Boc - Regular Meeting

And as 9:00, I would like to call this meeting to order. And if we could stand for a prayer and pledge pledge to allegiance. Dear Lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the beautiful weather that you've been giving us here recently. And Lord, as we go through this meeting, we just pray for your guidance and direction and and uh just give give us wisdom as we move forward. And thank you for the county that we live in. In Jesus name, we ask these things. Amen.

To the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Uh, one of the first items, we need to make a couple of amendments to the agenda for the prison and the library. I would entertain them. I would entertain a motion. I move and make the two amendments to the library of prison. I'll second a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. I.

Jim Dennon, you're up first. Good morning. These are the courthouse items that are due for this year. The capital items, everything on this list has been budgeted for. We put in the budget and we actually came in around 57,000 under budget.

The virtual center is something is very expensive, but it needs replaced every once in a while. It will be due. It will come to an end of warranty in April. So, that's why we have it on here at this time. That stuff is all was put in the budget. We're 57,000 and some change under the budget on all those items. This is Don Allen come in and took a look at the sound system and said that it was very dated and he said that the microphones were not good. So this is what he recommends to replace everything. We did go through uh Captain VTEC's son who works at Sweetwater. That's where John had recommended us to get everything from to begin with. So that's a quote for $2534.40 to buy everything from Sweetwater to replace the equipment in here. This also puts two speakers outside and you could turn those on and off from in here. So that would give you the two speakers out there in case you would have a flow. And the last thing that I have for you here, this is an ADA compliant headset from Sweetwater as well. We have found these uh cheaper at other places. This is something I talked with Janice about and I believe Janice is

here today. Yes. So, that is up to you guys. I'll leave it between you and Janice whether the system is purchased, but So that would be a four person assisted hearing. Someone comes in, they say, "I can't have trouble hearing or I can't hear." Raise your hand, get a headset. They have their own volume adjustment right there. They're neck loops. And then it does come with the actual placard that you put on the door that says apparently that's part of the ADA code that you have to have that. So that is up to you guys uh to make that decision on the sound system and stuff, but we did have the extra money in the budget. So if you wanted to get these items from there as well, we could. I did talk with Huntington County. They are using that system and they said everything does work well.

Janice, is that something we are required? Well, Jim and I talked about it. Um, at this point we've had enough people say they can't hear. So why would we not, right? It's time that we whether it's required or not, I can't state for a fact more than likely it probably is. Um, so it's at a point let's let's do it if you're okay with that. Huntington County did tell me that how do you not have this yet? They said that went into effect at 23 where all public meeting rooms it is required to have this. And apparently we did have some that all of us were unaware of.

They're kind of old. Very dated. Yes. So, all right. Well, we should probably handle this in three different items. So, is this of an amount that we need to be advertising for bids or is this over 25,000 on the sound system stuff? Yeah, it's low enough. That's low enough. And John did say that he would come in and install that at no charge, too.

Okay, good deal. So, first on the list would be the what do you call this list? The that is the capital item. Okay. For 2026 all the capital items and there's quite a lengthy list with a total of 345,217. This already has been budgeted. Yes, that's already Yeah. We accept this. Been a motion and a second to accept this quote for 345,217. All in favor say I. I.

That passes. You would sign that down below somewhere. And next would be the quote from Sweetwater to up I apologize I have tr to upgrade the uh sound system in here which still trying to see what all we're adding. Does he mention it'd be speakers outside the room? new speakers in here.

It is speakers there. He is replacing the back speakers with actual PA speakers that will go in the corner. These will get mounted as well. And then there'll be the speakers in the overflow and the mixer because we don't have enough channels. The mixer itself would get replaced. Okay. Pretty much the whole thing besides the cabling. All right. Do you know is that mixer worth anything for to resell or is it We looked it up. It's a Gen One. The Gen 3 is selling for $299. Okay. So, probably not a whole lot of value. It's like every other old electronic. Yeah. Yeah. And John's going to install it no cost.

Yeah. John said he would come in and we'll help him of course with whatever's needed. Make motion to accept this quote. Second. Been a motion and a second to accept quote from Sweetwater to upgrade this sound system for $2534.40. All in favor say I. I. I. And if that's all right. Uh, no I don't on that one. If that's okay with you guys on that one, I'll just have him uh I'll have him put that in my name. That way we don't have to get him all the taxfree stuff. He's already got mine. and then I'll just bill you for that amount. Okay, if that's okay.

Next is the um listening technology for the hearing impaired for $2,469. Just got replacements at church. It looks just like this. So I move we approve. They're nice. Yeah. Second. A motion and a second to go ahead and get the listening technology for hearing impaired. All in favor say I. I.

Just to let you know too, I've not seen anything on the actual lease document. Uh I did follow up with him last week and hopefully he's going to get that to us this week. So I'll let you guys know and I'll get a copy to Mark as well. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Cy.

Yeah. So, um I wanted to bring back up to you guys again the vacation application that we've talked about since I think October. Um I believe we talked in January. Um it's for the town of Miami. It's a part of Cherry Street um for Jeff and Judy Hyde. And so, just wanted to bring that back up. I know that last time I was here, we had some questions that Mark was going to look at, too. So, just wanted to bring that back up for conversation here.

So, I think back in October when this was first brought, we had questions of I I think some some other happenings on the plat whether other portions of other roads have been vacated or not. And I think in January, Cory mentioned that there was a portion of Railroad Street, which runs diagonally on the west side, um had been vacated. And so from my standpoint, if we're looking at this little portion of Cherry Street and we vacate it, then we have a portion of Cherry Street that's going to be remained open plus a little section of Railroad Street that hasn't been vacated. So basically, you're blocking off those two portions,

a little portion of Cherry Street and a little portion of Railroad Street. So in in my opinion, we should not approve vacating this little portion of Cherry Street unless we vacate all of Cherry Street and the little portion of Railroad Street. We can't leave a portion of a street essentially open on paper landlocked without vacating it all. And even though I know there's some practical difficulties of building a road in this area, we're not looking at the practical side. We're looking at what's on paper. And on paper, we can't leave two pieces of roads without any access. Right.

And so it it's up to you whether or not you've approved this or not, but my recommendation is don't unless we vacate all of it. Is there an issue with vacating all of that?

We just we can't do it right now. Then we have to send out petitions to all the other land owners that this these streets touch and then they can come in remmonstrate if they want to. But um other than just figuring out the legal description and sending out and publishing notice again should be an issue. It was my understanding I'm Judy Hines. It was my understanding that that's that that was already been dead. There is a portion of Railroad Street that has been, but there's a portion that has not been. And so I don't know if you have the plat in front of you.

Well, the um but I mean about Cherry Street and and the land owners that are uh the Cherry Street has never been open, right? But on paper it is. Yeah. So on the on the west side is it on the west never show it doesn't show anything there.

Cherry street goes all the way to the edge of the plat which I think is basically that field on the west side even though GIS doesn't show I don't think the lines on GIS are drawn right but on the actual plat it goes all the way to the west on the to that field and then there's an alley that goes north and south from that. Um, there are there are platted lots all the way on the south side of Cherry Street. It only goes I want to say three lots from Elm Street to the west, but the actual plat itself does go all the way to that um field. So, we would need to vacate all of that and then a portion of Railroad Street. I thought that's what we've been talking about the whole

I Well, the only petition that you filed is for the port the part by your house. So we have to do a petition and for it all when we first approached this that's exactly what we would do on for that portion of Cherry Street we go clear back and check everything but it you recommended then that if we were going to do it to do all of Cherry Street yes and that's what I thought the notices were sent out and the two meetings you were at the last meeting

I think the only the only thing on the petition was your the portion that touches your your property because you can't actually petition to vacate the rest of it if you're not a contiguous land owner and you only touch a little bit of it. I know the that's why I was we were under the understanding that that's what you were doing. You told us you told us that it would be better petition to close the whole street.

Yeah. But I don't think that's what the actual petition that was filed did. So, we just essentially need to do another petition because I was under the impression you've only filed a petition for your part. And so, that's where either talking to your neighbors to the west and getting them to sign on is going to be necessary. Um, I don't know if so it has to be basically all of the people who are contiguous to these portions of the street all sign the same petition. I I understand what you're saying. Is that I don't know if he was at which meeting it was, but Jerry Fitzpatrick.

Yeah, I I remember him being here. Yeah. I don't even want to get into the conversation me and him had before that meeting, but he mentioned then that he would just assume see it left alone. Just leave the whole thing leave it like it is. So we are willing to do that if it's left if everything is left as it is right now. I don't think there's any I don't think we can do that. Yeah. Wait. Leave what? As is right now. We had We had a septic system, right?

The north of your house. Yeah. And we he had an easement. He had to put move that se put a new septic system in. So he got an easement from the commissioners to do that. And then somebody else made the move to try to open that road. and it was turned down because of the ceing system and the easement

and so it was never done and we were advised then to keep traffic and everything else off of it to fence it in think to fence that in. Well, it's been that way for 40 years or better. And we've had two sets of neighbors since then. Then we got third set of neighbors. Well, they came to court wanting that fence removed so they could drive down Cherry Street basically to get to the property that they owned behind us. which even if that fence isn't there, they still can't access that because there's a drainage ditch there.

I'm not aware of any plan to actually open that up to make it drivable. So, well, they were going to do it on their own. We just Yeah, yeah, they were going to pour gravel and I said there's a ditch back there. they they wouldn't be able to pour gravel on their own because that's not their property. They're within the county's rightway. So even if they did that, I mean it could be we could remove it and and

I mean this is what we're we're just we've taken care of that property for Yeah. ever since we've lived out there and everything else. And that's I said the fence was originally there to protect finger system and everything out through there. It's what we were advised to do and we just we'd like to keep it like that. We did. Nobody else has had a problem with that fence or anything else in 45 years or whatever it's been. And now all of a sudden we got a notice that you know fence had to come down and we were blocking the rightway. And I understand the legal term about the rideway because that is Cherry Street. going up through there, but it's never been used for anything.

And we've just taken care of it. And even all the way back, like you said, all the way back to Railroad Street, it's never been used for anything. It's just dormant property.

And that's where to me vacating all of it makes a lot of sense. But you you need somebody on either the north or the south side to as that contiguous land owner to also join the petition so that we can look at the whole street, all of it. You don't necessarily need the owner on the north of you to join if you're on the south side and you're contiguous to it. But as you go farther to the west, I think you're the only la the last lots on the south side. So you need some on the north and over by railroad street, whoever owns that property over there to to join in the petition so we can get all of it vacated. Otherwise it otherwise it stays open on paper even though it's not open to actually use. Then can we leave our fence there and just leave everything as is?

That's up to the commissioners at any point because it is a rightaway. I mean different commissioners come get elected, they can tell you to take it out. Is there is there some type of variance or whatever that we could use on that? Not not for not for a right away. Um, and I don't know what ease meant language you would or you would have gotten if there was anything in writing or recorded for that. That would give you a little bit more of better ground to stand on. But vacating is the best way to make sure that that fence doesn't move. But again, as you've known, your property line only goes to that center of it. So, you're sharing it with the neighborhood.

Yes. We we understand that. I had talked to Mr. Fitzpatrick before Yeah. we even started this process and he was on board with it until the day we came in here. Yeah. And so I guess then we have to rebuild it.

I mean either you leave it as is and you don't petition or you try to get some other property owners on board to vacate the whole west side of Cherry Street and then the little section of Railroad Street and and we can try to help you identify who those property owners are if you need to talk to them. Yeah, we've been through been through that and the ones that are basically involved got one of your notices that was sent out for the west side west end of cherry street. You use the term there again leave as is and we would have no problem leave it as is if it's left as is. We we didn't start it to begin then. Now,

well, I I don't know what notice you got saying it wasn't going to be left as is. And but you're No, that's not that's

But as of last night, Corey, now they're now she told Jeff that they know the road's not going to be open. They were wanting the road open so that they could just ride basically ride their ranger around their house and around our house. And this just came to light last night and she said now she knows it's not going to be done. So they started putting up fence behind us around their property so they couldn't go through there anyway. But she doesn't she never understood that you can't go through there anyway because of that drainage ditch.

So she said she told she told him last night that she didn't care that she didn't say we wanted our um or the violation notice that you probably got that you could seek a variance from. Um that's that that's what I was talking about. Yeah, if that if that could happen, then we've got no problem with leaving but Cherry Street as is. Yeah. And and that's where we have to kind of juggle two different powers here where the zoning ordinance that violation could be handled through a variance, but that doesn't prevent some future or a commissioner saying you still have to take the fence out. So,

we've been dealing with this for almost 50 years. So, I mean, it's, you know, I don't think it's ever going to go away. It's So, can we request the variance to the alley that runs through there has never been put in it either. We have We currently have um a small building sitting there that is maybe a little bit over that line. If if anything happened, we we wanted to request the variance to leave that where it's at because it's been there.

And that if you're talking about just the alley between your two lots, that would be a lot easier to vacate because you don't need to vacate the whole north south, you just vacate the little portion on yours that side. Saw that on here. Yeah, that could be vacated much easier without any concern because you're not cutting off any portion of Cherry Street. Yeah. So, if we just vacate this and just leave everything else alone, you'd still have to go through the variance process to deal with the zoning ordinance violation. Yeah. Come back to not the commissioners. That goes to the board of zoning appeals. Goes to court. Yeah. Well, that's I'm I'm agreeable to that. This has been put off since August. Well, 15 years we've been going for it.

I mean, so are we vacating the idea of vacating Cherry Street, but we do want to vacate the alley. That's a separate piece. So, we'll see it again. So, I'm assuming you don't think you would have the neighbors signature to vacate Cherry Street. We think that's since that's Patrick told me he didn't want anything to do with again that he was going to give it to us. He didn't want to come told me I don't want to mess with it le you can have it do it. But when we came in here the next day no

his his daughter he's going to get it after he's gone his reasoning was what about to the west of them because you're on the south side and you abut that property with them. What about to the west? Anybody else to the west? Behind death is Eagle's feet. No, they're to the south, right? Yeah. Go to the west and to the north. Chase. So, if you talk to all of them and they say yes, they want it all vacated, we could we could come back and and and visit the vacation of Cher Railro Street. Yeah, that's who we thought all the notices would be. They get notice of this, I think, but that doesn't mean they've joined the petition and they signed to vacate the portion that touches their

names are on this paper that we got. That's who I have to send it to legally because they're around there. We We don't care if it's if it's closed or not. We just don't want to open and we don't want to move our fence for the same reasons that we that we put it up for 50 years, you know. So, if that if that's left alone and we going to just close that alley, we're we're happy. We leave it alone. Nobody else is here but us anyway. They didn't, can they? Tory about

ultimately I think the petition in front of you for just the small portion of Cherry Street is you're withdrawing that then. Is that right? And then they can decide do they talk to their other land owners or do they seek a variance with sounds right? That's that would be I guess my advice would be get the variance even if you want to continue that way you're kind of covered that's under that variance what we were actually trying to do to begin with but we just didn't know how to go about it and then also apply to vacate the alley in between your two properties so you do that hopefully we don't have to drag this on another year Yeah.

I think to be continued back up. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good luck. Good morning.

I have an announcement to make. Everybody knows that I am retiring March 6. The commissioners went through and they're going to appoint Chad Watson to take my place after March 6 and to introduce him Chad Watson. He will be your next superintendent. Now, what are you guys speech down here? Welcome aboard, Chad. Thank you. Appreciate it. And Carrie, I've appreciated working with you. I'll be here next week.

Okay, then I will go on with my speech. One more to go. One more. I missed the one before busy doing something.

Yeah, I think I have enough. I've already got Chad working. He's gonna be busy. Did everybody hear me? Okay, thank you.

So, we have Chris, Chris Brooks are here today and I don't know if both of you are on the cemetery board or Chris mainly. I'm he's honorary.

So, I've already given uh Chris a copy of this. This is from um our a our insurance provider which is consolidated union the trailer. This is in reference to the trailer and I've given like I said I've given a copy to Chris. So I will just read over the top ones that the trailer that we purchased for the cemetery board or I should say the commissioners did. So number one, trailer should be utilized by volunteers, employees, board members, and vetted parties by the county. A copy of the driver's license that would be best to have on file. a copy of insurance coverage for the owner of the vehicle pulling it if not pulled by a county owned trailer. Um, trailer would most ideally be pulled by a county owned vehicle. Liability of the trailer comes from the power unit pulling it. In the event that it becomes detached or disconnected is important to know the limits of coverage from the vehicle that is pulling the trailer. Trailers should be used for county business only. trailer should be stored at county owned property when not in use. Um it goes on to tell what happens when you when you don't when you use it for other things. Um and then he's got in here the last uh part of it is please let me know if there's any accumulation of values of a thousand or more of tools or personal property in the trailer as it would need to be accounted for separately on the insurance of the trailer. So um I know So, what what did you want to do with that? Uh, pulling the trailer. What was your idea, Chris?

Well, one of our volunteers has volunteered to pull it. Ideally, I I would I don't know how we could do that. The C one of the county vehicles we could have pull, but how that would happen. So, that's why I gave a copy to the attorney as well. Um, I don't know. Do we have any extra trucks to the highway department? And how often? Will it be just on the weekend? Always on the weekend. Yeah. Yeah. I would see that.

I mean, we do. I mean, there's one that sets in the garage that they could probably use if need be. It's got to be sitting on the property. It could be sitting out there at our garage and just have to get a hold of whoever, me or Chad, depending on when you want to use it, then they can set you up with the truck. You want to do it that way? I guess that'd be up to you guys. Mark, does that open up another can of worms when you have non-county employees driving county vehicle who

always but even here it's looking at what are the best practices of get a copy of their driver's license. Make sure I mean we can check with Michael that if they're driving a county vehicle and they have permission, are they still covered by the county's policy? I assume they would be. Um I don't know who if they're appointed to the board the way my understanding Michael couldn't be here today. He was on a trip or I would uh if you appoint this it would be a board me a cemetery board member. I don't know how many board members do you have five of you and I would think you'd want one or two of them pulling it only if you had the same two two but there's only two that could even possibly pull.

Are you one of them? Yeah. Maybe don't let a volunteer or somebody not on the board be the driver vehicle. Technically board members, you know, we're a volunteer organization or entity, but all of us, but we're on the board though. We would be on Yeah, the board members are still going to be covered differently than just a volunteer who's not even on the board. Okay, I got you. Yeah, that if we So, the trailer right currently is at the highway department waiting for the license plates to come back. That's been kind of a a challenge. Uh so um it's not quite ready.

No. So if if we're going to use that truck, which I'm I'm okay with that, very well okay with that on the weekends or whatever, but Deb Boris is my volunteer other board member that would be driving it and volunteered to drive it with her truck right to this point. Hopefully won't have to do that, but she wants that. If she can do it, I guess she could come up to there up to the old county highway and work. She wants to put she wants to organize it for all our tools before we start working, which will be in April like the shelving and etc for the tools and and so she was thinking she could pick it up in her property, but that probably wouldn't be the I don't know have it there and then work on it there is what I'm getting at for

He did recommend having it when we're not using it back on the county property. That was just right. But to get it getting it prepared like he's saying wouldn't be an issue if she's working on it at her house, I wouldn't think. What about on German Street if we keep it there? Would that be They're just wanting to get stuff in it though. Right. Right there at their house. They don't have to come in and Right. Right. It would be ideal for her to have it there while she's what's the word in the interior. We maybe pull the trailer there or have the county guys pull it to our house and they could probably come get the truck if they want to. That's That's what I I guess I was asking.

I mean, unless it was happen to snow there. There's a couple of them sitting there right now that we use plowing snow. But how long would it take to get it set up? Oh, probably a couple weeks. But if we I guess you're not supposed to have it on not county property. I was pull it up there and set it if there still covered. But if it's not covered and something happens to it up there.

Yeah, that's I was thinking you'd take it there, work on it for the day, and take it back. But that's a lot back. I think Deb would be okay with if we leave it set up there and and I I'm retired too now, so I could help her get materials and take it up there and work up there. I think she would be okay with that. Yeah. I mean, there's an opening. You can back it in there if it's raining or something. I mean, they're still it's nice weather. We can do it outside. If not, yeah, I think she'll be okay with that. Just like I said, get a call when you come need a truck and yeah, we can coordinate together or if it works out for you guys up just take it up there and set it where you want to and then go from there.

Yeah. So, you're probably going to need my license and Deb's license, I assume, copy of, right? Yeah. Yeah. Making it perfectly clear. It is okay for the cemetery board to drive a county. Yeah. We got to make sure of that for sure. I would want to talk with Michael just to make sure that they would be covered even driving a county vehicle as long as they have permission. If he says no, they're not we they're not covered under the policy, then

no. It's just like we we're not really supposed to have riders in our truck that's not county employees. I mean, I think if emergency would come up something that'd be different story, but just to coach somebody around that's not a county employee. And the county owns a trailer. So, I mean, it's Yeah, you guys own it. I mean, and and remember, Carrie's retiring. He's going to have some free time on his hands. That's right. There you go. I get used to the truck like I do now.

I I think some clarification from Michael on Yeah. Can they drive county trucks or not? And if they can't, then it's they're using their own truck and we get a copy of their driver's license, copy of their insurance policy, because the trailer would be covered by the truck, their truck's insurance coverage. Then I also would recommend that you buy one of those little sleeves you mount on the trailer and you put the registration in the trailer. That way, it's not floating around in two or three different vehicles that would always be with that big a box in the inside. I mean, well, they make those little sleeves that are I know, but eventually they either get broke off or they end up falling off. Then you haven't got it to begin with. And

if you had a box inside where you could just like get a box to put it in. And PS that uh the plates will be coming to the auditor's office because uh yeah, they put it in Miami County government how they did it. So, right. We'll watch for it and let you know. Thank you. I don't know how long that take. They've been pretty speedy lately. Yeah, we got some others in really fast. You done? Yep. Or now. Okay.

Um, as you know, you see on there, we're going to I'll read this paper about taking some equipment to an auction. This Miami County Highway Superintendent Carrie will request the sale of equipment at the 33rd annual Rochester in Indiana FFA consignment auction. Here's the list as follows. A 1998 International Dump Truck, a 1996 International Dump Truck, a 2003 pickup truck, a 2004 pickup truck, and the 2005 says pickup, but it is a mechanic's truck. Then a 2001 trailer equipment trailer and a 2019 Bandit brush chipper. One inbed sander for a dump truck, three fuel tanks, two generators, miscellaneous tools and supplies, and a John Deere tractor with the number and a with that tractor. And the auction date is Saturday and we March 28, 2026, 9:00 a.m. Fton County Fairgrounds. uh 10:09 West Third Street, Rochester, Indiana. And if you have any questions, I I'll answer them best I can on the equipment.

Barry, a little clerical error here. Number seven, that brush chipper is not a 2019. I'm going to say I didn't That's a That's our new one. We need to scratch that. I That was what was getting. It is a brush chipper, but that's not the right brush chipper. That was the one. Okay. Yeah. So, we'll correct that. But it is a brush chip. We got two. So, and we only got one bucket truck. So, we figure we don't need two chippers right now.

And they've been working together pretty good south to north. So, back and forth. You have any questions on the dump trucks, pickups? You've had good success at this auction.

Uh last I will say last year. Yeah, very good. Cuz we took some of Mckillips machinery up here. They didn't bring very good but up there almost double I think on the dump trucks. Now the grater we took up that was the first grater we got rid of. Wasn't too satisfied. But graders are not too They're kind of an awkward item unless you got a lot of room to maneuver it. So, if I can get you to sign these and they need a motion to approve and I'll make that motion.

Second. If you want to know the miles on the trucks, I got to know. Is that motion good with their um correction? With the corrections made. Yes. Okay. Scratch to 219. I just put a text out. Maybe I get an answer for that.

There's been a motion and a second to accept this list for the highway department to sale at the Rochester FFA auction with the exception of the incorrect brush chipper. So, all in favor say I. Right. I We'll pick up 215 and 330,000 to buy them. I gave you a date. So, guys got any other questions for me?

I have a couple other things if I Well, yeah. I just for me, it's all about you. That's right. And we will be working Mexico cemetery this spring, correct, Chris? finish up at Mexico this spring in the cemetery. Volunteer. Oh, volunteer. Hey, you're gonna be for sure yet, but could be getting volunteered a lot here. I want to retire. What's the size of the size?

I don't know who was driving. But we thought it was you coming up, but you know, I thought maybe he was mad at me, but it couldn't have been you. Went by right by us on Chad even said something. Is it this one? I don't know. Your boy or not. You couldn't really see. He went so fast.

The picture that I had I lost. I got it. There any update on that? No, it should be hopefully the poor retired. Okay, I found Bri text me the uh it's the Bandit brush chipper doesn't have the year on it. So, whatever reason it's not there. So, just scratch out uh 2019 and make it banded. I did on one coffee I did with the other. I'll get that that look on the bin plate on the side of should.

Next, I have a request for an additional appropriation for um overtime hours to pay out Superintendent Carrie World his benefits. Uh I think it's like 212 hours of vacation. Um, I put it all into overtime, which would also include his um, not just his, his and mine actually, Perf, Social Security, and then the hours. Now, I went ahead and added mine in there. I I'm going to try to use a couple weeks, but I wanted to make sure there would be in case I couldn't take off. Uh, I'll have uh, four weeks of vacation before I retire. I'm going to try to use two. I'm going to do my best. Um, so I have a request for $14,000 and that is uh birth, social security and uh wages

on bothard on both of you. Correct. Um, and this is either it's it could be less, but I wanted to make sure we didn't have to come back later. Yeah. And actually, um, I put it all in overtime. I've got the I'm going to give you a copy of this, of course. Uh, so Chris, the request is for $14,000. Will we allow her to go to council and have an additional appropriation to cover her social security and wages for her and for Carrie? Is that what you need?

Second. We have a motion and a second to approve the request from council for appropriation of $14,000 for uh basically pay and carry out for his overtime. All in favor say I. I. I. Thank you. Annette, I'm going to have you sign those because you'll need to be the one to advertise and then if you would give one back to me, that'd be great. Can't do that. And that is out of MVH phase 2011 administrative.

Thank you. Just to let you know, Fred, you signed that docu signature. was January 29th and that was for bridge uh 164 uh Mexico the design on that and um I've got a fully executed contract. I got it in my email this morning from INDOT. So I'll proceed with getting uh the advertisement and getting that going requesting FEMA and so forth. They'll let me know on that one. I assume that will come in document.

You already signed it. You signed it on January. You actually going to be getting another one for bridge 165. Am I right? Okay. Got a lot of bridge stuff going on here. But I meant the the other contract. Will that come doc you sign or will that be something we

Yes, it'll it'll always be because you signed the ordinance. Uh actually I might even have a copy uh the for the you signed for the commissioners that was uh last January in 25 we signed it but since that didn't change the there's been no change. I don't need to do one every year if I didn't have a change in uh the board. Is that correct?

Correct. Sorry, I got got a couple more things. Oh, next I have a supplement agreement number one. And this is for bridge inspection, fractured critical bridges. Uh they're now going to have to be inspected once a year and this is federally mandated. So nothing we could do about this. And this is with Butler Fairman Cipher. I had a meeting with Jonathan. I think Colin was there. Colin and uh Nate who does our bridge inspections and this supplement agreement is for and I have quarterly reports with INDOT. Um she was well aware of it because it's mandated. So this agreement is for $92,841. Keep in mind that that's an 80% reimbursement. I meaning I pay it first and then they give us back the money. So that would actually bring ours uh to the 20% would be $18,56820. So it's not quite as bad as a sign that it sounds, but it's something we have to do. So if you would approve that, I would like to get your signature in that.

I move that we approve. Second. Then a motion and a second to approve um the annual bridge inspection forget the number now. 90 just shy of $93,000. All in favor say I. I. I. I'm bringing Jack. He's there. He's doing the errands for us. Appreciate that. And let me see. I think now Oh, I am ready for Colin Sullivan from Butler Fairman Cipher.

Yes, that'd be great. One's fine. Annette, I think you have to attest to that belief. Alan Sold with BFNS. Um, as you're aware, we are we have been working on the Wall Bash Road and Loganport Road uh project through CCMG funding for the last couple of years. Uh Loganport Road was finished in phase one almost finished. Majority of us finished it in phase one. Phase two we finished Loganport started on W Bash. Uh east to west and phase three we applied for CCMG and did not get it back in October unfortunately. Um, so part of phase three was a small structure replacement that Carrie and his crew found that was in uh bad shape and needed to be replaced. So we've designed a new structure for that um small structure there at Country Club and just east of Country Club and on Wall Bash there, just east of the intersection. and we have got it designed and now uh that we were going to add this into the phase three and do it all as one part of one project without getting the funds. We went ahead and wanted to go ahead and get the cold dirt replaced and have it prepped for the next phase. Uh if we apply for in July is the next call or if the House bill gets passed and there's more money that comes up. So that's a whole another we'll wait to see if that

actually happens too. Um so right now today we have plans and are ready to advertise for the W bash uh uh small structure replacement over Shrock Creek. I have the plans here. Um Janice, is there anything else that I missed that you wanted? Well, that we've already been in design with them. So that's we've been paying for that all along because we had started this when we thought we were getting the million and a half dollars. Yeah. So with that said, I probably ought to go over You probably want to know how we're going to pay for this. That's because I would like to know too.

So I did bring up the um the buzz the 2026 budget. And keep in mind when we're doing this, we don't know what's always going to happen, what's going to be on the budget. So when Carrie and I are doing this and now it'll be Chad and I or whatever. Um you're you're trying to figure 18 months out. You you you figure your previous 6 months and then you're figuring them a year ahead. So we're trying and uh projects come and go and sometimes they fall off and you think you're going to be able to do it and you know there's a wrench thrown in there. So with that said, I'm going to ask a couple question. Um the the ARC money, the ARP money. Uh I think I have that out. Are we in contract with uh let's see broadband? I see we still have $979,260. I believe there was a Comcast. Are we in contract with them, Mark, on that Comcast? Uh do you know if that ever went through? Are they using that? I don't think we ever approved that, did we?

Because if we didn't, that this is all got to be used here in the next year. Am I right? We have 2027. Is it is that when it's done or at the end of this year? The end of 2026.

2026. Okay. So, there's 979,260 bucks left in there and 90 cents to be exact. So, it would be really good that we could if we could use that money. Um, we still have a little bit of Colbert money in there. What? 74,000? I'm not sure. I don't have that paper in front of me, but Chad will be using that for culverts this next year. I mean, they won't have any trouble getting rid of that. So, if we weren't in contract with that, we could pay for that structure out of that. I think Comcast did sign that October because we were going to tell them that if they didn't use it by X date,

but it was actually signed in October, I believe. If if my October 25 correct Yeah. I was thinking after we talked 2024 the contract had to be signed in 2024 and we weren't sure if the contract was signed if I remember correct it was signed in October is what you we haven't paid anything out or Makita hasn't either. They have not done much work. I know they're trying to get into what's that little town Santa effect. No fail me too. Is it Amboy? Yes it is. I think it's Amboy. They're trying to get into a couple little towns, but they haven't I don't know. They're having trouble approving something. I I don't know what Yeah, they have not been able to push through part of that yet, I don't believe.

So, Mark, you'd have to refresh my memory. In that contract, it states we would pay them x amount of dollars. And I can't remember if they had it I I want to say it was like three years term was, but then they had they were supposed to give us status updates as they were doing work. So, I can reach out to them again and ask for a status update. I have reached out to him and he says absolutely I would be glad to come to your meeting and I've never seen him. Did I see Matt Maverick here? Are you still here? No, he stepped out. Oh, he went out. I was going to Well, that's RMC, but I have Has all their money been used as far as you know? I don't know.

Yeah. Okay. Well, anyway, that was a thought. That'd be a And then the other thing I noticed there's uh courthouse boiler replacement that has that been completed working on. Okay. So that there's 101 41,000. So you think that they're not completed with Okay. Yeah. Not yet.

Okay. Well then so that's kind of up in the air. Then the other possibility well it'll have to happen then if you go to our restricted fund and I did bring the copy of that we did put in uh road project which is this is considered a road project. We did put 800,000 in there this year. We will probably though take um some of the money if it comes back that we're doing a 100% of it probably uh maybe 500,000 from there and then go into wheel tax money and and grab some of that money even if we have to go in for additional and I do have fund balances. Are you referring to the whole project or just the

just the structure? The structure is um around 700,000. That's an estimate. Yeah. 741,000. That it is an estimate,61. Yeah. Right. Yeah. We got bids or that was Could be lower than that. Could be lower. We We do have a local vendor vendor that is willing to bid on this and that that may make a difference. Of course, we'll have several vendors so that would help. I'm assuming if you're local, you could do it a lot cheaper. So, the money is here. It's just it's going to take away from other things that we typically would do. And

just to make it clear for those who are here and listening online that we did not get the was it a million or million and a half million. So, they lowered it down. It used to be 1.5. So, we did not get the milliondoll grant that they were wanting to use on this project, which obviously means we will have to scrap some other road improvements that would have happened otherwise this year because money's tight and we will finish Wall Bash. We have to finish Wall Bash Road. I we're I mean it's that that's

the next step in in finishing it. This was all part of the project. It's just well and then now they lowered it down from 1.5 to one. It probably wasn't going to be included in the CC and Junior way. So it it comes down to juggling money and if that broadband money does open up, I would suggest that you would strongly consider giving us that for that structure or the highway department I should say if it opens up. allocation but that money does have to be spent this year and where did we get that money from that's not just from general fund right wasn't that

I call co money but ARP money you said they had three years to use it what but I'm real sure we have to have it spent this calendar year so if it comes down to it and they requested it they know that oh I'm just trying to figure out I don't want to come back Well, we aren't going to take it unless I I don't think the commissioners could just allocate it to you. I think we'd have to probably go through the state state to do that. Yeah. See if we could even do that. Because that question came up with the contract originally,

the original contract. We couldn't just not do it. We, you know, we asked if we had to turn the money back in or if we could allocate to something else. We could not allocate to anything else if we the contract wasn't signed by the end of that year. And then Mark found the contract signed in October. But I believe in that contract they are supposed to give reports. They are. And if they don't, they're out of contract. So, and I'm going to reach out to them about that. But my fear is if they're out of contract, then we can't just allocate it anywhere else. They are giving back. Yeah. I'm thinking we have to give the money back to state. we couldn't appeal to the state and say

I will re ask that question to see if it's changed at that point in time we could not because we were into January or February when the discussion came up before I reached out to them if the contract wasn't signed if we could have someone else do it after that due date and then we could not money had to be returned now that may have changed since then state changes their mind on lots of things but I made a note here I will call them when I get upstairs is that federal federal money is that okay I thought so just mandated of course through the state how to so either way we'll we'll figure out the money so back to you need approval to

so right now we need approval to advertise uh to bid today if if you so choose so moved second a motion and a second to allow um bidding process on the culvert on Wbash Road. All in favor say I. I. I. And we can see what the bids come in as and make a decision at that point as well. So, and hope they come in like way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We always try to estimate a little higher just to hope that you know. So, are you those plans?

I'll give the plans to sign if you guys want to sign off on the plans. red on the blue. I don't think And if you have any other questions regarding the small structure CCMG, let me know. I'm happy to answer. There's a lot of things changing and moving with the program. So, trying to keep up daily with it. Could you briefly describe what that CC or the

what it's going to look like? Culver. of the culvert. It'll be a three-sided box concrete. Um, and we're going to taper the roads. It's going to be sit a little higher than it currently is now. So, you'll take the road back a little bit to make it, but once we get the the approaches and then once the other project gets done with CCMG, it'll smooth it out a little bit more. It's it'll be a bigger box that or bigger structure than there is there. Now we got a DNR permit and they approved it. Yeah, that's it's a pretty substantial structure that's going in there.

That's why it's big structure. Yeah, presently I think 10 pounds. Have to look and see what present we Nobody's out there taking pictures of the sun. What's the Is there a limit on it right now? And shouldn't be. Thank you. Thank you,

Marlene. You are up next. What really delighted to be here and for this project. Um I I with the with the piece that's being donated um decided uh to put in a statement and that statement is to um give it something of a personal um true attitude and encouragement. And uh I gave you a copy of what I think I'm going to say on that tablet. Uh you can give me some suggestions if uh I can improve it. the uh I was excited when I found out that uh this year is

special and it's uh our 250th anniversary and this tablet uh honors the declaration of independence and uh it's a milestone follows previous major anniversaries. The sentinial 1876 um sequential uh 1926 that first one was 1876 and the bicantenno uh in 1776 the reflection is certainly on the nation's history and I wanted to celebrate And I want to prove to be to celebrate and have something that will remain after the year and encourage uh the growth and achie and achievements. The Miami County Peru Indiana celebrates the milestone with this visual art piece and a time capsule. I really didn't know what went into a time capsule until I uh researched it and I uh time capsule will be filled um and celebrated on the 4th of July and we have that time that we can solicit things. Um we can uh get pictures of downtown and and some of the historic uh representation.

Uh it represents a positive created energy of the town and it is needed to encourage is being used to encourage and uh for shared ideas and goodwill. The capsule will provide a snapshot of the current community today uh to compare with 50 years from now. It will be a reminder of the importance of education, entrepreneurship, and shared experiences to maximize community growth, well-being, and sustainability. Uh this statement will be on the back of the plaque and when people read it, it will have more meaning and it will um encourage u continued visions um and happenings. I'm working with Troy Caldwell of Codwell Monuments and uh we're covering the cost. So, I'm not asking for anything. I just want your involvement and your cooperation in promoting uh this uh monument and uh to be able to I am asking permission to put it on the courthouse lawn. The courthouse lawn already has the statue for liberty there and the liberty bill. And that Libert is is a certain distance from uh the Statue of Liberty. And I'm thinking would like to have it placed an equal

distance that the Liberty Bell is from the Statue of Liberty and put uh the monument on the left. uh it will be facing the the street and uh I'll be on Main Street and it be easily seen from the road and it's a sign that's facing uh Beloutique. So uh I'm asking you to work with for the PL in the placement uh so that I can donate this I think it sounds great. I appreciate your work on it. And I'll make a motion to allow it to be placed on the courthouse lawn in the best what they feel is best close to the Statue of Liberty.

We'll second. Okay. There's been a motion and a second to allow the placement of this monument. And I guess I would just open it up to audience. Any thoughts from public on this one. Looks like a looks like it'll be a beautiful monument. It's got a picture of the flag and an eagle and then a picture of the Constitution down below. Sure, it will look very nice. Any any comments? If not,

I have a question. You said that the contributions to the time capsule would be invitation. The the time capsule will gather things from the different major organizations and uh the community that gives a snapshot of what today is

and uh we can do it um place those things. So they have until July 14th to gather those. Now one thing for example is that with the visual arts festival we have a children's uh competition. All right the winner of that competition is going to be able to put their piece somehow whether it's a picture or or part of the video or whatever. uh but it will show what we're doing today and it will encourage the education of children and adults. So I my my question was just um how you decide what goes in the time capsule like are you will there be a a campaign that says if your organization's interested in contributing here's an application or are you just soliciting particular organizations?

Yeah. Um, this donation is not from the visual arts festival and not from Miami County Artis and Gallery. Uh, it's for me, right? It's a personal thing. So, um I will work with the commissioners and city council and I have an idea what should go in there. I could go in there, but I'll finalize that. This was I just thought of this in uh December. So, it's a a project in in development,

but I appreciate you doing that. Yeah. Thank you. When you do the are you going to do a dedication del dedication of the time capsule? We we did on the girl with the bike. It was at a later date because everything wasn't finished, but we did have a dedication of the time capsule, but we buried it. Yeah. Are you going to have that kind of an event? I think that we could have a dedication of the tablet at a certain date and then we'll just uh do the time capsule on the 4th.

So I I want it placed there as soon as possible so people can start celebrating and be aware early. So I'm looking to um as soon as the weather allows and that we will place it there and I think the back will be written too. You seem to like that. So I mean it's okay. So, uh, it'll be placed and everyone can can see it and there can be tourists for it or the community can do what they want to to enjoy it.

Well, just for clarification, I think when you spoke you said July 14th, you meant July. I meant 4th. July 4th. I'm sorry. Just making sure that that's clear. I do typos also speak all the time. So I just wanted to clarify that it has to be done before the fourth to turn into you. So is there a time you a deadline of when you want people to Yeah, I'll I'll define that and give a copy to to you and and mayor so that they can work on that with me. Okay. So it's a a group thing always.

Okay. So we haven't voted. So, all in favor of placing the monument out here, say I. I. I. I would like an update on I would like an update as things happen and then how you're determining what goes in the time capsule. Make sure that we are aware of what goes in there. I won't be around in 50 years, but but I want to make sure that I'm aware of what goes in that as well. I have some form that represents the circus today and that the major parts of the community and businesses in downtown. Chris wanted to know will this be advertised?

Will be publicized publicized people to Yeah, I need help with that. Okay. Yeah. Well, you mentioned putting in a video and it just made me sit here and think back in 1976 what you would have used to do. You would have a hard time nowadays coming up with something that could play that video. So, it just be interesting in 50 years whatever device you put in there. They may think what is one of these, you know? Yeah. So, good old pictures still a stand. Yeah, pictures do work. They still work. The other thing was May at the courthouse of the law festival.

Oh yes, the your arts festival. Did you Yes. She my voice and this my coating.

Good morning. Good morning. So, we are requesting use of the courthouse lawn similar to last year uh for the fifth annual Peru Visual Arts Festival. And uh basically just the west side uh lawn and patio area. And the way we used it last year is in the lawn right next to the sidewalk that borders uh from the north side. We lined our demonstrating artists in at a table or at a tent and then people were able to walk along the sidewalk and check out what they were doing. It may be under construction. It will be under construction. Yeah, there there is a chance that we'll be doing construction out here. I don't know if they'll do that in April, May, or June.

Yeah. Okay. So, um I guess we would uh will both sides be under construction or just Yeah, right out here right out front. It would be um Okay. Yeah. So the patio as well might be under could be what date you ask May. May 9th the second Saturday of May is from 10 to 6. Okay.

We also are making a 250 year part of the theme. So, we're we've got 14 uh demonstrating artists in this art walk. And so, I'm recommending that they all focus on something and and with that in mind, it's not u the other thing is that we don't have to close off in each streets. You may have them closed, but we'll make sure that everything is accessible.

Okay. Well, I guess if they are under construction, you could use any of the other three sides if they're working out here. So, okay. Don't want to be an inconvenience. And it may look just like that May 9th or it may be finished May 9th. We can't can't answer that.

Do you have a What is the front going to look like? What work are they doing? Um, so they're going to take on each side of the current sidewalk coming up here to the courthouse, they're going to take the first um, stone off the wall. They're going to have two ramps coming up for wheelchair and then they'll have wheelchair access here on the south side of the walk coming up to the courthouse. So that will be our main entrance here on the west side. And then they're going to do a handicap parking approval. Have handicap parking out front and I have to cut the curb to make that accessible.

You want to say anything else? No, I think that I think that covers it. Um, thank you very much. We appreciate your willingness to let us use that again. Yeah, I'll make a motion to allow use of the courthouse lawn on May somewhere on the lawn. I will second. Been a motion and a second to allow use of the courthouse on May 9th for the uh Peru Visual Arts Festival. All in favor say I. I. I. Thank you. Thank you. And Mark, did you want to say something about the prisonou?

Um, I can just explain it if you want me to.

Okay. Um, so with the DOC housing ICE detainees, we wanted to make sure that there isn't any cost to the county. And really what theou um outlines is that if one of those detainees picks up a state criminal charge, meaning maybe they've gotten into a fight in the facility or something, it has to be handled locally. It means that they could potentially have to be moved from DOC to the county jail. Basically, this says DOC is going to retain um custody of them without charging the county anything because typically if there's a if they're holding a state criminal charge um defendant, we would have to pay them to hold them, they won't seek any reimbursement from us. And if for some reason they can't hold them, they will pay the county to house them in the jail. Um ideally this will never happen, but it's just a precaution if it does happen. So, what the currentou has, I think it had a one-year time or term ended in January of 2027. The DEOC's contract with the federal government in September 29th, 2027. So what I would ask is approve theou right now subject to the term being changed and to coordinate with the end of the term with the federal government and and really at this point since that only the term the length of the contract would change I would just ask that Fred be authorized to sign that and I can update you on if the doc approves the extended term

and I would agree with that. Um, I don't want to make an incorrect motion. So, motion to approve Fred to sign theou with the doc subject to the term being modified. So moved. There you go. Second. There's been a motion and a second to allow the chairman to sign theou with the doc for ICE for the county. All in favor say I. I. I. We just needed a few more acronyms in on that. There we go.

All right. And there's a library appointment's here. Librarian's here. Yeah, she's here. Am

Hello. um our appointment to um the library board from the commissioners resigned before our last board meeting. So we just have to uh appoint a new one from you guys. We have one person of interest. Her name is Belinda Bomb. Um she's lived in she lives within the library district which is required to become a board member. She's an avid library user and she's been coming to our book club for years and I think she'd make an amazing uh board member. She's got lots of fun ideas. Um did she sent you a letter? Did you get that letter? And she has a lot of really great qualifications. I hope that you would consider her.

I move we approve the library's recommendation of a board member. Second a motion and a second to appoint Belinda Bhoff to the library. All in favor all in favor say I. I. Thank you very much. You're welcome here minutes before us.

We approve the minutes. Second. table in place on that one. Oh, I'm sorry. A motion and a second to approve the minutes. All in favor say I. I. I. Now I have the claims. Move we approve claims. Second. Got a motion and a second to approve the claims. All in favor say I. I.

I passes. And then next we would have payroll. Move we approve payroll. Second. Been a motion and a second to approve payroll. All in favor say I. I. I. What else do you have? That's all I have. That's it. Sheriff, do you have something? No, sir. Wow.

Yeah. Move we adjourn. Well, unless you wanted to ask Mark or somebody. Mark, do you have anything else for us? I move we adjourn. Second. We have a motion and a second to adjurnn. All in favor say I. I don't know why I keep saying that.