County Council - Regular Meeting

I'm going to open the uh May 6, 2026 Hamilton County meeting uh the regular meeting. I need a roll call. Ken Alexander present. Brad Bieber here. Tim Griffin present. Mark Hall here. Sumaki present. Amy Moslami present. Steve Nation present. Mr. President, you have a qu. Thank you. We'll now have an invitation and a pledge of allegiance from Sue Mackey.

Let's bow our heads. Heavenly Father, let us pause in gratitude for the successful and orderly election process we experienced yesterday. That process affirmed our shared commitment to democracy. As we begin this county council meeting, may we be g guided by integrity, civility, and a dedication to serving all members of our community. In your name we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right, I'm going to open up. We're going to have a public hearing on ordinance CC05-06-2026-8. I'm going to open the public hearing now. This is an introduction of that ordinance uh to authorize and issue bonds for the purpose of uh county bridge improvements. Is there anybody here that is going to talk to us about that? Tell us your name and who you're with.

Yes, sir. Good evening, counselors. Uh, my name is Dennis Autton. I'm with Bose Mckin and Evans. We're acting as bond counsel for this financing for bridge bonds. Um, we've previously served on bond as bond counsel on the financings that were done in 2022 and 2023 for bridge improvement bonds. Very similar structure. Uh this financing is for the um the 146th Street and Hazel Parkway project. Uh the bond ordinance authorizes up to $30 million of bonds for the project. Uh additional funding for the project will be provided by the county. We have with us here tonight representatives from Robert W. Baird, Landon Bame, and Drew. Uh and then also Oscar Gutieros from Bondre is here as well to answer any questions as it relates to the particular financing numbers. U but the bonds are secured by primarily major bridge funds are going to pay for these. There's some other local road and street revenues pledged to this but it'll primarily major bridge fund that pays for this. Uh on a parity with the other bonds and um with that I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the bond ordinance or the process itself. I'll mention We'll be back before the council next month to take this up for consideration of adoption. You also have an appropriation ordinance on your agendas tonight to be introduced. Uh and the same with that and that's just appropriating the proceeds of the bonds. Timing wise, we're looking at if we all move along the process and the markets could closing these bonds around the end of June.

Okay. Counselors, anybody got questions? What's what's the anticipated rate that we're going to end up having to pay? I think that's Landon's question. Hi Sue. Uh Landon and Bane with Baird. Right now we ran market rates as of yesterday and it came out around 391. Um so we've got a range that we've provided guidance on of 375 to four and a quarter in the current market. So what I will say is the Iran conflict has spiked interest rates in the past two months. So if that subsides, we'll see a little alleviation there rates.

So generally speaking, the major bridge fund in a in a taxpayers tax levy goes into a special fund and we are going to borrow money against those proceeds to do a road improvement. Yes. Okay. Anything else? What does this do to our additional major bridge bonding capability? Um that's left. Yeah. Let me I've got a quick handout. Would you like to say then? I I think it's been I'm sure this is going to share, but this is

not going to eat up all of it, but we'll eat up some of it until some other things come Oscar council Oscar tears boundary consulting advisor to the county. Uh I'd like to give you a little bit of feedback on your question and it is not necessarily how much bonding capacity out of that fund it would be. Uh the bridge fund is pretty restrictive that you can only use it for bridges and we are running out of ways to use that fund. The reason we decided to use that fund is because under the current local income tax formula, you are only allowed to the way it gets distributed is based on your levy outside of that service.

This is a levy that we can increase and utilize for bridges that will allow us to capture about 90 cents of the dollar on additional local income taxes. Due to SB1, we should project our local income tax distribution to go slightly down. And this will allow us at least a couple million dollars of additional local income tax share to come back to the county until 2028 when the SB1 legislature takes place and the county will be responsible for enacting their own rate. But this will provide some alleviation to the decrease in collections at least for the next two years. I heard you say the word should. should

should allow $2 million. That's a whole far that's a different tribe than will allow. Well, the formula it's not an exact formula. So, it I can walk you through what the formula looks like. It's about 90 cents on a dollar. It could be a little bit more than that. This is about $2.1 million. So, um it will be close at between 1.8 and $2 million of additional local income taxes is what I would project.

We're not going to max out our bonding capabil capacity. So this this is not a so this is actually a levy uh not a debt service levy it's just a fund levy. So the existing bridge so we've provided Mark on the middle right of the handout

is the current structure of existing debt service and then the 2026 debt service added in based on proforma um and then shown against expected revenues out of the major bridge fund um which we got updated from micro order this past week. So those are the latest revenue estimates out of the county fiscal plan. Um as to capacity, you can see that with this additional debt, our proforma coverage will be as low as 1.67 times. So in so far as we don't have another major bridge project through 2032, we'll be well covered.

And that's where they're the uh highway department is planning. This is the big one until the next But that's they've been pushing these out in like about four or five year increments to deal with that issue. Could you put put in a smaller font next time? It's terrible. I know. Hey, I'm sorry. It's that's my fault. Okay. Is there any other questions for the council? You got anything else for us? Um, that's it other than we've got the budget um where the funds are coming from and the uses on the left. That's in coordination with the highway department for your reference if you want to go into that detail. That's it. Thank you. Thank you.

All right. There's no questions from the council. They gave us the rundown. Uh is there anybody from the public who wants to comment on this particular issue? See no nobody moving forward. I'm going to close this part of the public I'm going close this public hearing. We're going to go on with our regular meeting. At this time, I need a motion to approve the minutes of uh the county council work session. All in favor? Opposed? That passes and the minutes of the county council. The first one was the work session. This one I need for the council meeting. Second.

And I have a a comment. There is one correction that needs to be made. It I shows that under the parks department 144 amendments. Um, it has me as both making the motion and seconding it. So, I'm sure I'm not sure who seconded it, but I know I made the motion. Okay. Thank you. And then there's also one on the um councelor Griffin made an motion on the prosecutor's office request on the 144s and it also shows him a second. Oh, I missed that one. So, if you please go ahead with those two amendments. Can I have a motion? So move. So move second and a second. All in favor?

I. They're approved as amended. All right. This is a portion of the county council meeting. Anybody that's got anything to say that's not on our agenda? This is time for public comments. Seeing nobody moving forward, I'm going to go to committee and officer reports. President, I have uh no report other than I met with the president of the commissioners a week or so ago. We talk about general interest. Everybody remember we're going to have a groundbreaking on Monday. Okay, that's all I got. Vice President, uh, no report. Highway Committee, we did not meet.

Finance, we did not have a meeting last month, but we got we got a meeting set for a couple of weeks from now. Personnel, we had a lengthy poll discussion and it is on the agenda this evening. Okay. Major projects We did not meet. We did not meet. I had to think. Tim, you had something miscellaneous. Yes, miscellaneous. I want to bring up uh when we back in July talked with Park View and Riverview about kind of partnering with them. Uh I brought up the fact that we don't have a sane nurse program in the county. Uh and Park View said they they would look into that. You need to explain what a sane

Okay. Yes. So sane nurse is sexual assault nurse program. So, that's going to be a program that would be of comprehensive um to help if someone's had a sexual assault situation. And so, um I was pleased they they came back to us uh and we met with them two weeks ago or a week ago and they do have the appetite and they actually are sort of a comprehensive same nurse program for Fort Wayne. So, they've asked us to go up and look at that. They do want to bring it here and move forward with that. So, I think that's a great thing for the community. And as a father of five daughters, it's obviously something that's passionate to me uh for the community to have. So, I just want to say that I was excited that they did listen and are moving forward with that. Okay. Thank you. I'm looking at uh unfinished business. There's nothing there. I'm looking at tabled business, which is a 144 from the parks department. I just assume leave that table unless somebody else has got

We haven't gotten to leave that table. Yeah. Let's go to new business. Approval of vendor kind motion. I move second. All in favor? Opposed? That passes. Now we're ready for a presentation of the annual library report. And here comes

Melissa. All right. Thank you so much for allowing me to present this evening. Um we always like to come back and um share the information that we receive from our annual report. This is data that we collect for the Indiana State Library um each year. Um so again, my name is Melissa Lysel and I'm the director at the Hamilton East Public Library. Um, and just to to remind you that um our two appointees from the county council are Beth Sheller and Kim Logan and Beth is here with me tonight even after all her work on the election. So she's

so um our library is comp our library service territory is comprised of the four um townships in Noblesville and Fischers including Noblesville, Wayne, Delaware and Fall Creek. Uh our most recent census um population for the territory was 180,617 people. And so as a measure of population uh we are the largest library in Hamilton County and the fourth largest library in the state. We currently have 95,684 registered uh resident card holders. Um that's a 9% increase from last year and that actually really surprised us because we have to purge our library records every so often and so last year we did that and so we were actually expecting a drop um and so we were very um excited to see a 9% increase. And then we were also um heartened to see our traffic numbers increase from last year. And then we're on target in 2026 to see record increases from this number as well. Here is a breakdown of expenditures for the library operating budget. Uh 60% of our budget was spent on salaries, insurance, and benefits. Um 25% of our budget was on services and charges, which includes all of our things like uh cleaning, information, technology, utilities, repairs, and maintenance. But it's also the category that we use to pay for our digital materials. Um and expenditures from our capital outlays category. Last year we had we had quite a few purchases of computer equipment, furniture, and then we're doing some small construction projects in our Fisher youth services department. Um so that that is the general breakdown from expenditures last year and our programs. Uh we were really excited to see a lot of our numbers in

continue to improve. Um we revamped our youth programming last fall um specifically adding several more early literacy programs because there was such high demand for those items or for those programs and we saw an 18% increase and that's just from the increase the added programs that we started in the fall. So that in translate translates to roughly 6,000 additional um people attending those youth programs um in 2025 compared to 2024. The teen programs are the only category that we saw a decrease and they are uh historically the toughest crowd to get into the library. Um so we're working with our staff to to work on some new programs and um activities to try and um change that for next year. Uh we did see a large increase in adult program attendance. Um and that's so that was a 39% increase. That's largely because we have a few very popular um regularly scheduled programs. And then we did see a modest 4% increase in our all ages programming. And then we're um on track for 2026 to see even higher numbers than 2025. One of our most prolific departments is our outreach team. Uh this team represents the library throughout the community from large events like Fischer's Octaboo and Touch a Truck to Noblesville's um PE Fest and the Christmas parade. Uh they also attend school literacy nights, farmers markets, teacher events, and then go to multiple food pantries throughout our community. Um they do this to promote library services to the community. And I'm beyond proud to tell you that they participated in 334 events in 2025 and reached over 32,000 people at those events. We circulated 2,247,338

items in 2025. Roughly a third of that was from electronic materials, although the vast majority of our circulation is still from physical materials um DVDs and books. Um the um the breakdown and usage of physical versus digital held study from 24 to 25. And unfortunately for libraries, the cost um to provide digital materials to patrons is significantly more expensive than it costs to buy a physical copy of the same book. Yes. like often three to four times the cost. Um uh so we are already making adjustments to our ordering practices to accommodate the increased cost as people um enjoy the digital format. And then I do have the the five most popular checkouts that we had last year. We had three adult three adult titles on there and then two two kid book two children's books. Um we do offer a patron ser experience survey every year. Um this is our seventh year offering the survey and please note that this is out of a four-point scale. We increased our scores in customer service, library materials and technology and the interior spaces rating stayed the same. Um and we work hard every year on these. Um so but we were generally pleased with our results. And then what to expect in 2026. Um to just wrap things up, I'd like to share a few things that we're working on. Uh we are going to complete the updates that we're doing on our Fischer Youth Services Department. These projects will refresh our busiest department in our library system, and they'll provide new and exciting areas for children and families to read, gather, and play. Um these are targeted to be complete before our summer reading program begins in June. Uh we're also excited to join with the city of Fisers and Hamilton Southeastern Schools to um participate

in the guaranteed educational experience for kindergarteners. Um so basically almost every Friday we welcome all of the kindergarteners from one of the 13 HSSE schools which is it's a lot of kindergarteners. Um but they're a lot of fun. Um so they come to through our doors to participate in an artsbased field trip um at in our Ignite maker space studio. We have also completed the launch of our a new Ignite Maker Lab at the Noblesville Library and that space was designed with entrepreneurs in mind so that a small business owner could come in and make things for their small business that they might not be able to afford to do on a larger scale. And then just today we launched our new library catalog. Uh this new system is much more user friendly and more modern looking than our previous one. It actually is also significantly cheaper. Um it was a huge undertaking to move away from a system that had previously been in use for 30 years. Uh actually over 30 years. Um so just we're really grateful to our patrons and staff for all the patience during the transition. And then I just would like to share a video that our marketing department put together. The Hamilton East Public Library, where ideas come to life in the heart of Fisers and Noblesville. With an everexpanding collection of resources and a packed calendar of events, Hamilton East Public Library is more than a place to borrow books. It's where ideas grow, creativity thrives, and community comes together. From lively story times and hands-on craft workshops to thoughtprovoking author talks and enriching lifelong learning classes,

there are events and programs for every interest and age, you'll find welcoming spaces designed for comfort and productivity. Whether you need a quiet corner to study, a table to collaborate, or just a cozy seat to relax and read. The library offers free Wi-Fi, reservable meeting rooms for gatherings or projects, a full service copy and print center, and even a professional grade podcast studio for those ready to share their voice with the world. Let your imagination climb in the roots and branches of our children's tree. Play board games with friends or family right inside the library. Or step outside to enjoy creative, kid-friendly outdoor play spaces that invite movement, imagination, and exploration. With our teen zone, have a dedicated space to read, hang out, or dive into their favorite video games with access to Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. It's more than just a lounge. It's a place to connect, recharge, and unwind. Creative minds of all ages will love Ignite Studio, a hands-on maker space filled with tools and technology. From 3D printers and sewing machines to art supplies and digital media equipment, whether you're an experienced artist or just trying something new, Ignite is your space to invent, explore, and create without limits. And for aspiring gardeners, the Seed Library lets you take home free seeds to start your own garden. Whether it's herbs on a window sill or a backyard vegetable plot, at the Crossroads Discovery Center, discover local history and genealogy resources for the professional researcher or casual family historian. More than just a place for books, Hell is a vibrant hub of learning, creativity, and connection for the entire community. Whether you're a lifelong learner, a curious creator, or simply looking for a new space to explore, the library is here to inspire, support, and spark your imagination.

And I am happy to answer any questions. Well, just say that looked nothing like the library that I grew up in 1983. So, no, I think you've done an amazing job and you're extremely communicative and obviously we appreciate um seeing the growth that we have over the course of the last 24 months. So, thank you and the communication from our from our really happy with how things have gone these last couple years. Yes, we have. Yeah, we Kim and Beth are both fantastic board members, so we're very happy about them. Thank you, Melissa.

Thank you. Mr. Jeter, these next two ordinances, is that for introduction only? Yes. Okay. Do we need a motion or just introduce? You can just introduce them.

Okay. I want to introduce two ordinances. The first is CC05-06-2026-B which is an appropriating ordinance referencing ordinance number CC50-05-06-026- A. We're introducing them. We'll take up that next month. Good enough? Good by me. Okay, everybody happy with that? Yes. Yes,

you guys. Okay. All right. Here we go. Now, we're moving on. Uh we uh have received the sheriff's quarterly commissioner com commissary report. Anybody do we need any motion there? You just gave it to us. Anybody got any they want to say about the commissary?

This isformational. You don't need to add no uh comments from the council. Okay. Thank you, sir. budget instructions. Um, we need to give out we need to consider what we want to do about budget instructions. We'll formally adopt them at our next meeting. The auditors given out uh instructions as to if somebody was to get a new person, what they're supposed to do to go about it. I've been in touch with Mr. Warner. He told he told me and I'm telling you the difference between our overall budget in 27 as in 26 is 5.9%. Everything we do over and above what we did this year has to fit inside the 5.9. That's salary raises new people and we got courts coming on. Everything needs to fit inside that. Are we going to allow people to seek out new employees, vehicles, the whole nine yards? So, contemplate on all those things and and have a suggestion so we can adopt those.

The only question that I would um add though for clarification is in this actual document that was shared with us, it does say budget submissions are due on June 19th. And so if we approve at the June meeting, that gives very limited amounts of time for each department to have their Well, hopefully they would have their math done ahead of time. Okay. Okay. Anything else? Will will this draft be distributed or is this just until we say go? Just so say, hey, this is what we think it's going to be.

Not until you say go. the the main calculation is salaries andor new people. We will decide on the new people at budget at budget hearings the calculations for uh raises have already been sent out by Jason. Is that correct Jason? Yes. So they should be working on that now. Okay. But I guess my only question go ahead.

Yeah. And I I too question if that's enough time for the department heads from the 3rd of June to the 19th to do everything that yes we won't have our salary um figures available but everything else that uh that supports their departments and what they do and present to the council they can start working on them if we approve this draft.

Yeah. I guess the reality of it is is outside of determining whether or not we're allowing people to ask for new positions, which I I think we could make that decision right now. There's nothing in here that I believe because the salaries we're going to make a decision on moving up a step old scale, new scale. I guess because even personnel requests, new and reclassifications are due May 15. We're really, this isn't common practice for us to wait to issue them in in June. It's normally May. So I just I disagree. I I think if I could just it it's really not a big change from what we submitted last year from instruction standpoint. No,

there's only one bolded change and that's under the 2026 organizational charts where they say with names and dates of job description review. It's the only change that so I mean I I think for the department heads that are listening uh or understand this that they are following last year's with that added information they can start putting together their information in addition to working on their salaries. So there maybe there's Well, I I can appreciate that from that's that would be that would be the is the same as giving out the draft. That fair enough. I buy a guy. I'm working on salaries. We do that.

Yeah. All I can do is send out worksheets with anticipation. At the end of the day, that's what we'll put in the budget. You guys will review it. If you change your mind, then we'll be back to work making those changes. So we just need to provide the information and direction so we can compile it. There's several departments that need assistance questions during the process. So we don't we don't give them enough time. It's going to reduce the amount of time.

What do you want to do? I mean, I think the biggest out outstanding piece really is whether or not we're going to allow people to ask for new positions. That's the only topic that I think what I've heard that we don't know because the salaries are going to be set based on what we determine at budget hearings. And the change really is not much different from last year with the exception of, as you attested to the job description review date. So, I mean that's let this go. I I think they need to be sent. Yeah, I I I would say for 15 years we have issued them in May.

I disagree. Well, I could we can disagree, but I'm sure it's on the record at some point. Okay. What do you want to do tonight? It's at the leisure of the council. I in consideration of department heads I would like to to release this draft. It looks it's it's what we've done in the past. It's it's not we don't have anything on whether we're going to add them add new people. We don't have anything on vehicles. We don't know how many people are coming from courts. What do you want to do? Well, courts are going to have to ask

calculation has already been sent out as to how they're supposed to work. Right. What's it hurt to to release this draft? I mean, I guess you can release any draft you want to or at least or or adopt these budget instructions. I mean, I'm I'm I just don't know why we don't give them. Make any motion you want to, sir. a motion that we approve this draft as presented and we will update with the salary and vehicle decisions next month. No, we'll do that at budget hearings.

The the reality of it is the outstanding piece of this is whether or not we're submitting new requests for for employees percentage and they can fit whatever they need in that percentage. Isn't that to them? Yeah. So, so if we give them the percentage and they've got it. So, they've got it. Then what would matter if then we can look at it? If they put it in and it's over that percentage, then we can we have a mot we have a motion on the floor. We don't have a second. You want to withdraw and restate your motion with with President Bieber's comments?

Motion to approve this draft as presented. And there's no other changes in here that need to be done. Whether or not we're allowing people to hire or to make a request to add new employees, that is the question, but we do that every year. I mean, the reality of it is is they should be the same as they were and call make a motion and let's vote. Okay. I don't want I don't want to keep going over this. She's made a motion. You got a second, Amy? No, he seconded. We do have a second. All in favor? I I opposed.

I I'm opposed. Okay, it passes. Let's move on. Okay, we need to go to additional appropriations. So, uh I need to open another public hearing for additional appropriations. Fund 101. Clerk requesting a transfer of 45,300. I need a motion. So move. Second. All in favor? Opposed? It passes.

Uh, personnel committee, help me out here. We got two request for 144 amendments. One from I mean two from the commissioners, one for benefits manager. Motion to approve of benefits manager. Second. All in favor? Opposed? That passes. Another 144 amendment for assistant county attorney. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Sheriff's office 144 amendment. So moved. Second. All in favor? I

opposed. Requesting transfer in the amount of $46,794.30. Some moved. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Surveyor's office uh requesting 144 amendment. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes fund 1025 capital airport capitals requesting additional appropriations of 64,956. So moved. Second. All in favor? I I

opposed airport grant fund is requesting a additional appropriation of 34,661 27 cents. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Fund 1152 LEC fund requesting transfer $2,865. Second. All in favor? I opposed. uh lit dedic lit dedicated to PAP requesting addition a reduction of 982,95.79 move second

and then they're asking for an additional appropriation of the exact same amount second we didn't have you have you figured out that paperwork is that it's a wrong account no it's No, it's an incumbrance. It was an incumbrance and they needed a Okay, we're restricted on what you can that money for. So, do I have a motion on the additional? Sorry, we had a motion on the first. I think we have to act on that first before we can second. No, we've already did the reduction. I'm asking we didn't vote on it. Yeah, we didn't vote. We didn't vote. I'm sorry. All in favor of the reduction. I opposed. So, we've reduced it now the same amount for an additional appropriation.

So, moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. The uh opioid restricted fund are requesting an additional appropriation of 531,79021. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. They're also requesting a reduction of $8,375. So move. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes and a transfer of $2,569.95.

Is that a motion? Yes. All in favor? I opposed. Computer maintenance non-reverting fund is requesting a additional appropriation of $236,822.38. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That passes. Anybody want to lump these grants together? So moved. You got a motion to combine one through four under grants. Second. All in favor? Okay. Uh motion to approve. I need a motion to approve all four of the grant. Motion to approve grants one through four as previously as one item. Okay. Got a second there, Steve? Yes.

All in favor. All in favor? I opposed. That is the end of regular business. Anybody got anything that we didn't go over? Just say that she's here that that I was amazed at how efficient and how fast the uh information got back as a record for how quickly we got to that. That was awesome.

Yeah. And I I worked at the Grand Park of precinct combined precincts of five of of five five precincts and I was told that that was the busiest one of all of them. We were non-stop long semi-long line and it it was the news news outlets were there videotaping people interviewing the star was there. So it was really busy and we we had great support because it was so busy. We had all kinds of issues come up with people wanting to vote with not having the right docu all the scenarios you can imagine and Miss Sheller's um office was very responsive and get got us all the support we need. So, thank you so much. It was

I would echo all of that, Beth, to your team. But what really impressed me was your ability to replace people last minute. the the folks that got sick or had sick family members or family emergencies and you did this with grace and with purpose. So kudos to you and your team. It was great. Sheriff, do you have any announcements? I do not. Council attorney, no announcements. Auditor? No, sir. We're ajourned.