County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

I don't know.

Thank you. Make that announcement as soon as the training board's called over. Our hearing is not till late and he was supposed to be taking it out. I I went ahead and done it. We told him we didn't charge them for Well, [laughter] that's going to come down to see these were like I mean if they if he did that doesn't matter. [clears throat] There we go. Thank you. Now we're good. You're active guys. You You're on.

We're on. Chad, are you okay if we go ahead and start?

Yes, sir. Well, good morning everybody. Um, I'd like to call this meeting of the Hancock County Commissioners to order. Today is January 5th, 2026 and the time is 8:04. Uh, this meeting is being recorded and streamed for public viewing. By participating, you acknowledge that your image, voice, and comments may be captured and made publicly available. This meeting's properly noticed as well in accordance with the Indiana Code 5-14-1.5. Uh, let the record show a quorum of commissioners are present. The commissioners are open for business. We will now proceed with our agenda. And at this time, I'd like to invite all in attendance to stand and join us in the pledge.

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 [clears throat] and justice for all. If I could get a motion to make a motion to approve the minutes for 1212 2022 executive session. Second. Motion and a second on the floor. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

I. Motion passes. Uh now for the election of officers for 2026. I'll make a motion that we elect uh Commissioner Gary McDaniel, president for the 2026 term for Hancock County Commissioners. Second. It's been moved and seconded that we approve or that we approve Gary McDaniel to be our commissioner president for 2026. All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes. And I'd like to make a motion that we elect Janine Gray, commissioner, as our vice president for 202026. Second. All others in favor? I I

see you're you're you're doing the motions now. So, let's let's do our little chair switch here real quickly. You know, women have a lot more stuff to trade up. Go ahead and recess. Oh, make a motion to re reset the meeting. Second for the drainage board. All uh got a motion and a second. All those in favor? I I meetings recess. Okay. Your lucky day, Steve. What are you going to do with the shuffle here? Yep. Yeah. Go ahead and come on over here. And here you go. Take that. I'll stay here for right now. You want me to go there? Yeah. That's what you're present to that one. Oh, okay. We don't know yet. Yeah.

I don't know why you can't do it as well. It might be. Yep. Wait. Here you go. Well, he can't side [laughter] because they have to have a target. Oh, okay. Okay. So, technically I'm Eric today. [clears throat] Well, no. You're still Janine. Did we get new chairs? Yes, we did. I'll get it. Jeez. This one's This one's up high. Yeah, right. Right here. There. Yours is okay for now. Yeah, but we'll get there. We need Steve. Am I in the middle? Yeah. Trying to find your knife. In the middle. No, that's Bill. He doesn't have one. He doesn't have

There you go. All right, [laughter] that's a little Now that we're online, you're about to [sighs] get I'll have the blank one. Oh, there we go. There's Steve. He's got the Oh, thank you, Steve. Can't operate without that. Oh my god. [sighs]

Okay, we're situated. I'll call the January 6th drainage board meeting to order. Uh first item of business is elect officers. I would make a motion to retain the officers as set to 2025. Second. Been moved and seconded that we retain the present officers. Uh any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. Uh, retain attorney. Make a motion to retain our attorney, Steve Elbury. Second.

Been moved and second that we retain Steve Ellbury as our attorney. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Secretary. I make a motion we elect Eric or noy. Cory Corey as our secretary. Second. Been moved and second that we uh elect Corey Shambball as our secretary. All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes.

I'd like to do one more thing uh as we continue through with this. If you notice on the lefth hand side of your agenda, um we have been a little bit um unique in the way that we have uh done the board here in the last couple years that uh five of the six members will all uh come up at the same time. So I'd like to be able to stagger those a little bit uh for where we're at. Um so if we could, I'd like to take u Bill and Janine and run it closer. It's a three-year appointment to start it from this year through 28, which is when you'll for your office that you'll run for commissioner. Anyways, so I'd like to um I guess we would be appointing uh for a three-year term Bill Spalding and Janine Gray to the drainage board from 1126 to 123128. That makes sense. That that makes sense for everybody.

It runs in cycle. I thought it had to run with the commissioner. Is it? It should have. We just We're just correcting it and show that the terms run with their elected terms. Okay. Okay. And I would make a motion that we approve [clears throat] uh Chad's suggestion and make the appointments run in consecutive with their term of elected office. Second. The commissioners. Yes. The problem is it's a three-year appointment and they and you guys have a four-year term. So, it kind of flips through that a bit, but this way it gets those two back in so that way everybody's not up. [clears throat]

Make sure I get this right. It's been moved and seconded that we approve terms for the commissioners coincide with their elected terms. Is that Yes, it sounds fine. You could do it that way. Uh, any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes. There we go. Um, let's we're going to jump around a little bit. Um, just because of the people that are in the room. So, we're going to start with number eight. Chad, can I ask you this? Absolutely.

I I know that u Cumman told us that we wouldn't have a quorum. Well, since Jenny and I were not here at the last meeting and there were only two other people that we were probably gonna have to continue this cranberry, that's not till 8:30. I know. We just wanted to make an announcement that that's fine. That's kind of where we were. So people didn't think, hey, I'm waiting until 8:30 to get to it. Yes. And well, you really can't. We'll have to open that. But there's anybody here for the 8:30 public hearing. We're only going to have two commissioners. We're not going to have a quorum. So that's going to be continued. welcome to stick around and hear when that date's continued to [clears throat] be any future public. Correct. Fair enough. Right. Y

no, you're fine. Thank you. All right. So, let's jump to number eight. Um so, this is the OP Moore um regulated drain. So, this is in Shirley. This is number eight in your packet. Um the hust are here today. Um this is their house here. It's right off of Meridian Street in Shirley. Um the GIS is a little off. So, if you uh look at the second page on your attachment that you have there that I have up on the screen, uh the the uh OP Moore was redone a number of years ago. Uh the green line is actually shots that we took of where that tile actually is. Uh the yellow line shows kind of where it is on GIS, but the the actual tile is the green line that runs there through the back side of their property. Um, obviously there's a 75 ft easement as that runs through there. Um, the Huffs would like to be able to put a movable um, shed in the back here, uh, where these white stars are, which is obviously within the easement that's there. It's completely movable, so they can pick it up and move it for where it's at. U,, but with the way that this tile runs across that property, it kind of limits a lot of different things that are there. So the corner of it would be about 8 and 1/2 ft from the center line of that tile as it runs through. But as I said, it would be movable. So if we had to do any work or anything, it could be uh picked up and moved away.

And the green the green line is the green line is the tile where it actually is and the actual tile and the other one is the

GIS. That's where the old tile ran and so it was never shot back in. So, so [clears throat] the tile will not be running underneath where the building is, but it will be still be to the side of it, but the uh building uh would still obviously be within the easement that [clears throat] is there. Uh there's still a 75 ft easement on that tile as it runs through there. So, the house and everything's in there as well, but that's those are pre-existing for where they're at. But so what they're coming for is to request a variance uh to approach uh within the easement with the standard cold harmless um to that distance uh from the tile to put uh a movable shed uh there. Uh it'll be on a stone base I think is is where it's at uh for what's there. So we're not putting any concrete there or anything like that. So completely if something were to break down in that exact location, uh, and we have the other side of the lot to to do work on and things, but they could still move it out of the way for us to get work on the tile that's there. So uh, I'm I'm bring it before you to um, you know, to uh, bring an approval for a encroachment uh, into the regulated drain easement for a movable shed.

And the surveyor sees no problem. I don't see any problem with it. So, it's uh it's one of those things since it's movable and we can we can work around from that standpoint. Um I think it's it's fair able to do. I would make a motion that we um approve the encroachment into the um right away for the Huff family. It's because it's a movable structure. Second been moved and seconded that we allow the encroachment by the Huff family into the OP Moore regulated drain with the standard hold harmless. Anything else?

Yeah. $25 to encroach into the drain. And usually that we So that Yeah, that's up to that's up to the board from that standpoint. A lot of times we do that if it's a permanent for where it's at. Since this is a movable um that's your choice of whether you want to wave that um for that uh fee that's there. Well, I would make a motion that we just wave that fee since it is a temporary structure. And I'd second that as well. Can we do that on the same motion? Can we put that in the same and wave the $25 [clears throat] per foot encroachment fee? Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I I opposed. Motion passes.

I I recuse myself. Okay.

All right. So, the next one is actually not on your agenda. Um, so let me bring it up here for you. And that's my mistake. I was out and talked to the gentleman, uh, Mr. Dennis Olmstead about this. So, this is on 550 North. And she can see my screen up here. So on 550 north and uh just east of State Road 9, Thomas Barrett regulated drain uh runs north to south there. This is just north of the concrete plant. Um and this 8 in tile that runs on the west side of uh the lawyer's property. Uh there is this property that is right here. They are looking to subdivide this uh homes for what's there. But obviously there's a 75 foot easement on that 8 inch tile as it runs through there. Um what they would like to do is to reduce that easement through there. Uh since it's an 8 in tile, it'd be very similar to the subdivisions that we get when we do um uh when we do subdivisions that we run through where we put uh regulated drains within that are tile uh to be able to work on it. So um what uh Mr. Olstead is and the lawyer the lawyers are proposing is a to reduce that easement to 50 ft from the 75 ft. So there's still 50 ft from the property line and 75 ft from the center line of the tile which still gives us tremendous amount of room to work on that tile that's through there. Uh but it uh usually in a subdivision if we have an 8 inch tile, we usually only have a 20 foot easement on the tile that runs through there. Uh so they're looking to reduce that easement from 50 ft 75 ft from center line of the tile from 50 ft from the uh property line uh to be able

to utilize that space a little bit better. I don't see an issue with only work on that with a mini excavator anyways. for 50 ft. It's How old is that?

The Barrett that runs through there, uh I don't think we've ever replaced it, so it's probably 70 years old. Uh we've done repairs at different spots. Actually, it's the most repairs we've done on this tile is not in this field. It's actually run pretty well through here. There's a riser that sits right here u at the north side there, just south of 550. Uh the uh worst part of tile that we've had here in recent years has actually been across the road in this little we've actually replaced parts of it on through here. This been the worst part of it here. It's we haven't done anything uh through it through here as well. It actually this falls down the hill really well as it gets down here. And then

they're looking to uh reduce the easement uh on that 8 inch tile from 75 ft from center line tile from 50 ft from and that tile does that tile go up and drain into uh that's the end of it there. Yeah, it's the end of it. I mean it's not the end of it on on on the on the pipe company that we did at one time. Yeah. Well, they their water actually um goes into this pond and then runs down uh along the railroad here. [clears throat]

Oh, there's a tile that's in this field um that I know from Dobbins that runs over and ties into that field tile. So, now is that is that an open drain there? I mean, no, it's a it's a tile. It's a pipe under the ground. So, it's just an 8 inch pipe that's under the ground there and sets. What's that? It goes there in the center or just dissipates into the earth. No, it's going it's going to Sugar Creek. So the water the water goes the water actually runs north. So when the water gets into this tile I think it should it runs north and it runs up to the Thomas Barrett. Okay. And then it runs then it continues to run all the way north all the way up to 234. Goes all the way up through here. This is all open.

Okay. And then goes through the pond there all the way up. Then yes, it does run into Sugar Creek all the way just north of 234. But uh yeah, this is at the high end 8 in tile and they were requesting it to be reduced again for so that they could develop this side up. So there's a 75 foot easement there. 50 ft is enough to get anything in there to do whatever you need to do. Right. Right. And so his that's there. Have you had any remmonstrance from any of the neighboring land owners or anything?

Not on that tile. No, from that from that's there. Um they most of the people that are in that area just want that tile to work. So that's Yeah. I would make a motion then that we approve the reduction in easement from 75 ft to 50 feet for who again the lawyers Lawler what's the drain Thomas Barrett for the uh Thomas [clears throat] Barrett regers on the Thomas Barrett regulated drain as presented by the surveyor

second been moved and seconded that we approve the easement reduction from 75 35 ft to 50 ft for the lawyer. Lawler lawyers on the must be Lawler. L on. What's the name of the tile? The Thomas Bar. Thomas Barrett. Thomas Barrett. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. I'm opposed.

Motion passes. Good. All right. So, why don't we uh go ahead and just walk down the list now? Let's go. Uh let's approve our December minutes and cranberry hearing minutes. [clears throat] Oh, can we do the cranberry? Oh, I don't know if we can't do the cranberry. So, we can do the December. I make a motion that we approve the December minutes as presented. Second. Then move and seconded we approve the December drainage board minutes. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Motion passes.

All right, we'll do the claims. [clears throat] Try not to get too much into something here. So, as you can see with the claims, it's a huge list there for you. We were extremely busy uh there for over Christmas. So, uh, there was two, uh, two things. So, part of that was the weather, part of that was ice taking a little bit of time off. And so, um, I make a motion that we approve claims paid for 121725 and 726.

Second move second that we approve or pay the claims for 1217 and 1726. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion passes.

All right, let's do number six and then we'll uh hold off for the um the hearing. So [clears throat] number six in your packet is a uh crossing of the uh regulated drain for the uh for Dough Creek. Uh this is at Steinmeer Road. [clears throat] So this is um Steinmeer Road. So

[clears throat]

off 800 West. So, County Line 800 West. Uh here's the location. So, 800 West. Um they are going to be running a uh a utility uh access transmission services. Verizon uh that's running there. They are going to be uh below the ditch 8 ft below the ditch for where they are and they are going to cross it uh right there right before the road as they run through here posted to the east. So they are looking to uh cross the Dough Creek regulated drain. Uh they have a uh hold harmless uh they have applied and there's a $250 fee for that. Make a motion that we approve the crossing [clears throat] of the Dough Creek and Steinmeire Road uh for Verizon with standard holdless and $250 fee.

Second. been moved and seconded that we uh allow the crossing of the Dough Creek by Verizon. Is it? And it's for Verizon. Yes. With uh the standard whole harmless and $250 fee. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion passes.

All right, let's do number nine while we're here. Um so this is the uh last thing on your agenda there. This is the approving of the many dates for um 2026. Um these dates coincide with the commissioner's uh minute u meetings. Uh May 4th is a Monday uh because of the primary election and November 2nd is a Monday also because of the general election. uh in November. I'll [snorts] make a motion we approve the 2026 [clears throat] drainage board meeting dates as presented. They will be for 8:00 in the morning. I don't know if that says on there, but second.

Been moved and seconded that we approve the drainage board meeting dates as presented at 8:00 a.m. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion passes. I would kind of recess for now and until you got three minutes for the um for the hearing. So, okay, we'll recess the drainage board meeting till 8:30 when the uh Cranberry Estates hearing will start. Make a motion to recess. Second.

Then move and second that we do that. All those in favor say I. I. I. Okay. We'll wait on you. Yes, sir. [cough and clears throat] [snorts]

So now what? You're no longer chairman. It's just for the year. The really the only thing the chairman really does. I assume we're gonna How much longer do you have for years? I don't know what I'm gonna tell you right now. [clears throat] You are after this year. Well, I'm I supposedly got three, but I got some issues. [snorts] I Okay, I've considered it. I'll let you know.

Okay. Well, if you've got people, you know, that we might consider to pop in that are have good knowledge, that's that's what we want. I want a farmer where goes in the county, [laughter] but you know, some of most of this stuff is farmers aren't in trouble. It's all the people that come. Yeah. Yeah. No. And that's one of the things that I hope to get better at is understanding. It's not [clears throat] hard. I've learned a lot just driving the county back and forth between home.

Mhm. And seeing a lot of the Well, have you been to the drainage board? line and it doesn't do I don't think it does a great job of just what I would call drainage. I mean, you almost need like a Vince Lombardi up there with a football. Well, when I went, this is a drain. That's what I did. I went, but it's not I guess the legalities of it. What the other gentlemen, but a whole bunch of us just common sense, but it doesn't The trouble is it's just like the one we got going. Yeah. So, they can't run the hearing because what they're going to do is

Hey, Cy, is this is this meeting just

Yep. I think we're good. Make a motion to reconvene [clears throat] our drainage board meeting. Second. No, just reconvene. I will call the Cranberry Mutual Drain hearing back to order. Is that how you say it? No. To order. It is back to order. Back to order. Back to order. We delayed it. Uh being as one member that was here, we only had three. We do not have a quorum. So we will continue it until motion to continue. Oh, okay. Okay. I make a motion that we continue it. [clears throat and cough]

He will be here and then we have not I mean we we heard that he was in the hospital. I I would recommend um next month probably. Well, I don't know if we want to push it. I I would recommend um doing it at the next commissioner's meeting, which would be in two weeks. Um I think he's I think he's starting to get on the mend and I think he could be here for that. And if not, we could just move it from there. But that's just my opinion. Um I from from what I have understood from the people that are a part of it, they would like to see it remedied as soon as they could for what's there. But I I know we want to try to make sure that we do things for where we can for So that would be the 20th. That would be my recommendation.

I make a motion that and that's that's up you guys. So available on that date, Mr. It's real important that you be here as Yeah, you have to be I know and I don't know because [laughter] I am supposed to have a hernia operation and I'm [cough and clears throat] kind of hoping that it'll happen before long and I'm hoping to hear today what the schedule's going to be. So I don't Okay, I I can't guarantee it, you know.

Yeah, that's I I I mean I that's up to you guys from that standpoint to figure that. Uh, I mean the only other thing that we could do from that standpoint is if we have it at a different time, we could reopen the hearing and hear all the information again and then walk through it. Uh, and then that would be, you know, the length. I'm just saying it's because there was two members who weren't here uh, from that standpoint. Um, I mean, we could do that, but I'm just I'm throwing out options from that standpoint as we're walking through here. So, could we have a just a quick special meeting? It would still have to be a part of the hearing and I think they would just have to rehear the information, right? If if the two that were going to participate.

Yes. We just the three of us got to be here. That's all. We'll make it happen. I mean, it's up to you. Whatever you want to do. I don't know. Maybe we just wait to find out what's is and then if we have to have a special meeting, we But you still got a special meeting. You'd still have to do it in the commissioner's meeting or something, wouldn't you? Not wouldn't know not as I wouldn't what what what is their what is their um the right word. So what is their obligation for um the hearing can be continued as justice requires if that tells you anything if we don't have a quorum

but I guess when can they when can they do have to make it next month. That's your call for now. Okay. That's that's your call. Okay. Then I'd make a motion. Is that good for uh first meeting or the first our first commissioner meeting? First commissioner meeting of February. Okay. Okay. Make a motion that we continue the uh uh Cranberry hearing to uh February 3rd at 8:00. 8:30. 8:30. Okay. Second. Well, yeah. It depends on your thing for whatever you guys 8:30.

And we have a second. Been moved and seconded that we continue the Cranberry Mutual Drain hearing until 8:30 on February 3rd. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Motion pass. Chad, I just have you turn and speak real loud and let everybody know there will not be any future. Correct. There there won't be any future legal notice. The hearing has now been moved uh to February 3rd at 8:30 in the morning. Thank you. I just know some sometimes people have time hearing. Absolutely. Yep. Are there people here? Yes. Yes. There's some of the respondents are here.

I'm sorry. That's the way [laughter] then need to close the hearing. Close it. Make a motion to adjourn the special hearing. Second. Been moved and seconded that we close the Cranberry Mutual [clears throat] hearing. All those in favor say I. I. I motion passes. [clears throat] You need to reopen the drainage. Make a motion we reopen drainage board meeting. Second. Move. Second that we reopen the January 6 drainage board meeting. All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes.

All right. Let's go to number seven on your list.

So there is uh Jonathan Stanbury. This is at uh 400 West and County Line Road to the north, 96th Street, Thousand North. There is a roundabout that Fisers is putting into this location. So, I have on screen here for a little bit of the plans and things that are there. So, just kind of I'll walk you a little bit through here. Centerpoint [clears throat] Energy is coming before you. Um they are going to be running a gas line. Theirs is in orange as you can here and then down through the red. Um, so right now the purple line at the top on this drawing is the actual Jonathan Stanberry drain. Just a little history on the Jonathan Stanberry. Um, originally the Jonathan Sansbury was an open ditch in this location and in the 70s it actually got turned into a tile drain because they couldn't keep vehicles out of the ditch. Um, so they made it into a tile ditch at that time. Now that the U roundabout is coming in, uh, my predecessor and myself, uh, this is now a subdivision that's coming in here. Um, we are going to open it back up and it's going to be a it's a two-stage ditch on this side now. It'll be and it will run where this blue line is. So, will be an open ditch that will move and go this way. The board has already approved this in the past. So, this was a couple years ago. This was already approved uh when the plans came through for this. So center point is now coming through and they are going to run their gas line uh in so that they can put where they're at. The issue right now they are actually crossing the regulated drain once now and once in the future. So the one they're crossing now is right here

um which is the tile drain of the Jonathan Sansbury. And then it'll run here. It's about 8 feet from where this top of bank will be as it runs around. and then it's going to cross underneath what is the open ditch uh as this runs through there. So, what they are looking for is permission to cross the regulated drains for where they're at. Um the main one, this drain will go away here. They're supposed to start uh construction on this roundabout this summer. Uh and this open ditch is where they will eventually be for the uh regulated drain. They're going to be um it says at least 7 feet below. They have they the numbers they gave me is 8.3 ft. They're going to be below the drain.

So, will the open and I this will be they will actually be what will be a future open drain. Correct. Yeah. And actually on the west side here will be deeper than the t than the tile is now the bottom. Will it be deeper? The problem is it will not be much deeper because the outlet is our problem. Yes. For where we go to. So, uh that's why [clears throat] it's a two-stage ditch on this side to actually hold a little bit more water as it comes through. So, uh, it it'll be the d bottom of the ditch is going to be pretty close to where that tile the elevation of that tile is as it comes through and they're going to be set seven

they're going to be 7 ft below or actually they're going to be eight feet below the bottom of the ditch through. So, they are looking for uh approval to cross the regulated drain with the standard hold harvest. Um, and maybe you better put in there that surveyor looks at it or something. Yes. And we will inspect it as it's being built. Yes. That's Are [clears throat] we going to approve both at this time?

For this time, you're going to have to approve both because um the only one that's really the drain right now is this one to the north because this bottom hasn't been constructed per se. Um because this this drain is still working on the north side, but by the summer that's going to go away. So yes, you are you are once that drain becomes vacated at the top and relocated to the south, then that will go away. So yes, you are approving to but they're wanting to do this before that happens. Correct. Because they want to do it before the the roundabout gets in. Is there a fee that goes along with it? Usually it's $250.

$250. Then I make a motion that we would allow Center Point Energy to cross both drains, reg the original regulated drain and then the new open drain uh with the standard hold harmless for the county and a $250 fee. Second. It's been moved and seconded that we allow center point to cross did Stanberry at uh I don't know how you want as presented [laughter] there you go and with what with with surveyor yes and we will inspect that as they come absolutely standard home Marlins and fe

yeah y I don't know do we need that hold harmless in there in that motion. Well, yeah, it's it's or that's automatic. Well, but it still should be a part of it that way. It's Let the record reflect it. And the $ 250 fee and the $250 fee. All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion passes.

All right. Let's go to number five. Um you have um the first couple pages of the uh consultant contracts for uh drainage for 2026. Um again we are looking to use Christopher Burke engineering and Carrie Daly is here from them. Uh Carrie spoke before you guys a number of times. Um and DLZ uh Mr. Frank Stewart. Uh we use both of those to plans and to go over things with the regulated grains and ditches and things that we have. So these are our 2026 uh consult contracts from them. I will have one more coming um from Banning Engineering. Uh they helped us with the ditch on um in McCordsville uh the one that runs by the cemetery. Uh we usually try to keep them on retainer as well for other projects that are there. But uh we have gotten these two in at this time uh for that. And so I am looking for approval for the 2026 consultant contracts. Steve has a full copy of the contracts as we are sitting there u to look at and to verify that everything there uh is up to snuff. But I

Dave, are you good with it? Wouldn't mind just coming back. I'm almost through this one. Okay. Friend's gotten even tinier from here. Chad, is [clears throat] there a hourly rate for Burke? I'm not. Yes, there is. It all depends on the engineer that they're using. Um, I think there's a schedule of That's the other page you didn't. Yeah. Yeah. So, there's the Yeah, there's a schedule. It all depends on Why don't you make it sound like presented? That's what I'm thinking. Rather than go through all sir, are you good? Well, okay. Oh, right there. They are. Okay. Well, I'll just say the schedule of fees. Okay. But we need to come back to this

bill. Is that what you want, Steve? Is that Christopher? Yeah. Those are the schedule of fees. Okay. Said as presented to Steve, those are he's as soon as he says it's okay. Okay. You want to What's next, Chad?

All right. The last thing we have uh in December, we took bids for um finer [clears throat] repairs and our office looked all over those. Uh Steve had an opportunity to look at the contracts that are there. Um for what is there, um I have included for you a little colorcoded copy of the stuff that we have. Um I have removed those who uh either one the paperwork was insufficient or two were extremely higher than what we had for what is there. Uh these are the groups that I would like to use. Uh the two that are white in the middle uh Blake Thompson and Drainage Construction which is Rick Lawrence. Um they usually only do work for us in a field if they are in the field already. So, we don't utilize them very much as a normal contractor for normal work. Um, and they also both have ditching machines if you go to the very bottom on the second page. Um, so we utilize them for projects that uh if if we need to that that we use a ditching machine. It's one of their fores. We have this one, two, three, four, five, six. That leaves us with seven contractors uh for the year. Um, I would like to keep all seven. Uh, and the reason for that is, and the names across the top, um, Jimmy Molen, Ross Davis, uh, Chuck Johnson is Steve Varga, Mike Leonard, um, they have all done work for us in the past. Party Pools is one of our current contractors. Uh, BLC, um, has done work for us in the past. Um, and North N is Hans Koolie, uh, is is his his name of his company that is there. U, I would like to keep all of them. They all have a kind of a

specialty or a way of that they do things. U, some are better at other things than others. Uh, and ultimately as we do work, sometimes we're in the fields with tiles, sometimes we're open ditches, sometimes we're brushing and dredging, sometimes we're in subdivisions, sometimes we're doing landscape, sometimes we're doing um using having to use a vac truck. There are just a lot of different mechanisms that we utilize with there. uh talk to um the people that are here, they understand that the work they get will it's this is not their main form of income, right? This is this is something on the side for them to do uh for where they're at. So, I would like to recommend that we approve um those nine contractors uh who work with the county. And there anything else I need to do with that or is that

and they've all been vetted for their insurance? There is a a couple of things insurance and everything is good. Yes. Okay. Y one other I'm sorry I've been reading this. The [clears throat] one other point to that would be in that authorization you would also authorize him to contract for jobs less than I believe000. If there's anything else that pops up that those seven six seven there there's nine of them total but seven that we are going to use normally. Yes. I would make a motion that we approve the contractor list for 2026 as recommended by the county surveyor. And what was that last thing you wanted? Contractor

authorize him to contract uh for work not more than 150,000 and Okay. and authorize uh provide authorization to the surveyor to choose a contractor for any work uh that does not go over $150,000. Second. It's been moved and seconded that we approve the nine contractors presented for work that does not go over $150,000. Is that what No. into contract for work that doesn't go over $150,000. Right. Okay. All those Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

I. Opposed? Motion passes. [clears throat] You ready for them then, Steve? Contract. Good. [clears throat] Make I make a motion that uh we we approve DLZ and Burke as consultants for year 2026 for the county surveyor's office. Second and the schedule of fees that is presented with it. I guess we only have Burke. Is there a different set of fees for DLZ? Yeah. Yeah, it's here. It's here. Right here. Okay. Right here. Right.

Oh, all right. I'm sorry. Instead of giving you all, you know, the nine page and killing all the trees, we just gave us the first couple pages. So, [clears throat] it's been moved and seconded that we approve the contracts for Burke Engineering and DLZ for 2026 as presented. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

Opposed? Motion passes. That is all that I have. Um the uh two points of information. Um obviously the next meeting now will be February 3rd and then we will have the cranberry hearing at that time as well for where they're at. Um starting next month I would like to take about five minutes in each of our hearing each of our uh meetings and just go over a different thing with drainage for you guys. just stuff that we deal with so that you get a little bit better understanding of how we do work for what's there and what's going on. So, it'll it'll just kind of help. I I've been asked by a number of you a couple times about is there places we can go to find more information about drainage and stuff that we do. So, um I'm putting together some things that we can just real short snippets of different things that will kind of jog and help you understand a little bit more some of the stuff that goes on. Okay.

I'm sure Stephen and Eric will be bored, but Yeah. Well, that's okay. [laughter] Maybe maybe I'll have them stand up and talk. Absolutely. So, but that's that's all I have from that standpoint. Um, so thank you. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Motion to adjourn the drainage board meeting. Second. Been moved and seconded that we adjourn the January 6 drainage board meeting. All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Okay. Can I take this doing this again? We got to You're going to take mine? I got it all warmed up for you. Thank you. I won't stretch your leg. Did we

popped up here. Let me see what We will now call our meeting back to order. And first up would be Gary Pool with the highway department. Good morning. Happy new year. Happy new year to you.

First item I have is the IMPO appointment letter. I know you have a million appointments you're doing this time of year. This one would to be appoint myself and Miss Shidler uh to be on the technical and proxy or policy committee for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization. I make a motion that we appoint to the IMPO uh Gary P and Miss There we go. Thank you. And Anne Schneider to the um impo board. Second.

We have a motion and a second to appoint Gary P and Miss Shidler uh to the uh IMPO appointment or a board and to sign the approval. All in favor? I I

oppose. Same sign. It is It is approved. Okay. as you're signing that. Uh we've approved uh the two prosecutor jail orders. Uh that that is wrapping up over there and we'll have those projects finished up shortly. I saw we had the certificate occupancy for the prosecutor's office and hopefully in a uh couple months we can get the uh the old jail set up there set up as well for juvenile um probation and those other items. Then we'll talk about future projects after we're done with all that. Uh at the next council meeting, I'll be petitioning the council to increase line 4616 40050. You don't have to take any action on this. I'm going increase this to $1.5 million in the RDC. That will come the current intent is to bring that forward from future payments we're going to make to the schools out of the RDC. That money will be used to finalize the furniture purchase. They were not able to do that within their school districts. Obviously with Senate Bill One and everything, they're they're a little cashstrapped. So, they're not able to do that. So, the county is going to assist the schools in getting that and their furniture and equipment purchases completed for the Amplified project. So, just FYI, I will be petitioning the council at the next meeting to increase that line to $ 1.5 million. So, Mary, you'll see me then. If you could add me, I'm going to call you later today, but if you could add me to that meeting, I'd appreciate it. And it could go to either one. If you got a spot in the in the fiscal meeting, I can come tomorrow or whatever wherever fits for you. On 10th January, we have a letting has a it's a we've been successful in the previous two letings with petitioning the state to fund the differences in some of the construction prices because a lot of these jobs came from 5 years ago and they have covered them. Um I know with all the the drama with the federal government and stuff that's been trickier, but we've still been able to take care of our projects. Uh this would be the last of the large projects. This

would be the Steey Road project. We're covered to fund the project, but right now most of it comes out of our cumulative capital fund which the commissioners nor the council really they have other plans for that for some uh other projects. What I've done is I had uh a coffee with Mr. Clark and some conversations with Miss Eden and I'm hoping to get that on the 10th. We won't know till the 10th when that lets hopefully uh have the state cover that $2 million difference and then that can return to so the taxpayers not well we're all paying taxes to the state and the feds as well but bring some of that state and federal money back so we can use some of the local money more local. Uh so we're working that's our heavy lift for next week is to get that and after the 10th I'll be able to answer probably at the council meeting I'll mention whether or not Jim will be interested in that. Um, we're we are going to reup the dash cam and GPS systems. Obviously with the snow, it tests out our system. Our current GPS system is old. It's not it's struggling a little bit, which makes it hard for us to do two things. One, make sure we hit everything cuz it's in the middle of the night with a blowing snow, it's it's hard to make sure we hit everything because often you can't tell you hit a road 30 minutes after you plowed it. But we try to make sure we get out everywhere. Um, so probably this spring or so we're going to reup looking at our system, see if we can modernize it a little bit. We're probably going to nest into the state system um because it's cheaper because they already they bought a giant system for the state plow so there's a economy of scale there. Um, that said, I want to do like all our projects we do uh competitive bidding to make sure the taxpayers getting the best price. Um, commissioners conference info, I didn't really come back with that. So, Senator Krider and Representative Wawson are working some legislation for us um to try to free up a lot of the bureaucracy around specifically capital projects, the building of capital projects. There's a lot of good laws and stuff in place, but some of them become redundant or uh they

conflict with each other and it's that cost the taxpayer money in design and stuff because things get reworked, delays. Um, so they're we have a pretty comprehensive package that they're carrying forward. So if you talk to him, thank them for helping us with that. Bridges on three South and Four South. So Four South's already closed. Three South will be closing shortly. Uh, the surveyor is already going to do one of his projects at the same time. When that three South is closed, we try to nest together to make sure that it's going to be closing in convenient. Might as well do all the work in that location at the same time. There's some utility work. So there's going to be a bunch of work going on at these places at the same time. But we'll have a closure about 150 days. Then hopefully all that work will be done.

It's posting. So just that's coming. Snow policy. We had a a really rough December. So we are right now like I've said in the last meeting until we can get something reworked because remember the state is reworking their salt too and they're a lot bigger dog than we are. Um so but I'm trying to get some scraps to make sure we have enough salt to we can't just keep blowing salt like we are. We could cover December, but then we won't have any salt for February. We can't have no salt. So, we're have to be very thoughtful about our salt usage. We're working on it. Um, I'll let you know if I need any help anywhere, but it's just a matter of physics. There's only so much salt and there's been a lot more snow this year. It seems like we've had a few real

those little dustings are just tough. Um, because a little bit of snows, you often have to use more salt because that won't hold the salt. You can drop salt on it. It just gets knocked off the road or blows blows off the road. It's windy. It doesn't do anything. Um, but people want the, you know, people are calling, they want it melted. I'm like, you're we're going to have to drive on a little bit of icy roads, which they're going to be icy anyway. We got 10 trucks. It takes us a long time to get around everywhere. But, um, and but people are pretty good about driving. And if they're not good about driving, they learn. Yeah. Real quick

that they want to be good about driving. But we're trying to help them out. But we're just going to be a little bit thriftier with salt until we get get something reworked. But that we're working on that pretty hard. Speed and stop sign ordinances. We've talked about that. I pass them up. Um, I didn't bring them with me, but I'm hoping they get signed at some point. Okay. So, would you like me to go ahead and send those over to the auditor's office? Please do. We'll do. We all got it. So, okay. We did. There's no hurry, but I'm going to leave it on here till it's done. We going We can put it on next month's meeting, can't we? Okay.

Our CCMG G bids for microsurfacing next year will be received the 20th of January. So you'll have that on your calendar then. That's for the microsurface project. It's been it's been a popular it's more popular than chips seal. Hey, I love chip seal but it's uglier than sand. It's messy. It works but it's dog gone it's messy. The microsurf is a lot better looking product. Got a good a lot of good life out of the microsurface too. It's it's a it's a good product. So we're going to keep we're going to keep uh going to that well until it it dries up. So you'll see that in the 20th of January. Barney, any questions? That's all I have. It'll be a busy uh year design-wise this year and um looking forward to it.

Thank you. Thank you, Gary. Appreciate it.

Ger Burkart. Um, yeah. Um, he hasn't been to council yet. Good morning. Good morning. Morning. Early. Well, you caught me off guard. Somebody put you in the right spot.

You caught me off guard here. I [laughter] didn't expect it to be. Um, so I'm here today um to discuss a topic of discussion that's been pretty uh talked about here lately and that's the expansion of the core security program. um you should have hopefully um copy Sarah's really good at that um of the proposal. And so um my proposal for this um would um be five security officers. Um, and the way that would work would be, um, it's kind of like a subdivision of the jail to where you would take senior jail officers that were interested in working court security, transitioning them over to that place, and then rehiring new jail officers at a base rate for that position. Um, and so that would be the idea. I think at five, I mean, to me, that's bare minimum. Um it probably needs to be more, but hopefully with the five being there and you know we we're looking at also um you know the annex, you know, having somebody here hopefully all the time. Um and then also we're we need to look at probably in the future. I don't know what that looks like because I haven't looked at the prints lately um on what they've done for juvenile probation. Um, there was at one point in time in the plans a security desk there. I don't know if it still exists or doesn't exist uh in that since

they did all the demo over there. It's kind of hard to tell.

Yeah, I don't know. I know when they originally, you know, talking with Josh back in the day, you know, that there was a PL plan for that security desk for people coming and going. Um, and so that's something to think about for the future. Um, I'm hoping [snorts] with the five, you know, that the problems you have is the PTO time, you know, and day, you know, if we run them Monday through Friday, you know, that's not a big deal, but the PTO is where we come in a problem because everybody gets so much PTO now, um, and taking days off. So, we're hoping to fill in those gaps of the full-time with the part-time, you know, for those guys that's taking off and utilize part-time to fill those gaps, um, in there um, when that when that takes place. And so this is a proposal um you know based off your recommendation on which direction to go with this. Um I was going to present it to uh the budget committee tomorrow. I sheriff I think [snorts] you did a great job. It looks like you put a whole lot of thought into it and I know been talking about this for a while and you jumped on and

took care of it and I thank you for that. Okay. And I know the the judges appreciate it too. So yeah. Yeah. We Oh, sorry. Uh, we we will definitely pass this on. So, will we have access to them too for our night meetings, the planning night meeting or the BZA night meeting as needed?

Yeah, as as needed. We'll utilize those. I don't I need to find out and I don't know for sure. I know at one time that, you know, I detailed a road car here. I don't know if that's still happening. Hopefully, it still is. Um, I haven't checked on it until whether or not it is, but uh, we'll work that out so we can have somebody here one way or the other for that whether it's an off shift or you know where we use the flex shift in some fashion to where they can be here for those times. I know it's like once a month really, right? Yeah. For that one particular meeting. So, we should be able to flex that time to make that happen. Okay. I have a motion to uh I I feel like we should uh make a motion to send this to the county council with the favorable [snorts] recommendation.

I second that. Okay, we have a motion and a second on the floor to uh recommend this as the favorable recommend recommendation for county council to approve as presented by the sheriff uh full for five full-time security court security officers and probate pro promotion of court security sergeant. All those in favor I I all oppose same sign. It passes. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Thank you. I'll be with him tomorrow. So, all right. Appreciate it. Thanks, Miam Roll.

Good morning. Morning.

I'm requesting approval to attend the Indiana University Executive Development Program. It's in Bloomington. I was awarded a scholarship to participate. Uh the class was limited to 40 and only seven scholarships were awarded. So I'm super excited to um receive this scholarship and have the opportunity to learn and collaborate with with peers uh for parks and recreation. And uh the program runs from April 19th through April 22nd. It focuses on leadership and management skill development for parks and wreck. Um, with the 50% scholarship, the cost is reduced to 270 uh 25750 and uh 370 for lodging. So, it shouldn't exceed $700 to attend. Um, so I'm here to request um your blessing on going to this program.

Do we know where we're going to pay for this from? Um, I believe it was discussed possibly the commissioner's training line. Okay. And, um, that's pretty much it. Well, I would make a recommendation that we approve the IU executive uh development program for parks and recreation um from Miriam Rolls, the board president um with uh cost not to exceed $700 that will be paid for through the commissioner's training budget.

Second. We have a a motion and a second to uh approve the uh training for Miriam Rollins through this parks and rec board pres or for the parks and rent board president through the IU executive development program uh along with her scholarship for $257 is out of our area plus travel expenses to not exceed $700. Uh all those are any further discussion? All those in favor? I I I those opposed same sign. Passes. Well, thank you very much. I'm looking forward to the opportunity and um grateful for your support and confidence. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Keep up the good work, Miriam. Lacy Willard.

Good morning. Lacy Willard. I'm the secretary for Hancock Health on the board of trustees. I'm here to re uh request the reappoint of two of our trustees um to four-year terms. They have served uh with distinguished capacity. They share their expertise with our community regularly and not only are they meeting the mission for Hancock Health, but also the county objectives for um bringing population health to the people in our county. So, first I'd like to request the reappoint of Dr. Dean Felker. He brings clinical leadership to our board. Uh it's a best practice to have someone who is a practicing physician or recently practicing physician on the board mostly because there's some insights that come with a physician point of view, medical staff point of view. Uh he always comes um and brings to our decision- making the experience of what is going to drive engagement for our staff um and for our physicians and for our recruits. Also um great insights into how we handle care delivery. Uh there are some really unique circumstances for how hospitals have governance. One of which is safety, another is quality. Um we are publicly ranked on these and so his expertise and some of the decision-m is is is um excellent for us and his real world experience he brings all the time. So he's clinical expertise um fiscal expertise and he's always looking in in the long term. Uh Maria Bond is the second uh applicant that we have and Maria again um for a reappoint. she joins us here if if there are any questions at the end that we have. She does bring an operational mindset. You might know her from the great work she does with the Mount Vernon Community School District. Uh she is everpresent in the community on behalf of um of of really a lot of efforts within the uh the county. Um she she most brings uh an

assessment of of public facing um impact to the decision-making. And so for a hospital board, we have great expertise with our staff. And so the hospital board trustees bring just different perspectives. And what she brings is a knowledge of how we build community trust when healthc care trust is really important. And Maria brings that to all of our decisions. Uh she's also um looking at how we can pursue transparency and bringing um um and building that public trust. And so um trust, fiscal responsibility, and a lot of strategy is what she brings and has brought to the board. Uh so in conclusion, we're looking for some continuity. There are a lot of changes within hospital systems right now. We're looking at some pressures from um uh from the reimbursement complexities both from the public and the private payer side. Huge complexities coming our way. Um and and there's a lot of advocacy going on. A lot of change in workforce developments. CO did not do a lot of favors for the hospital systems and especially working within in systems and there's there's everchanging evolving needs of our patients uh which um is we're looking to to meet with with this type of expertise on our board. Um so thank you for the opportunity to submit um a request for reappoints for both u Dr. Dean and Maria and and Maria and I can answer any questions if you like.

I don't have any questions. Okay. Okay. I make a motion that we reappoint uh Maria Bond and Dr. Dean Felker to the uh board of trustees for Hancock Regional Hospital effective January 1st, 2026 through December 31st, 2029. Uh effective immediately. Second.

We have a motion and second on the floor to reappoint Miss Bon and Dr. Feler to four-year term of the hospital board of trustees starting January 1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2029. Uh all those is any further discussion? All those in favor? I I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we're gonna skip this. We've still got another half hour, so let's go ahead and uh go with Michael Kester with the Horse Historical Society here. There we go.

Good morning, everyone. Good morning.

I'm back again. [laughter] Uh before I start, I just want to stop and and since we're here face to face to say that the Hanok County Historical Society uh appreciates the support of the Hanok County Commissioners and as the president and curator, I know that that is a very true statement. Uh the directors uh told me that uh make sure that I say a thank you when I come in today. So, I got that done. Uh today what I'm going to do is request signatures and initials on a gift agreement form from the commissioners in regards to the rescue of eight artifacts. And I have some paperwork that I don't know if you want to copy or not. Okay. at some point. Uh I have the pictures of the artifacts that were rescued from the memorial building and I can uh get those up there in just a second. Uh those are already in our possession. Uh I made a trip to the memorial building and uh I had to go to the basement where the kids play area is and talk to Amy Studebaker. Uh, it turns out she wasn't the correct person to release those artifacts. So, I'm here today to do it formally with the commissioners because you're in charge of what goes in and out the door of the memorial building. Right. Right. [snorts] Uh, Corey Taylor also facilitated this because he found the artifacts in the dark recesses of the memorial building. Uh, so we are in possession. They have been quarantined and uh most of them have been cleaned. These artifacts were covered in cold dust and some were broken, some were damaged. We have taken care of that. So we are seeking permission via this uh

gift agreement that I have uh to add these to our collections uh with your signatures. Uh, previously I was here, if you might remember, to receive the Hancock heroes portraits of the uh, Hancock veterans that had been on display in the courthouse lawn, ended up in the courthouse basement, ended up getting wet. We have those now and thanks to you and your permission and that has been a positive impact on our collections. Uh we have had up to 10 families contact us to find out if we have a picture of their father or their mother and five of those those families have gotten lucky and we were able to find their uh uh parents or their cousin or their uncle and provide them with a picture. So, this is working. This process is working, getting these artifacts and sharing them with Hancock County. Uh, so today I would like to just have you sign this form on the front. All three of you can sign like you did before. And then there's another page that has a red X on it. You can initial that. And there's a description here. And I've got some pictures of the artifacts here.

Would you bring those pictures up here? Pardon? when you come up, would you bring those pictures up here for us to see? Thank you. Uh, let me bring those now. Extra copy. You only have one. Okay.

Okay. I found that. Thank you. I just was interested. Appreciate that.

Or the curious. Some of these artifacts were we had China plates from the American Legion. Uh we had a uh portrait of a general uh that was uh damaged and broken and we've restored that already. Uh we had a poster that used to sit out in front of the memorial building when the scyotes would have their cafeteria dinners and that was vintage 1952. So, some of these artifacts have been sitting in the memorial building for over 50 years, and so we're glad to get them out of there and get them in the sight of our visitors and our guest. I would make a motion that uh the commissioners would approve and sign the GI uh certificate of gift for the Hancock County Historical Society uh gift agreement for the art artifacts uh that were presented and re re brought in from the memorial building.

Second. Okay. Uh we have a motion and second to approve the Hancock County Historical Society gift agreement uh of art artifacts that were found in the the memorial building basement left to disintegrate and they didn't. So thanks to the historical society that that we have those for ever. So we have a motion to second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion carries.

Yeah, no problem. Um, [clears throat] you want to put your initial on that one? Mhm. I think that's what he's talking about. We signed it all the last time. Oh, yeah.

We We've all signed it for just Oh. Can you send that down?

Mary call Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Lance Net Digger. Hey, should have good morning again. Dispersement or something. It has been a a little while since we gave you an update. I believe the last one was in the end of October. So, it's my great pleasure to bring you all up to speed on the good progress that's been made out at the Amplify project site. I don't have a lot of updates for you on the site work side. Uh, a lot going into the winter occurred, but the bottom line is we have asphalt base down with temporary striping. All the curbing is in, light pole bases are in. Um, but other than that really due to the weather u we're on hold with regard to the site work. When it comes to the building, we have a lot of movement. Uh I was as I was updating the photos here, uh looking at the ones from my last update, so much has changed that it was um pretty exciting to to see the the changes here. Last time the question was raised, when will the building be enclosed? It really is at this point in time enclosed. The curtain wall, as you can see in this image, all that glass is installed. There are some uh windows here and there that are still awaiting uh installation, but for the most part, everything's done there. Drywall is almost completely done, finished. Finished painting is in various stages of either completion or being completed as we speak. Uh you're going to see images here where ceiling grid is installed or or being installed. We have lighting that's installed and continuing to be installed. Uh Milestone is always getting the boilers and the heating system operational. So we have

that um we have that smoke coming out of the stacks which is great. And then Ninstar has been great. They they mobilized and have pulled all their low voltage and data cabling. I'll keep on going through and then at the end if you guys have any questions um but feel free to stop me at any time. So we are on budget. The bottom line is we are on budget which is great news. And when it comes to the schedule we are on schedule. So occupancy u the end users should be able to occupy and amplify can occupy mid June right around the 20th of June. So we're right on target there. Before you today you will see that there is a furniture proposal. This is for loose furniture for the classrooms and ad administrative spaces. So chairs, desks, so on and so forth, which is different from what Gary P had brought up earlier with the school equipment. That is also a milestone and and coordinating with all of the end users and all the stakeholders. Getting that furniture package here today feels like a a really good milestone. So, here's an image of the the building that you're probably accustomed to seeing from passing by on 300 North. A view from the from the southwest corner of the building. This uh entrance right here is actually the the bus drop off. So, this would be the HT3 and the Hancock County School bus drop off. And there's another entrance for the admin offices further down toward where that lift. view from the northeast. See the the finished nature of the building. And back behind the building, you can see the the all the overhead doors are installed. You can see the chillers are installed here. You can see that canopies over these doorways are in various states of completion. The

dumpster blinds in and you've got the glass work on this north entrance here. This is the HC3. So, the school the um admin space. So you can see the drywall's finished, paint is finished, ceiling grid is going in, and lights are installed in the ceiling grid. This is a the Hancock Health classroom. Again, just an image of of the state of the finishes. This one's kind of fun. This is the welding lab. So this is going to be shared by uh between uh the county schools and IvyTech. So this is just showing all the the duct work and the exhaust system that's installed, the mechanicals. This is the building trades lab. So again, we've got dust collection systems installed. You can see there's um power cord reels are are installed and operational. Plywood is down around the perimeters of the drywall to protect those in all the lab spaces. This is the IvyTech lab. You've got the the sound attenuation panels uh mounted on the walls around around the space. You've got the plywood on. And again, you've got the the bus ducks, the electrical bus ducts overhead and installed. And this is an IvyTech classroom where we actually have ceiling tile installed and finished fixtures such as speakers installed. This is the one of the one of the uh data control rooms. So the IDF room and just kind of an image of how many low voltage cables have been pulled by Ninstar into this location. And this is kind of fun. The the monumental stair in the center common area has been installed. The iron work and the concrete was poured in those steps. So this is really the the the

focal point of the building and the main congregation point where events will occur. Another view of the same area. You can see that the plastic has been removed where all the windows are on the south facade. [cough and clears throat] And yet another view right in front of where the elevator is looking at the same area. That's the end of the slides. Does anybody have any questions? It looks good. I drove I drove around it the other day. I figured I'd get a call saying stay off property, but at the same time I didn't, but it it looks very good. It's come a long way.

If at any point you guys want to take a take a tour, just just reach out, let me know. I know Mr. Pool and and Miss Shidler are are supposed to come yet this afternoon here. So, everything's rocking and rolling. Good. It's nice to know it's on track, too. We're on the timeline to fit it to get people into it. Budget and schedule. Beginning of the school year. Yes. on track. Yeah. Thank you for your time. Thanks. Thank you. Uh do you want to go ahead and Yes.

approve this? We have um for the Hancock County Commissioners the uh furniture procurement uh for the Amplify Hancock. Um this will be provided by commercial office environments to procure loose furniture for the amplify Hancock project. uh the Veritus has led the coordination of efforts and various stakeholders to ensure that the furniture to be provided meets the needs the goals of amplify Hancock. Uh furniture pricing is through Omnia Partners cooperative purchasing agreement. Executing this order at this time will avoid uh imminent annual price increases and the total amount proposed for furniture is $672,5312. This amount is within the FFN allowance for the project budget. A signature and a 50% deposit of $300,36 uh $336,0002656. So that's that's the

that a motion. That's the motion. That's a motion. Okay. Second. Okay. We have a motion and second to approve the Amplify Hancock furniture procure procurement agreement in the amount of $672,05312 signature and a 50% deposit which is $336,2656 is to be approved. All those in favor say I. I. I oppose. Same sign. Any further discussion? Motion passes. Um, do you want to just go ahead and go on with uh Yeah. Veritus advice?

Sure. I make a motion that we approve uh u crop damage to the ferris drainage easement. Um these reasons, the Veritus Advisors recommends the Hancock County Commissioners authorize and issue payment to Mr. Robert Ferris in the amount of $3,675 and no cents for uh drainage crop damage in Ferris drainage easement. Second.

We have a motion and a second on the floor [sighs and gasps] for uh uh uh crop damage on the Mr. Ferris property an amount of three $3,675 uh where is a result of storm drainage installation uh for the Amplify Hancock situation uh for $3,675 even. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I I all oppose same sign. Motion passes. Yes, ma'am.

Should be out of the Amplify. It should be out of the amplify monies that we have to be able to pay that. Yes. So Sarah just at the bottom of that or Mary just anywhere. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Uh we've got a little bit more. You wanted to uh do some uh claims and payroll and all that. I make a motion that we approve uh claims and payroll. Second. There's a motion and second on the floor to approve claims and payroll as presented. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I

I opposed. Same sign. Motion passes. I make a motion that we approve uh the furniture invoice from the prosecutor's office. Let me see. That's all you need where we want to pay that separate from the bond. I don't know if that came out of the bond or not. I don't think it did. What is the uh what's the amount? Do you have the amount, Sarah? That looks like Nelson. It is 911. It's going to be the office 360, right? Yeah. Think you have it? I We do not have it.

Here's copy. It just need to Oh, from a fund to be determined. [laughter] Looks like it's a $2,200. Second one. There's two. There's one right behind it. Okay. 13. Okay. But I mean it's already been approved. We know where to prove to pay it from to be determined. Okay. [sighs] Got the dispersement.

Yeah, we we could do that. This is all a part of this. We could um It's just a construction fund dispersement number 18. Good to go with that. Yep.

Okay. Uh I make a recommend I make a motion that we approve the affidavit for construction uh fund uh dispersement request number 18 uh regarding Hancock County Redevelopment Authority, the redevelopment district property tax and the lease rental bond series 2025. Total amount on schedule A is1,861,676.37. [clears throat] Second.

We have a motion and a second on the floor to approve the affidavit of construction fund dispersement request number 18. Uh it is for a total of 1,861,676.37 as presented. All those in favor I I I not oppose the same sign. Motion passes. Are these separate? Are these two separate? So I'm I'm president. Are these all the request? You are the man now. Yeah, they were all attached.

Yes, the mayor. I didn't know something. Okay, now all included. Okay, but no signatures required. Okay. Okay. Okay, give me a second here. Here you go. invoices. Okay. Do you guys need a a break before we do the Do we want to do auditor business? Go ahead and do auditor business. There is no auditor business. No auditor business. Okay. Um do we want to start in on our board appointments? We can do that. We can do that.

This attaches to that. Okay. It's invoicing. All right. board appointments. Do we have a list in our packet? It might not be in there, but here it is. Oh, very good. Okay, everybody. Include the one.

What now? It doesn't include like mine going to the plan commission and Oh, okay. Okay. Outside. This is outside. Okay. Very good. Okay. Do we have to do we probably need to do these uh is there a problem just doing them as a as a group or what? Probably for the record we should do by individual department be done individually. Okay. Okay. Well, we'll start here. Uh advisory board of citizens energy group will be uh our appointment will be Jan Jarson. Uh one-year term ending December 31st, 2025. That is the motion. Second.

There's a motion second on the floor to appoint Miss Jan Jarson uh to the advisory board of the citizens interview group when your term ends in December 31st of 2026. That's wrong. All these are just okay [laughter] so for the record uh let the record reflect that Jan Jarson for the advisory board of citizens energy group her term will end December 31st 2026. Okay, there's a motion. Okay, there's a second a motion second to appoint Jan Jarson to the energy board of advisory board of citizens energy group. All those in favor say I.

I. Oppos. Same. Sign. Motion's approved. Okay. Um, board of commissioners would reappoint Bob Chandler to a one-year term ending December 31st, 2026 to the Alcohol Beverage Commission. Second. Motion and floor. Motion is second on the floor to reappoint Bob Chandler to the Alcohol Beverage Commission uh for one year term which ends on December 31st of 2026. All those in favor? I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes.

Uh this is for the area planning commission which are paid positions at $134.26 per meeting. Uh, we are reappointing Michael Long to a four-year term which would end in December 31st, 2029. Second. Okay. And Oh, okay. Uh oh. Well, we Yeah, do that. Okay. You want me to get that last one here? Yeah.

Okay. Motion and second on the floor to reappoint Michael Long to the uh plan commission area plan commission uh for a four-year term ends on on December 31st, 2029. Uh all those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Um say do you want me to put make you need since you're Yeah. um make a motion that we appoint Janine Gray to the board of commissioners position on the area planning commission. It's a one-year term which will end December 31 of 2026.

Second. Oh, second. I'm sorry. Uh there's a motion and second on the floor to uh appoint Janine Gray to the area plan commission for to a one-year term which ends December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Want me to have Bill do that? The next one. Oh. Um

I'd make a motion that we uh reappoint Lacy Willard to the board of zoning appeals. It's a paid position. You uh where each member gets $134.26 per meeting uh with a an additional four-year term that would end January 1st of 2020 or excuse me, 2030. Second. Sounds strange saying 2030.

Okay, we have a motion to second on the floor to re reappoint Lacy Willard to a 4-year term ending in January 1st, 2030 to the Board of Zoning Appeals at $134.26 26S per meeting. Uh all those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion carries. And I'd make a motion that we reappoint Janine Grade to the Central Indiana Regional Workforce Board with a one-year term ending December 31 of 2026.

Second. There's a motion, a second on the floor to reappoint Janine Gray, Commissioner Green, Janine Gray to Central Indiana Regional F Workforce Board for one year, which ends December 31st, 2026. All in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Then I would make a motion to appoint Janine Gray to the Economic Development Commission. It's a one-year term which ends December 31st, 2026. Second.

We have a motion and second on the floor to reappoint Janine Gray to one-year term to Economic Development Commission, Hancock County, HEDC. Ends December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Next, we have the Economic Development Council for Hancock County. Um, I make a motion that the board of commissioners appoint Bill Spalding to that spot with a one-year term ending December 31st, 2026. There's a mo Oh, second.

Second. I'll second it. I'll second it. Uh, I got there's a motion and second on the uh floor to appoint reappoint uh Bill Spalding uh Commissioner Bill Spalding to Economic Development Council Hancock County uh for a one-year term. This ends December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Okay. Uh, next we have the uh 911 Emergency Operations Center Management Board for Hancock County, which is an ordinance that we have this board of commissioners would uh reappoint Bill Spalding to a one-year term ending December 31st, 2026.

Second. There's a motion and a second on the floor to uh reappoint Bill Spalding for a one-year term to the 911 operations center management board of Hancock County according to ordinance 200020008-8b for one-year term ending December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I opposed. Same sign. Motion passes. Okay, we've already uh

already done our Hancock Regional Hospital board. So, we'll move on to property tax assessment boards, also known as Peterboa, Board of Appeals. Uh we'd like to um I re uh motion to appoint D. Carmichael and Kathy Hall to one-year terms ending December 31st, 2026.

Second. We have a motion and a second on the floor to uh reappoint D. Carmichael and Kathy Hall to the property tax assessment board of appeals Peter Boya for one year term which ends December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes.

Okay. Next, we have the redevelopment commission, the RDC for Hancock County. Uh, we will be reappointing um the board of commissioners will be reappointing for one-year terms for Mary Zerbach, Tom Strayer, David Hawkins, and Chad Gray. Those are one-year terms that will end on uh December 31st, 2026. Second motion on second on the floor to reappoint uh to the uh

it's at the bottom redevelopment commission redevelopment p redevelopment red oh there it is redevelopment commission RDC uh board Hancock County uh reappoint for one-year term would be Mary Zerbach, Tom Straer, David Hawkins, and Chad Gray. Okay, on the floor with a motion to second. All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion uh opposed. Same sign. Motion approved. And I'll make a motion that we reappoint Janine Gray to our employee benefits panel with a one-year term that ends December 31st of 2026. Second.

There is a motion and a second on the floor to reappoint Commissioner [laughter] Janine Gray for a one-year term to the employee benefits panel. one-year term ending December 31st, 2026. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Okay. And we have uh three open um positions for Hancock County Impact Fe. One being an engineer, one being a CPA, and one being a realtor. And those uh folks are being uh searched out as we speak. So, we will not be able to do those today. Okay. and we just need an answer by I think it was our February uh first board meeting.

Okay. So, we'll get an answer probably later this week. So, Okay. [sighs] Okay. Uh I'd take a motion to recess for the solid waste board. Second. Oh, I'll motion it. [laughter] I'll make that motion. Uh, we got a motion second to recess for the solid waste board. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. We got three minutes. Look at us.

yourself. Not me. Thought it was more. I might not be How was that through? Yes, I'm ready. All right, I'll call the uh Hancock County Solid Waste Management Board to uh meeting to order. First uh order of business is election officers.

Uh Mr. President, can I read something first? This [snorts] meeting is being recorded and streamed for public viewing. By participating, you acknowledge that your image, voice, and comments may be captured and made publicly available. This meeting has been properly noticed in accordance with Indiana code 5-14-1-1.5. Thank you. We supposed to do that every meeting now? Well, it's public meeting good at all. Anything's done in here. FYI. All right. Please advance.

Thank you very much. [laughter] I'll accept nominations for the offices. President, I will uh nominate Bill Spalding as president of the Solid Waste Management Board. Second. Second. Oh. Is there are there any other nominations? Being none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor say I. I. opposed position to vice president. Um, I will nominate Oh, go ahead. No, I' I'd make a motion to um continue to approve Commissioner McDaniel and the vice president spot of the solid waste board.

Second. Been moved and seconded. Are there any other nominations? Being none, all those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion's passed. Congratulations or condolences. [laughter] Oh, Dei, he didn't mean it. I'm I'm no longer president of [clears throat] trash. There you go. [laughter] So, do you want to go over the Are you running the meeting now? I see. I'm going to run the [laughter] meeting, but you're really running the meeting, Dee. So, go on ahead [cough and clears throat] and Okay. So, we need to review the minutes from the December 1st meeting. Okay. Make a motion to approve the minutes from uh

December Thursday, January 6th at 10. Nope. December 1st. December 1st. Go to the front page. Oh, December 1st, 2025. Sorry. Second. It's a motion and a second on the floor to approve the minutes from December 1st, 2025. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Motion passes. Next item up on the the agenda is the director's report.

Okay. So, we don't have hardly any uh invoices to approve. [clears throat] Did I get the Okay. So, apparently I left out the budget for um for this year. Um the only um invoice that we had to approve was uh the director contract for December uh in the amount of $6,16347.

Make a motion on the approval of the invoices. I'm make a motion to approve invoices as presented for uh $6,16347. You say yes. Okay. Second a motion and a second on the floor to approve the invoices. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion passes on to uh up update roster is what I have under director's report.

Yes. And I I did um hand that out and um that is being passed down for you guys to update. If there are any changes to um your phone number or address or anything, please update that. And also the the minutes uh were passed down to be signed as well. Neither one of them were here. That's why I'm sorry. Yep. Sorry. [clears throat] I forgot. So we're on to old business. Yes.

Um so the IDM tire grant um I submitted the application for that grant in mid December. Um probably won't have any information on that until sometime this month. Um so I don't [clears throat] know our status on that but it was submitted. Um the item community recycling grant update they gave out their um awards in mid December as well. Uh unfortunately, we were not awarded that uh grant. Uh there was $1.3 million requested and they only awarded 500,000. So it was a pretty tough competition. Um [snorts] so um I do have some other options for that. That was for the the recycling trash bins for the parks department and we'll discuss that um further down in the agenda. Um the item Swiffer grant update they were supposed to have made their um awards uh known in December but they have postponed that until the end of January. Apparently there is more funding that they have found to become available for that and they've had some changes in staff and so there's a lot of issues going on right now at IDM. So they're going to postpone the further um awarding of those grants until the end of January. Uh the Christmas tree light uh recycling project is ongoing. I don't have any totals yet as the last pickups have not even um taken place. They will be extended. We're not going to do those until the week of January 19th so that as people take their lights down, they can, you know, recycle them rather than [clears throat] hanging on to them till next year. So, um, I won't have those updates until next February, as well as the Christmas tree mulching [cough and clears throat] that I won't

have those totals till February either. Excuse me. [clears throat] So, um, no cold feet shoe recycling project will take place the last week of January. We, uh, currently have seven schools that are confirmed that are going to be participating. We had eight last year. So, um, there's still, um, the opportunity for a couple more schools to join in. They have until I think it's January 17th that I gave them to respond to join that. So, there could be a chance we'll get a few more, but right now we have seven. So, that's great. Um, the director contract and department vehicle ownership transfer to head up that discussion. Um, the contract was revised and I did receive it yesterday. um read through it, made a few changes. So, I don't know how you want to proceed with that.

I know Scott has taken a look at the contract. He has some

suggestions. So, um our status is one independent contractor. So, there's a few provisions that we needed to edit and tailor make sure that that status is maintained or ever reviewed. So, Dee uh asked that her LLC be the entity that's contracted with. I think it's more appropriate that the contract be with her individually. I understand [snorts] there's I'm sure from her side there's some business, you know, for that, maybe some tax consequences, but I don't think I think we should be contracting with her because I don't know what else the DECA does. I know in the past we have contracted with that on her previous contract but recommended be with her individually. Uh we are going to change the vacation time. So I think it's contemplated that as opposed to an employee she would come in and tell you when she was you don't exercise control over that. Now the other part of it is time sheets and keeping track of her time commissioners and I think this board wanted to have her present time she show you what she worked on that could be done you know monthly could be done quarterly however you want to do it that was a request I'm not sure that de I'm not speaking for but we talked about she's not really [clears throat] comfortable doing that. But it's up to you whether that's in the agreement as it stands right now. So those are the main provisions

still being kind of ironed out. I don't know if the board wants to weigh in on that. So would would quarterly be okay or we want something closer than that

as far as what the reporting was? I think the the reason we were asking for the reporting status is so that if you ever did come and ask for an additional pay increase that we could make a favorable recommendation based on what we were seeing because that's what the council's going to ask is can you justify your time to us? Do you have some kind of daybook that you keep where you you keep track of that time? Because if you don't it's hard for us to know. I mean, I trust you as a person for you to say you're doing this, but I look at the employees that I supervise in the real world, and I'm like a trust but verify kind of guy. Um, I I want some kind of day planner or electronic, you know, computer means to say, here's where I was on this day and spent this amount of time to it because then we can go and and make this recommendation and say, look at Dee, she's just overworked. she needs this additional monies to do this or needs an additional staffer to help her with this and without that I don't think we have that leverage. [snorts] So, um, I did do a detailed time sheet for the month of October after we had this discussion back in September. [clears throat] And to me, and this is just me personally, it was very stressful because sorry [clears throat] I can't talk. [cough] Um, because I was constantly [clears throat] trying to update that sheet. You asked for 15 minute increments. I'm [clears throat] sorry I can't talk today. Um, and it was very stressful for me to try to remember to keep that updated every 15 minutes.

Not not not that you have to update it every 15 minutes, but what your task is. If there's a task, I can just do a list for the day of what I've worked on. It can be just it can be general. Um, okay. If if that's all you need is just a list of what I've worked on, that would be fine.

Break it down into the amount of time that you did it. like maybe um you did paperwork or miscellaneous, you know, paperwork for an hour, but 15 minutes of those, you know, breaks were for something that involved that paperwork. You can just paperwork. Um I'll use an example from what I do. I have a code that I use in my daybook called field supervision. I do a lot of different things that involve field supervision, but I can wrap that up and say in an hour I did field supervision. I might have went and met with four of my people for 15 at a time, but I

I don't want you to have to overthink your whole day to make it that was too much. Basically, I spent my time doing this time sheet, you know, kind of thing. Exactly. Yeah. And I mean, I jump all over the place when I'm working. You know, I get a phone call here, I'll get an email that I respond to. So, I'm like constantly jumping from task to task. And to try to document, you know, exactly what I'm doing all day long, it was it was quite stressful. We're not trying to mic We're [laughter] not trying to micromanage that. It's just a general here.

Yeah. No, I can do that. Yeah. No, that'd be fine. Just to kind of reinforce that as an independent contractor, you normally would submit an invoice anyway and you would have to break down your time and that way you would be paid that way. So I it makes sense to do this. You're not an employee, right? So it is different. If you were an employee, that wouldn't be required necessarily, but So, Scott, so you you'll rework it and bring it back to us or Well, it's it's in there that way now. She just wanted to discuss it. Oh, so what about her vacation all that? Do you need

to change that? I agree with her on that because we as an independent contractor, we don't exercise the same control over her as to benefits, including vacation. So I think that's appropriate to strike out of there. Then the only other thing is the entity which I think should the contract should be with her as a director. Is there a reason why you don't want to do it through my business? Because it's the only thing that I'm doing for that business.

You're individually director. So it's not your LLC. I understand why you would want to do it that way. I think practically speaking, we're not contracting with DECA and I think it DECA was doing other things previous. It has been in the past.

It might do it in the future. So I think just to be clean, let's just I don't think that's going to change anything you do tax standpoint, but you'll have to confer shouldn't. It still can be run through the I just think that's the proper way to do it. Okay. Uh so do we need a motion on that? So you just want me to we can approve the contract subject to legal further legal review and changes that been disc and I would take a motion on that.

Okay. I make a motion that we approve the contract for our uh contract develop uh director for the Hancock County Solid Waste DIS District um with uh changes to be made at a future date uh in agreement by all. Second motion and a second on the floor on contract approval uh pending legal review as well. Um any discussion? All those in favor say I. I I motion passes. So Dee, I'll send you another draft. Okay. Things we talked about. Hopefully that'll get it get it back to the to them for signature.

Okay, sounds good. And what about the vehicle? Um I thought we'd already taken care of the vehicle. No, they were waiting until the contract was done. Oh, okay. Well, then continue that. I guess we can we can we can wait. There's I don't think there's any issue with waiting on that. I saw the vehicle outside of the Yeah. the the Purdue building. So, the vehicle is there. It's just the the paperwork of saying this goes over from the sheriff to So, who needs who needs to do that paperwork?

Um I don't remember. Did we sign your title, sheriff, to that truck, the SUV that's at the uh Purdue building? I think we I don't know if we signed the title to that or not. I was thinking we motioned to do it. Okay. I think then we don't have to do anything with it. It's just in their inventory. We've just changed. Okay. So, it's in your inventory. Well, they were were wanting to transfer it over to the solid waste district. Since I'm not a county employee, I couldn't drive a county vehicle. So, it was going to be transferred for a dollar over to the solid waste district.

Okay. Then we probably need to get the title and change it over and sell it to the solid waste district for a dollar,

right? The sheriff could come up and say he's he's, you know, surplusing this and going to give it for a dollar for solid waste. We'll sign that. Okay. Um, on to new business. Okay. Um, so I have been contacted by the Greenfield Banking Company. Um, they want to do a partnership for [clears throat] our shredding events because last year they had a shredding event the exact same day that we had ours. And so they're wanting to work together this year. So I have a meeting scheduled with them on Thursday to discuss how that's going to happen and how it's going to work. So, I'm not sure exactly what that will entail, but we'll um we'll get things worked out on Thursday. So, that's really cool to have another community partner. Um so, I have on here the recycle Hancock County grant. Um I'm going to table that to um our next meeting. Um I have some ideas that I want to run and buy you for that. However, um due to the fact that we did not get the item community recycling grant update, I wanted to get permission to apply for the Hancock County Community Foundation grant. Um they're awarding uh grants up to $10,000. And so I was wanting to um submit a letter of interest and then the application to apply for the um recycling and trash containers for the parks department um in the amount of $10,000. So, I wanted to get your blessing on that.

I get a motion to for uh DD to be able to apply for the Hancock County Community Foundation. I move that we uh approve a application to the community foundation, Hancock County for up to $10,000. Second. It's a motion, a second on the floor. Is any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion passes. [clears throat]

Okay. Um, and then last on my agenda is our 2025 annual report. So, uh, I just want to briefly hit a few of the high points for last year. Um, I do have in here on page six that we have applied for um, three different grants um, for uh, funding. So, that's exciting. Um, our school programs for uh, on page seven. Uh, I had a record year. I have hit more schools last year than I have um the entire 13 years that I've been in this position. So, I'm not sure what's changed, but um that's good. Things are ramping up. People are or the teachers are having me come in more times. So, that's pretty exciting. Our flower pot project, I had um again a record number of kids participating. Uh 2600 over 2,600 students that participated in that last year. Um, let's see here. Our collection events, we had a record-breaking year for that as well. So, we hadund or,35 attendees over all of our collection events that we held last year. Um, the last highest was in 2019. So, we surpassed all the years that I've done those events as well. Um, electronic waste is kind of leveling out a little bit. It it was peaked in about 2018 and now it's kind of gone down a little bit. I think that's it's based on the weights and I think that's partially due to the old TVs that were a lot heavier than they are today. Um we're still getting quite a bit of um items that are brought into our events. So I don't feel like the amount is dropping off. It's just the weight is changing. Uh hazardous waste, we collected the most in 25 than we have in my again 13 years. Not sure why that has changed. Maybe it's due to good publicity. I'm

not really sure why we're getting a lot more. Um tires, we had a almost record-breaking year. Uh we that was due to our tire grant that we had and we were able to offer free tire recycling. So that helped bring our number of tires in and um hopefully we'll be able to continue that for uh the next year or two as well. Uh document shredding also had another record year. Um paint is almost up to record-breaking levels. And then um our newspaper recycling bin is still going. Our glass bin is still going. Um and then the lender bin, we lent those out to the parks department this year for their concert series and some of their trick-or- treat events and other things. Um, so they've been using those for the past year. Um, they're doing really well in collecting a lot of recycling. They're very happy with um the response on that. So hopefully we can get them permanent bins. And again, we're doing the light recycling and tree mulching. Our 25 budget um oops, I forgot to change that number at the top. Um, was basically the same as it was last year. Not much change. It will drop for 2026. my budget will be lower. Um, and then on page 18 is the comparison with the surrounding doughnut counties. Again, we are quite a bit lower than, you know, all the other counties. And then we'll be even lower next year when we have less funding. And then, um, page 19 shows our 2025 goals. Um, all of them were completed. Um I think there was only two that um were not completed um just because well the parks department was not allowing us to come in for a program this year so we um weren't able to do that. And then I have in here our

2026 goals and the very back page is the five-year plan that I uh set up in 22. And the items in red are the things that we have um already completed. And then the things in black are some things that either we're still yet to complete or um they may not get completed at all. Um some of those things in there like the flower pot recycling program, I don't have a supplier, a recycler that will take those items. So um I'm not able to reinstate that program. So just a few things on there. But um so um I think we've had a really good year and I appreciate everybody and all your your work on your on my board and your assistance and your guidance and I think we did well. So thank you Dee.

Thank you very much.

One final thing I meant to mention on the on her agreement. So and I don't I just want to make sure the board has approved this as well. So what's budgeted for her payment or her compensation for this year is 75,9944. Originally it was 64,000. So I just want to make sure the board's aware of that and agrees with that amount. Um and then there was a reference that DD made to yearly increases of 3% but that applies to employees. So I don't think that's appropriate to be in the

I think she would come before the board and request a that's the way it was done would be done of the county. Right. I just want to make the board aware of that's the approved contract amount. Assuming everybody knows that what should be in this agreement to revisit our motion and vote. Second and vote. No, I I think it's a I don't think you have to redo that. I just want to make in caa in case there was some discrepancy on that. I was assuming there wasn't. I just wanted to make you aware of it.

That's it. I am going to need a motion to accept the annual the 2025 annual approve report. Make make a motion to accept uh Hancock County Hancock County Solid Waste District Manage Waste Management District. Uh as presented our director second. It's a motion and a second on the floor to accept the Hancock Solid Waste Management District's 2025 annual report as presented. Is there any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I.

Passes. Any other business to come before the board. I want to commend you though on all the hard work you've done in all this because recycling is very important to our future, you know, and it's good to see that those numbers are up and how hard your diligence and time you spent is for us citizens.

Thank you. And I I would like to echo a little bit of that with your patience with us in developing your contract because some of the contractual things we've been doing haven't been done correctly and we're getting those things straightened out and I know it's been a challenge for a lot of people but it's trying to get the difference between an actual employee actual contractual employee so Hancock County is in a good place with uh liability. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you, De. Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. Second. It's been moved and seconded to adjurnn. All those in favor say I. I.

I. Motion passes. We're journ. Thank you.

I'd like to call back to order our commissioner's meeting. We have at this point in time we have Let's go ahead and take care of the the prosecutor's office. That's already done. It's off the table to be determined. Okay. Okay. All right. uh John Jakanis and he comes to us in 2026 wearing a polo shirt, no tie. [sighs and gasps] He He said he he said he was modeling. I am. I was wondering what you thought of the [laughter] color. Uh I like green. I I I do the logo. I kind of like it. I saw it and was like, it's green. [laughter] So, good morning. Happy New Year. [snorts]

Um, you ran into me before this morning as I was putting your new panic buttons in. Um, everybody should have one hanging at their little things. Even we gave one to Scott, too. So, [laughter] what was it? Oh, yes. The panic buttons. Yeah. Should we push it and see if they actually work? Uh, they will. Yeah. Well, they're they're actually [laughter] So, I I learned I learned this morning that um they're actually watching us right now in dispatch, so they will know that we're [laughter] so don't we're okay. Yeah. Don't push it.

Yeah. So, um again, I I do apologize for getting my I normally get my stuff out to you somewhat early uh about the late about the late email last night. So, um, we will What? What do you have first in your We have Nelson alarm for the Is that for the Purdue Extension? No, it is for the new prosecutor's office at 233 East Main, right? Okay. So, that's the third bill for 35,593 that you have. Yes.

Okay. So, we'll do we'll do that one first. So, originally that was going to be split between one of the other bonds and my bond and Mary and I talked about this um before some of the money was removed from that from the other bond. So, what I'd like to do is just pay it out of the n the full amount out of the 911 bond. You had already approved that well a while back. So, we just got we literally just got the bill like a week ago or so. So, you're saying you just need a motion just to acknowledge it? Yep. And so that way they that way Mary knows when I send the the transfer request from the bond proceeds to the specific line item within my bond that you guys have that you have approved it.

Is the 911 bond the 2022A 20 a wait sheet. I was going to say I have it on my desk. Yes. Okay. Yes. 2022A. Okay. Okay. I uh make a motion that we approve uh the Nelson alarm uh invoice in the amount of $35,593 which will now be paid from the 911 bond 2022A.

Second. We have a motion uh a second on the floor to approve the Nelson alarm uh contract bill, whatever you want to call it there, uh for $35,593 to be taken from the 911 2022A bond as presented. Uh do we need Gary's signature on this? I No, it's just the invoice is all it is basically. I was just coming here to as a as a uh accounting. Okay. Okay. Well, I'll pass this back down. Uh we uh have a motion second on the floor. So, all in favor? I I [clears throat] oppose. Same sign.

Okay. Motion passes.

Um and then the next one that I have, if I if you're okay, um is the Purdue Extension equipment. When we when we originally put this door access equipment in, um, I wasn't aware of the complexities of them being on the Purdue network with their computers and our cameras and door access being on our network. What I'd like to do is replace the hardware for the door access system in there, which would then um would then allow everything to go through the camera systems and working with the Purdue IT people have said that they they can get that because that that's available. we can get that to them and so that way the Purdue people at the Purdue Extension can control their doors and see who's at their front door on their front door camera and whatnot and the people who are in the back can actually see the lobby of what's up front. So that's um then in turn the equipment that is currently in there, the hardware, it's just the hardware. All of the door, the readers and the wiring, those are all staying the same. It's just the brains, the brains of that that we bought for Purdue will actually be used on one of the next projects for 233 East Maine to continue adding the door access.

There'll be no additional monies at that point. Nope. Okay. And where do you are you suggesting this is paid for from? Originally when I had when I had brought it up back in December, I had asked if we could pay for it out of my CCD. Um, but that's it. I I would have enough in my bond to do it if you'd like me to take that out of my bond as well because I'm really trying to get rid of that bond this year. I think that getting it out of that bond makes more sense. We're always getting asked to dry those bonds up. So, and you probably didn't encumber this money from your bond or do we even need to do that? No, it's it's all in the proceeds. Okay.

It would just be another transfer that I would would send over to Mary. All right. Well, I make a motion that we approve uh Nelson alarm quote 10112 for the Hancock County Purdue Extension Office um for door controllers uh in the amount not to exceed $4,655 to be paid for out of the 911 bond.

Second. There's a motion and a second on the floor to approve quote number 10112 for the Hancock County Purdue Extension Office for Door Controllers and it would be taken out of the 911 bond uh for $4,655 as presented. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Then number three doesn't necessarily have to be decided to today um because I don't know where this will be paid for from. And then again it's another the door access the new door access equipment for two for 123 East Maine in the in the part portion that is being remodeled now. Um that quote came in at $31,055. Um, but again, I I know based on this what I'm going to talk to you about last, I won't have the money in my bond to do this one. So, I don't know if that can come out of the the new one,

the 2025. I don't know if it can come out of the new I don't think it can come out of the new bond. I think you've got to you it's got to be all used up per the project. So, I think this is a part of that project. I don't I don't think we Okay, like I said, we can we can we can research. I mean, we will find the money to be determined. Yes. Correct. Y where um how soon does this need to you for you to know so that the install goes in in the appropriate time?

Um obviously the sooner the better, you know, because we we had to kind of hold off on doing the door access uh right away. Um the the sooner the better, but if we have if we have to wait till the 20th, then we wait till the 20th. So So they're not they're not doing any inside construction or anything right now anyway, are they? They've just done demo that right? Oh, no. They're doing construction. That's almost I thought they were almost finished with Are you in the prosecutor's office or No, 123s. Okay. 123s. The old jail. Yeah. Okay. This is for the new pro or um community correction section. Mary, could this be considered CCD

to improve a capital possibly that first? Okay. Because it's like I said, it's up to you if you want me to move forward today and then we determine where it's because it's not going to get done right away. Obviously, it'll be a couple weeks before they even I honestly would be more comfortable if we just waited till the 20th and let's No problem there. But could you just give them the heads up that that's where we where we are? Yep. Yeah. We're gonna we're gonna do it, but we can't tell you we're going to do it. Right. Just to be prepared.

Okay. Uh and then the very last thing that I have for you is which which should be close to my last bond pro project. um is I would like to work with the commissioners and the county attorney to get an RFP together to replace the windows in the emergency operations center at 640 South Main Street. They are in terrible shape right now. Um and they are they are expensive because they have to with they have to withstand the F4 tornado and debris up to a certain amount of miles per hour. So, um, I do have a a draft document for that, but I'd like to work with the county attorney on that first before obviously I present that to you. All I'm asking permission from you today is just to say, "Yep, we can we can start working together."

Not a problem. Do an RFQ. Okay. Are they leaking? And what's that? Are the windows leaking? And they're leaking. They're fogged up. They're Yeah, they're they lost their seal. [snorts] So do do we need a motion on this first? Uh to table it. You want to table it? Is that what we're going to do? Just bring on the other one. Just bring it back. Just bring it back. The last Nelson alarm. Yeah, correct. Yep. We'll do that. I don't have a problem with the RFQ. No, please. And Scott, he's agreed to engage to help with that. So, and it'll obviously I don't think we'll have it ready by the 20th, but and then obviously we'll walk work with the auditor's office when that when you approve it. Um, and

that should be about the last project out of that bond. So, that should take up the last and we may we may look we if we do have depending on how the windows come in, we may look to replace the front the whole front door because that's starting to rust out at the bottom as well. So, um, but that's all I have for you. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you again and happy new year. Thank you. Happy New Year. So, do you guys have anything else? Do do we have any comment from the floor? Oh, come right ahead.

Good morning. You with this like this? We've been off for two weeks. So, um, there's a request for the Green Township trustee to have an email account. I'm thinking instead of just giving one to one township, we should probably outfit all the township with email accounts. What do you think about that? And if that's the case, our our contract for Microsoft is due next month and I can just add it on to the new contract for for next year. Well, if I I think anybody who's doing business for the county should have an email. It was specifically the trustee, the township one. Plus, you had uh uh Mike Long also with planning. He needs an email, too. Who's this? Mike Long. Okay. Cuz I think he's using his personal email and

or something like that. Is he with the planning department? Planning board. Okay. Yeah, definitely. No, like the board members. I agree. Anybody dealing doing doing county business should have a county email. So, okay. I'll get a hold of Mike and touch base with him. I'll have to I'll have to increase our u our budget for our licensing for next for the next year. So, there's always an increase.

The [laughter] other thing since I'm up here, I'm going to let you know right now um there's been 177% increase in in storage cost, which means everything I buy is going to be probably three times as much as as it is. And my budget I've got my budget's already set. So I know it's not going to be enough, but I just want to warn you beforehand that's that's [snorts] coming. So in the hardware, storage hardware hardware, right? Okay. Software's about we looked out on the software. We're about the same there, but hardware is going way up. So because of AI,

it is interesting about that because you think about now you can get terabytes in a laptop computer where it just wasn't too long ago. It would take like a semi to have a terabyte of information in it. But I can see with AI what they're taking up all the storage AI is. So that's why it's costing so much for all people like us. So do you Well, I can ask that offline. [laughter] I'm not motion to fire people up. Motion to adjurnn. Uh second. We have a motion to adjourn. All those in favor I I oppose the same sign. I never get anybody to