uh when the Willow Creek project came through, we were uh told about an overlay and um a mile on each side um that would stay residential to keep Union Township being residential and not turning it into a commercial um place like you know Indianapolis Boulevard or anything like that in Lake County. Um also at that same time we were told about a um comprehensive plan for our area. Uh the last one was done in 2001. Um so we're obviously very outdated. Um and that was 5 years ago and we still do not have any start have not heard anything about a comprehensive plan. Um I think before we go forward with any sort of large project like that, you would think you would have that comprehensive plan ready uh to kind of get a good voice of what the people that are going to be affected by these projects um what they're saying and um like it's in the name the comprehensive plan, you know, to have a plan to go forward um to kind of protect what's special about Union Township and what keeps drawing people there. So thank you. Thank you. [Music] Well, I wasn't going to speak, but should be on. Okay. My name is Dan Hollman. I live just across the line in Center Township off 149 Hills. Um, I have a little hobby, couple hobbies actually, and both of those stem

from being somewhat nosy. Okay. One of the hobbies is is that I like to go through county campaign files of various prominent individuals. Okay. And one one thing that I noticed is is that for certain individuals, they receive generous contributions. nothing that's going to, you know, make or break them. I think their their annual salary probably makes that payable, but they are generous contributions for campaigns, um, trade unions, um, development corporations, um, construction companies, uh, um, legal organizations that have to do with those type of things. And what I'm worried about is that there's going to might be some undue influence. I've had some conversations with some trades uh crafts people online. I kind of understand where they're coming from. This is big big money, big jobs, lots of employment. I mean, they're years worth of construction work. Great. I I I love that. Um, I'm I'm a strong union advocate. So, I want to see local people, local trade unions get jobs. One thing I do think though is I don't think they really care where they're being built. Maybe the maybe the Willow Creek Extension, that's that's a that's a specific location, but these data centers don't need to be where they're choosing to put them. I think it's more of a sort of like a uh they they don't like the aesthetics of putting them in a steel wheel area like in the port of Indiana next to Bethlehem or the old Bethlehem Steel or in Gary something like that. Gary could probably use the whatever revenue um to revitalize that community. They might

actually welcome it like they did with the casino and stuff like that. But my point is is that I hope that the politicians who are going to be involved in this are not going to let bias with their friendships, their their their relationships override the will of people. So that's that's my concern. Okay. And uh I also am sort of uh interested and I've said this before in other meetings, but I'm interested in the I don't think there's coincidences in this. There's a lot of things that are going on state. There's a lot of things that are going on locally. There's rep state representatives involved in pushing through state legislation. This is this this is not a surprise in my mind. This is planned. So, I'm hoping that you guys take all that into consideration and make your judgments accordingly. Thank you. [Music] Good evening, everyone. Good evening. I don't want to be here. Just so we're all clear, I'm uh in the midst of planning one of my daughter's weddings. Uh, I'm not going to let all of this steal my joy, but it is sure working very hard to do so. I am a stone throw away from where this is being proposed. Both of my older children graduated from Wheeler. I sent them to Wheeler because it is a small community. You are not a number, you are a name. And it is very important to me because I want to know what's going on with my ch children, my community, and everything around me, including here. Valido is an amazing place to live. I moved here from Lake

County 10 years ago, uh, when I had a surprise child, which was an amazing thing at my age. Um, but the number one thing about this is this area is full of amazing integrity. And building these particular buildings in this area by this school, whether I live by it or not, is not really good for our community. And if you would take just one moment to think, if you lived where I live or any of these other people live, would you want it in your backyard? I guarantee you the answer is no. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] me again. Um, my name is David Hman. Uh, I spoke with the last meeting. I live in New York Township. Um, like she just said, uh, I also don't want to be here. Uh, I'd rather be home with my, uh, 6-year-old son, my 4-year-old son, my 2-year-old daughter. But the reason why I'm here is because of them. Uh, my kids. Uh my oldest attends Union Center. Uh they all I would plan as as life takes us, they will all attend Union Center and they will all attend uh Union Township Middle School in Whether High School. And as we discuss this hypers scale data center, we just don't know what the effects of this might be. And as many have said, I don't want my my kids to be the experience. I I'm going to be that selfish and say I don't want it to be my kids and I don't want it to be my friend's kids. These are all my friends out here, most of who also went

to Wheeler and graduated. It just it doesn't make sense and I and I get um Mr. Vasquez, I appreciate you calling me yesterday. Uh Brad, you you called me yesterday. You sent me an email back. I I appreciate you guys all responding and letting me know that this council in layman's terms doesn't get a say and I appreciate that. I I am lucky enough to work for a family business, something my great-grandfather started almost 100 years ago and I have family that I work with, my brother, my sister, and we run completely different departments. But if my brother was considering a decision and the employees that he's responsible for came to me and said 19 of his 20 employees came to me and said, "We don't want this. I'm not going to tell him how to do his job, but I'm going to let them know how upset these people are. I I don't know your guys's relationships with the commissioners. Uh, I realize that there's a due process that they have to go through, but if it comes to a decision, if you have a relationship with with those commissioners, I urge you to talk to them and understand that your constituents are not happy about this potential idea. And if they aren't listening to us, maybe they'll listen to you. That's all I got to say. Thank you. [Music] Hello, my name is Barn. Um, I am a business owner here in Algo. I also don't want to be here. Um, I didn't want to be at the meeting

before this. I don't want to be at the meeting tomorrow. I don't want to be in meeting next Tuesday either. without me at every single meeting um until this is handled uh because my 5-year-old daughter is going to go to media center um and I refuse to let her go there if a data center is within 2 mi of the school. Um I lived here since I was 4 years old. I had any opportunity to live anywhere in the world and I chose to come back here as did my husband who also served in the Marine Corps and we both moved back to and the second we could buy a lighthouse on Shorewood and move back to Shorewood. That's what we did. My concerns about the data center are being close to the school of course, but I'm also very concerned about um how they plan to cool the equipment. So my understanding is there's two different ways and maybe as um Mr. said earlier, you're not all firefighters. I am also no engineer, no scientist, no utility expert. But I was a person there's two ways I can close. water or with air. If it's water, that means they're using even more carbon and or creating even more carbon emissions than they would have if they would have used water. If you're using water would affect the entire salt salt creek whed and all of the water that eventually comes down into the lake which we have probably the most the highest concentration of million-doll homes in maybe the state maybe just

county I'm not quite sure is all around that lake. So, what happens? We already need to dredge the lake. So, what happens if that water continues to lower? Then, is the county going to pay for the lake to be drenched? Because currently that is a major issue within our neighborhood. Um, or is it going to cool air and create more carbon emissions? Where are we going to store the carbon? Are they going to put their carbon pipeline? Are they going to store it underneath the adjacent farms and eminent domain land? Are they what are they going to do with all the excess emissions rather than it just going into Union Center's playground or regular high school soccer fields or the baseball fields we just put a ton of money into right behind where it's proposed. Um my other question would be as our council where do we get to a point where our commissioners actually start listening to us and say you know what just like a boulevard just like a sport complex I also do not agree with the data center so what do we need to get to to where the commissioners are going to say that and then so we don't have to talk about this anymore waste our time It's a waste of my time. I'm sure these people would be generating more tax revenue for us if they did not have me sitting here today. So, um, that would be my question. I I mean, I'm pretty sure I don't know that. [Music]

[Music] help [Music] answer their message. We do communicate with they know what's going on tonight, right? It's not a zebra. We are talking about it. Sorry. Go ahead. Okay. My issue is that um first of all, these days centers are huge and they take a lot of energy and I know as well as everybody else here that they'll end up getting a break for Pisco and our girls up what 50%. Yeah, in the past few months and who's going to take that front when they get these breaks for that? Secondly, we talk about the water. I live on a well and if they have to use water to cool their system, how is that going to affect my water table? Am I going to go drive because they surely don't want to do that? I live off 130 in what we call the gray area is between Southern Road and the firehouse. I don't get internet cable. I don't get to any utilities. I get nothing. Nothing. But they want to come here with a data center out there across from my home. So yeah. And then as far as employing people, sure it's going to employ people to build it, which may take what 2 3 years or longer. But in the long run, how many people will it employ like keep busy to be able to live here? Those are my problems that I have for the day. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Liz. I don't think I actually heard that last time. I live in Wheeler. Um, I just have a very short note. You mentioned NIPO and it's just a fun fact that Blackstone also owns 19.99% of NIPO. So, they will be getting a little extra cash on that. So, that's a fun fact for everyone. Thank you. [Music] Uh my name is Meredith White. Uh that is my husband and my daughter. Um, I am originally from Hobberg along with Ricky, but my husband convinced me to move to township and be a better cat. Um, we just built a house about 2 years ago there. Um, we love it. We're happy there. We're happy with the school system. Um, but just due to the unknown health effects, the low EMFs, whatever, we don't know what this going to cause. uh that would cause us to move out of the township completely enough to get kids to school there. Um I'm sure we're not the only ones that feel that way. Um but it's a pretty big chunk of that land and um I sort of think it would wreck the holes there and that's a big deal to us. table. Anyone else going on? Can I see on this side? Yeah, I'm like both.

My name is Natalia G. I actually don't live in Wheeler. I live in for Township, but I think it's important to come here and even though I too want to be with my family and stand in solidarity with our neighbors. We don't want it here. We don't want this for our kids. We don't want it for our adults. We don't want it for our elderly. We don't want it here. And I talked to a councilman on the way. He's like, we're not going to talk about David's not on our agenda, but we're here. It's important to be here. It's important for everyone to know whether you're co-equal branches of or not or our mayor or is over there. We could all be doing other things. Our sheriff's there, it's important for us to say we don't want this. You're elected. Hear us. Hear us. We vote. And we're saying not in our neighborhood, not in our water, not in our not they're not our neighbors. And we're going to keep on coming until the next not not speaking if I may address that. Uh just speaking about one problem that I said I'm going to do a football and I'm going to let everybody speak. No, we don't do that. It's not on the agenda. We've been told everybody no you know I'm sorry it's not on the agenda according to all the way we've done things historically we just said no however being the situation that it is a lot of you are really concerned we want you to know that we're here to hear you mentioned that to me the counselor down there or down here uh who was that individual I said I'm sorry to do this but and I'm going to tell everybody they can speak and I'm going to let anybody know who speaks up that they were told by a councilman they couldn't speak because that's not on the agenda. That's how we normally do things. However, in the previous meeting, the uh

reason they allowed everybody to speak, everybody said their peace uh with respect to one another and that's the primary reason uh for those of you who saw the video and all that went I on behalf of the council and myself I would like to thank everybody for uh how we all have conducted ourselves both on that side and this side here and that's very important to us because we want to be transparent with you and I know you want transparency. Is there anyone else? Yes, brother. Oh, go [Music] ahead. I spoke at the last meeting so thank you guys for allowing us this opportunity. I know this is out of the norm. I said before I think Border County is a great place to grow up. Uh, Councilman Vasquez, you and I may debate the relative merits of Morgan or even town, but but I think we can agree both are very special places and it's a great place to raise a uh I was sitting in a in the zoning appeals meeting earlier today and there was an individual who wanted a variance a variance to go from 20 ft tall to 21 ft tall which was granted under the condition that no business would run out of that whole. And when you go back and read the minutes of these types of that's that's a consistent story. Uh if someone wants to put up a bar on a property without residents, that's not that's not what we're looking to have in Border County. If someone wants to run a business out of their bar without residence, that's not what we're looking for in Border County. So I failed to see how we cannot be looking for that but be welcoming a million square foot of data center directly behind the school. I graduated from Wheeler. I'm

excited for my child to graduate from Wheeler. That's front of the back there. But I don't want her going to a school with the data center right behind me. Is this fine to live next to? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But we started building these two years ago and you can't tell me that we know for a fact that there and I'm not interested in running that experiment. I'm not sure. All right. Thank you. And once again, anyone [Music] else, you know, it's interesting. We sit through this and I I haven't paid attention to the last year because they tried to come to the New England community and you heard Thunder and watch that meeting. Nobody showed up in support of it. Then you saw us try to come to B Harbor. My wife was on the town council. They wanted to put in our backyard right next to our park. Again, people showed up like you guys are, but nobody here in support of it from anyone show up in support of it and no one's here in support. So, I think our community has spoken and the message is very clear. If this is going to continue that we're going to be attacked or not attacked, but by death our community, we need to figure out where, if anywhere, in this county would be acceptable. Next to a park, next to a school, obviously not cool. Um, taking up farmland, that's another concern. So I I think you guys are doing the right thing. Again, this isn't the right time for us, but it's important to hear you out. We're hearing it and it's getting passed out. Obviously, the papers writing about it. We got a newspaper table and uh he's going to be putting together an article as well. So, thank you guys for coming out. Thank you. David, you know in and here they put

their own power in there and it would affect them. But Harvard said no. Chester said no. Said no. Now we are saying no. Going once. Going twice. Heat. Heat.