Montgomery County Council - Regular Meeting

too.

Yeah, that's the generic [Applause] [Music] All right. Good afternoon, everyone. I'll call the meeting to order. Join me with the pledge. [Applause] Pledge to the flag of the United States of America to the republic which stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Pray heavenly father just thank you for today. Thank you for this time together and uh just help us do the people's business and uh be judicious with the money that's given us. Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen. [Applause] All right, good afternoon everyone. Thank you all for coming meetings. I know be stressful and time consuming. We'll try to get through all this. Uh Mindy, you want to start us off and kind of describe the books for us and then we'll go from there.

Yeah, I just wanted to give you a quick heads up on on what we have here. The first in front of the first brown page, we've um just have the cover page uh definition of how the funds and revenue sources um are. And then the third page there talks about the you hear us talk about the 1000 series, 2000, 3000, so forth. Um it describes what's in all of those. Um it's pretty self-explanatory. Um personal services, anything. Um salary, benefits, that kind of thing, supplies, services, capital outlays. And then the second brown page, um, we have just some comparison sheets. Um, I'm still working on more of these, but this is some stuff that, uh, Steve and Tom and I talked about wanting to look at, um, the major funds and the levied funds by um by the series. So by those four series, services, supplies, services, capital outlays, And this goes through again the levied and major funds and the totals for each of those. Um I have MVH restricted and unrestricted um separated and then a total for those. That's the reason it's highlighted. Behind that is the data for the county general. And that's an overview by department for everybody that sits in county general. And it also has Peter Franklin um plan in there. the last one in his numbers and then a comparison um the over and under from Peter's plan for each of those and then behind that we're going to have the same thing for the again levied and major funds. So, um you

will see another or I guess I have a a chart in here before we get to that. Just a quick way to see um those the overall and then again the different funds just in a little bar chart. So, and then behind that again is the um same thing but with the major and levied funds again. in comparison to Peter Franklin plan. Um, and then another little bar chart to kind of show you where we sit there. Okay, so those are the comparisons we have going on right now. Um, and then behind the two brown sheets, you will um see everything you've seen before. Obviously, Mike, um you've not seen this before, but I think you've looked at looked at a sample of one, but the tabs are in order by alphabet um to a degree. I mean, we have sheriff and jail together, that kind of stuff, but um we weren't quite sure what to call extension, so we put under Purdue because we thought that would make Joyce happy. Um

we put under Purdue, Purdue Extension. So, um, so it'll be in the P's, but anyway, um, behind each of these tabs, um, are their individual budgets, and it's, um, you can see then the comparison to 2025 and the difference between adopted and total. Um, most of the time those are the same. If it's different, it's because there has been an adjustment, an additional appropriation made since the original adopted budget. So I wanted to keep both of those in there so you could see where they started the year and where it is currently. So

thanks Mindy. So when you finish up on the comparisons, will you have totals for each department on like the total budget for 2025 versus 2026? You have that? I do. Well, as a total for each department. Yeah. At the end. At the I can do that. Yeah. Yep. I have I have it by series but not by 2025. You're correct. Okay. Thanks. Yep. Gotcha.

I'm sorry. Mindy Buyers, County Auditor. We'll wait. Thanks, Tom.

Okay. Well, let's get started. Looks like health department is up first. Adrian. I am the administrator for the county health department. Um in the health department we um do food in sections. We do septic vector control. Um death genealogology um parent affidavit. We also have a state certified water lab that test water for E.coli and bacteria. Um our nurse does immunizations. Um she also does communical disease investigations, um blood testing. Um we do clinics, we go to the schools, do clinics. We stay open one night a month and we also are open one Saturday a month for immunizations. Um we also have a health educator who um goes into the schools, does education, helps um with events. Um she does a bit home education narcing CPR to stop the bleed. She's instructor and we are also our fit station for Montgomery County. And then we have our case manager who um goes to our unfit homes and is also overseas our preparedness piece. Um so with that for my 20 26 highlights for

our budget. Um our health fund budget, I did change um employees to the from the HFI to the health fund due to um the HFI. Uh it's been decreased uh quite a bit. Last year we got $827,000. this year uh or for 2026 we are getting 221. So um our immunization grant um for all counties was also rescended. Our preparedness grant um was decreased from 25,000 to 20%. Um, with that being said, we are going to be ending our agreement with Edree, Montgomery County Coordinator. We will support them and we are discontinuing our support to mobile integrated health for a community paramedic due to the HF cuts. Our plans to hire a second health nurse have been suspended and we have had to scale back for 20 26 um on our tobacco sensation program. Our tobacco sensation program was going to be for anybody and everybody in Montgomery County, but with the HFI, they want us focusing on students and they want us focusing on um mom's mother's use of while pregnant. Um and we are also very fearful that um our VFC program and our 317 which is state funed vaccines are also going to be cut. They have not been yet.

Um and our private immunization programs are highly at risk also. Um excuse me. Yes. Did you summarize what you just said anywhere in in the budget book? Um, I emailed one of these, um, sheets to Jennifer and Mindy. Um, I can make copies for you if you would like the copy, but I um, email. Yeah. Or I can email it to the council. That's too

um, community partner support. We all are also we are going to continue our partner support with the Montgomery County re clinic um supporting maternal and infant health or maternal health and immunization clinics that we have there. Um we are going to be still involved with our schools on tobacco prevention, sessation and education materials and our youth summit. Um which is the middle school and my high schools uh W bash college youth service bureau um we f that focuses on the um high school. It's really on mental awareness and what we can do or what programs we let the kids make the decisions. So, Waw Bash has topics in regards to mental health and then we let students um come up with ideas on their own. Um each school picks so many students and they talk about what they could do differently or what programs they could be put in place. Um and then we are going to continue our hardship fund for TB cases um that are um in isolation due to being an active case for patients needing a um immediate care and we also are going to continue our diaper pantry for the community. [Music] Do you partner with um volunteers from mental health to do the schools and that mental health piece you were talking about like with law bash and those pieces that you let the students do?

I know that they do some of those services or they're having some of those workshops. So, we we support them, but we don't um we support them, but the state of Indiana is we don't get super involved into the mental health piece. Well, one, we don't have anybody in the health department who is trained on the mental health aspect, but we have our wellness coalition who focuses on mental health and our diretory Montgomery County coalition also focuses on mental health and we are there at those meetings and support them and I'm on the leadership committee for both of them. So coming up with different ways to um support our mental health needs that are in Montgomery County because we realize that's where a majority of the problems lie is in regards to mental health. So yes.

So we're not duplicating services. No, we are not duplicating any services at all. Thank you. Is the the CO testing is that all federally funded? Is that all grant money? So CO testing not anymore. We still have CO tests that we can pass out to the community, but um we are not doing we're not going out and giving COVID tests anymore. So, so the 60,000 funding is federal is that not so it's not grant money anymore. Uh that is actually for we can use that funding for immunizations now.

Okay. Yeah. So that's what that's for because they've increased our prices on um all the Indianizations. They're raising their prices on the private planning piece of it. And if there is somebody elderly who needs CO testing because they don't know how to do it. Yeah.

Yeah. Also um due to the budget as because our budget has been decreased by 73% um depending on what happens here today I will eventually have to let go of another employee. So well today we're not taking any calls. I know I know I'm just making everybody aware. So yeah. question. So, so when you say the budget cut by 700%, which you want?

Um, I'm looking at our HFI. So, our HFI was $827,000 for this year and it's been cut by 221,000 plus our preparedness grant was cut by 5,000. And so we've had those.

Sure. Sherry Hill, director of McGomery County Central Communication Center. Um, what do we do? We provide emergency dispatch services to the city and the county and that includes town marshals and all the volunteer agencies as well. Um emergency and non-emergency. We are also the um only employees in the county that are IDAS NCI certified. So, we handle all the warrants, uh, missing people, stolen trucks, guns, all of the above, which a lot of people don't realize that we do that as well. They're issued through the court and then they come to us. Um, as far as awards, we are all required to be certified by the state in emergency medical dispatch, law enforcement dispatch, and fire as well. We also are certified in three different NYs classes. Um and those certifications the EMD fire and law are every two years we reertify as well as Idax and CIC. Um can't really think of anything else that I'm sure everybody knows what 911 does. So how we did that? Uh this proposed 2026 budget. I apologize too. I'm very horse. is last year's was 1.917567. We had to do an additional appropriation for this year for our location automated

dispatch system that we're currently working on and an additional for 15,000 in overtime. That took us to 2.118252. My requested 26 budget is 2,38,544. Majority of that is salaries. Uh salaries came in at a little over 1,38,385 [Music] and a big balance of the remaining is benefits as well. We have potentially no big projects next year. There's one that we would like to do. Um, and that's currently being looked at, but it's not something that is a has to. Um, so it'll all depend on how the big picture looks.

Correct me if I'm wrong. in some of the I missed this morning's meeting, but we've talked the city's discussed possibly reimbursing some of the location costs for things that do you know where we stand on that? I do not. Okay. The when that project first started and there was some discussion. Yes. When the project first started, they were going to pay for the whole thing because Carville Fire Department is the one requesting initially that we we do this. Um, and then it was decided we had a a good balance, cash balance over the years we built up and that we would take care of that expense, at least the dispatch side of it. The fire department will take care of their side of it.

Okay. I do know the governing board and like you said you weren't able to attend this morning numerous times they've stated that especially with the way the lit money is looking um after next year 2072 I believe um everyone's aware they have to come to the table. Yeah. Okay. and fully staffed or down that one. [Music] I'm curious about the uh line item. It's 74% above. It says,

"Are you in the 12357?" [Music] Yeah. Yeah. The supervisor is 74%. Difference. Is that the high number 137? Yes. Well, the report I read today says 27.77%. Left in that line. This is a different percentage for 26. So, so you're looking at the 26. Yeah.

3%. It's probably someone who started um midy year or moved to that line mid year and only the budgets only reading half of what they're like 10 or 11 filled positions at the beginning of the year and we're up to 15 now. So the auditor's office can attest that we've been moving people around. Um we currently have 11 people with less than three years experience. So that's thank you.

So two ads dispatchers. Those are probably not really ads. 025. So there there are three of those, if you will, and they've been moved from the 1222 into the 1235 fund. Okay?

Because the 1222 is the state fund. And to be honest with you, we receive a little over five 400,000 a year. Um, and so I discussed this with Jen, I don't know, a month or so ago. And if I didn't move them now, I was going to have to move them midstream next year, which would cause all of us, I mean, our office and her office, uh, a lot of heartache. So, we just decided we move them for the 26 budget. The 1222 fund reflects that those people, those positions, if you will, that people have been moved to the 1235 fund. Where do I find that? Where do you find it? The 122.

Yes, it's the smaller side, the Oh, first page. Yeah, if you look at the top left in the green, it'll say 122 statewide 911. And then if If there's no request in the budget, then it's not showing. But we did move three positions and the benefits that went with it. So, it would have showed a balance there last year. It's zero this year. You We did get rid of it. Okay. That's what I was looking for is what the offset was. Yeah, I I hear what you're saying.

Thanks. the smaller fund, the 1222 state fund, it has not decreased. The the PAP lit went up this year. This is only our second year and with the PAP lit, but it did go up from the very first year

the the 1222. Yes. And that probably will not get bigger. Um I went to a conference and spoke with that actual director of state 911 and they don't see an increase. Now, we hopefully every fall we get a surplus. Um it's been as large as 141,000 and as low as I think last year was as low as 67 I believe. Um I reached out last week and they couldn't commit. um someone else that's tied very close to that who did some consulting workforce knows we're going to get something but they're just now beginning their audit and so they can't really say anything till October he said but we typically do get something

I'm not sure how budgets run but at the end of the year with you you'll have money in those accounts maybe that will not be used that will go back into their their generals to be used utilized again or not. We'll have balances at the end of 25. Yes. I assume you mean reductions. Yes. Um I mean we I mean I'm just wondering if it would be a substantial amount or not or whatever. She'll be 26 with money. Yes. But what transfers

additional? Yes. Yeah. So there would not be anything much to be encumbered on anything or anything to go back. So Okay. Okay. I just That's fine. We talked about this at governing board this morning and Jennifer had 13 transfers waiting on her just from me when she got back Monday. So, and I know I know Jake waits on an extra sometimes they get an extra check, too. It's always nice to have that. And we did get an extra one from PAP lit I want to say May or June. And that was a nice surprise because I called over and I said, "What's this $144,000?" And they're like, "It's a surplus." So that was great.

Yes, that's good. Just Mike Warren. So clarify 1.3 for the salaries of the proposed budget. Is that for full staffing or up to what you have without the one that you're still include? Does it include all? There's 16 positions and then myself and the assistant director. So there's 18 in the department, but dispatcher wise we're just down one. That salary that salary is budgeted into 26 and for for Yes.

But in past years we've kind of pirated out of that to pay overtime and stuff. Yes. Um since co actually 2020 is what really right got us. Um and I think that really helped us have a larger cash balance. um didn't really help otherwise, but overtime's killed us this year. It really has. And a lot of that has to do with only having four that have five years or more on. I I just honestly feel that um paying a veteran some overtime is far cheaper than a lawsuit. Um

and that's that's the honest truth. I I can't have two brand new people in there alone. Sure. It's fine. Any other questions for Sherry? Uh Steve Lloyd? Not for Sherry, but uh Mindy. So if if we're comparing 25 to 26 and they spent money in 1222 and not planned in 26. And if you eliminate that, we do comparisons 25 to 26. What's going to happen? It's going to show her usual one line item. So, we just need to think about that, I think. Yeah. Okay.

All right. Thank you. Thank you.

Looks like mapping is next. Davis, mapping director. Some of the responsibilities that we have as far as the mapping department goes, responsible for all the information that we have on our in-house GIS mapping software. Uh we also take care of all the city's GIS services road addressing things like that. Uh we also take care of the online map beacon that everybody uses on the public. So there's interest in something on there, we're the ones that on there things. Uh we do partial transfers, splits and combines, annexations, rightways, easements, road alley, vacates and subdivisions fee. As far as the budget, the budget hasn't changed from last year. Still the same. Uh the budget itself is all revenue generated. We get $20,000 from the city to do their services for them and then the other 2,000 is for printing things like that, digital services that we charge for good. The new plat looks good, too. Thank you. We're proud of that. Do

you have you didn't have any additional preparations this year, did you?

Just real quick. I know, you know, after we had our discussion the other day, I did have a discussion with Dan about that. I don't know if you had talked to him or not. Mike has a good idea on on being able to maybe run on funds they have using the entrance kind of like what Sixberry proposed the other day and I I did he if you want to get with him get with Tom and and see because we want to make sure that if we do that it goes back into that fund but I think that's a a great idea to because he's got several dollars that's available that might eventually be able to run his or help run his office take less money. So, thanks for that.

Any other questions?

Thanks, Mike. Veterans Office. I'm Joe Ellis, the county service officer. And some of the things that we do, uh, we prepare property tax deductions. Uh, a service connected disability of 10% or more gets a deduction of taxes. Um, we also have military family relief fund. That's a fund that has $2500 in it that we can give out to people in need. And employment assistance, motor vehicle license plates. Uh this is for service connected individuals with 50% or more. And uh the deduction or not deduction but the uh oh it it just it's just license plates for the veterans. Uh we have the veterans home, veterans memorial cemetery, women veterans and tuition fee for children of disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients. Um and that's a deduction or free schooling for the kids. Disability compensation.

Uh that that's probably my largest job that I have is that when veterans come in and they have disabilities, uh I I type and send it to them or send it to the VA. Then we have veterans pension programs, uh, free lowcost medical care through the VA hospitals and medical facilities, job training, burial of memorials, uh, honor flight out of Lafayette. Uh, I don't do that any longer. However, I spent 18 years or 18 that was 18 years uh as a a a board member and then we uh dissolved our section and they someone else picked it up and so we still support them. And in uh vet court, that's the court that if an individual is a VA veteran and he's caused some problems or has issues, then we deal with that in the court system. Uh and then the Indiana Legal Services is for low income folks that need help with legal issues. Um, now on the budget, I have not done anything. There's no changes in the budget. Uh, except that I do not have a secretary any longer.

And this last year, I did 600 claims. And uh unfortunately we do uh a CDEX report which breaks out all of the the monies that are spent by the VA and it was done in 19 or 2023 and the amount was that we get here in the county it was 10,359 $9,000 that was brought in. And I have to admit, I have one guy this la this year that he called me and said, "Joe, I got a check." I said, "Okay, how much was it?" He says it was $239,500. That's one individual. And the best thing about it is he didn't have a pot to be. He He needed it. He needed it. And so we worked with him to to get him all set up. We have 2163 veterans in the county. And something that I did Here is the park bench that we give. And what I did,

I got 11 benches. Two for Darlington, one for New Ross, two for Wayland, two for Wayne Town, three for Crawford'sville, and one for Newark. And then I have six others that I'm attempting to get and that's for Alamo, Lynden, New Richmond, Woodgate, and Loga. And so uh the park benches are obviously for suicide prevention. And um they cost $75 each. And so I paid for them. I mean, I just did. And uh that that's what we do. Any questions?

You need a secretary? Well, I I could use one. Yes. But I'm I'm thinking that with um Oh, uh who's Tom? Tom Tom uh is going to get another person to fill a position. in his section and maybe we might be able to coexist and use her as part of mine. So, it requires a computer.

Well, I want you to know that I know the Legion and the BMW appreciate all your work that you do. I don't I don't get up to Darlington uh as much, but uh I've seen the benches and I've heard comments about what what you do and the services and and you're very much appreciated. Just want to tell you that I appreciate anything else. Thanks, Joe. Okay.

Good evening. Jessica B, director of emergency management. Um, some things that we do, uh, we coordinate planning, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts, um, throughout the county. We develop, um, emergency operations plans. We conduct hazard mitigation exercises. Um we do organization trainings. Uh we maintain resources and a 60,000t building as well. Um we take care of response capabilities throughout the county. Uh we work really closely with law, fire, EMS, dispatch, volunteer organizations, National Weather Service, um lots of state partners and federal partners. Uh with support of my almost 70 trained volunteers, we do community events throughout the county. Um we support search and rescue efforts. Um traffic control, damage assessments, um storm spotter stuff. Anytime there's any weather, we have um volunteers in every area of the county um looking at those storms. Um that is a majority of what we do. Um planning is a large part of what we do. Um getting into the budgets, everything's the same. I do want to remind you guys again this year. Um I receive a grant for onethird reimbursement of our salaries. So we receive that right back into the general fund um every year. It's a grant that I apply for um and receive. Last year I even received more than what we originally should have. Um and then the rest of the budget I haven't increased anything except for um in July I came to you guys for the

purchase of a new lease for a vehicle um that you guys did additional the only additional appropriation I asked for last or this year um for that and so I included that in this year's budget next year's budget I guess. question. Come on. Somebody give her a question. She was practicing when I came in. I was I know I spoke with one of the commissioners and he's has some concerns about the vehicle. Is the old vehicle done for basically or

Yeah. So, um, the commissioners have not decided to sign the contract yet, although you guys had decided to fund it. Um, they have not decided to sign the contract yet. They wanted me to look at other options um, of possibly just getting the truck fixed. Um, I don't have any funding in a line item to have repairs done to a vehicle, let alone um, have the diagnostics done. So, um, we had pl we had talked about using the funding that you guys did the additional appropriation for to have some diagnostics done to it. Um, we're looking at different um places to have that done at the first couple that I um got quotes for, the commissioners thought that that was too expensive. Um, so we looked at other options um just to see what it would cost.

Too expensive for new expensive fix. So, we're estimating just by our novice, you know, looking things up 15 to $20,000 to fix it. So, and that's not for a professional that has told us that. Okay. Any other questions? Uh, it's a 2014.

It's the the pickup truck, right? Correct. Which is what we use to to pull all of our trailers. Um, it has a a really bad knock. You put it in reverse and it, you know, goes really hard into reverse. It It's on its last leg. It's got a busted windshield. A little duct tape and WD40 can fix. Any other questions? All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bono.

I'm Mark Bwell. I'm the McGomery County building and zoning administrator. Um, the building department oversees and enforces all your land use ordinances, including building ordinances, flood plan ordinances, and zoning code. The list goes rather long for you with all of it. Uh also see oversee maintenance for the civilian buildings uh which is the courthouse, the technology center and the government center. Um total employees are six and three well two and a half maintenance guys. So two full-time and one part time take care of maintenance along with myself and then in the building department there's three people as well. So have any questions about that? Do you have any answer? As far as the budget goes, uh the building department and maintenance department is all incorporated into one section of of your uh code book. Um I have about a 1% increase from last year. Um operations haven't gone down. So I have to keep those hot monies up. It's for elevators, bug spraying, a little bit of everything, maintenance. So that's where most of the 1% is. Obviously, the salaries are all 3%. Um, so that last year's last year's budget 51360 and 2026 is 515 650. I'd be happy to answer any questions. [Applause]

Not a big building department code books. Why is that such a big jump from what was it 500 to 1450? as code adoption change on well the state of Indiana is always behind in code adoption like we are still in international building code the 2012 okay so once they skip forward to 2025 to buy those new code [Applause] last year this year working on probation building any any other improvements Probation actually wrapped up. I think the last paint was done

last week, maybe early this. Yeah, it was last week. So, that that is actually done. Substantial completion. We should have that uh substantial completion this week yet. And then of course the courthouse. Yeah. Is it still on track?

Um it's about two weeks behind in general. Uh on the interior is where the two weeks are. Um, exterior wise, it's really kind of hard to say if we're 2 weeks or a month. Uh, because, you know, now like, uh, with all the repairs that we did to the exterior up high on the corners and at at top late, let's say, uh, there's a lot of unknowns that we found up there. We open that up. So, that's probably another two weeks there as far as scheduling. And I know the the scaffolding has been a topic of conversation. I think it's going to start coming down about the middle of September. So, but we're still waiting on the corner smell that we get here. So, it did not show up today. So, but interior wise they about two weeks behind and then they start phase three this week. Phase three is uh third floor uh jury room and attorney client and then bathrooms which is on the north side of the third floor and second floor in phase three is the prosecutor's area. So, we remodeled the old clerk area on the second floor and got that to completion and now the prosecutors are all moving into those spaces and emptying their rooms out so we can move all the furniture out and start that remodel. So, within by the end of the week, we'll have everything cleared out of the second floor for the contractor to have. But it's slowed up a little bit right now because the elevator is out of service. Uh we we did have a about a $4,000 part go out on the elevator last week and we're still that's part supposed to be in today and then hopefully they can install that tomorrow. So the courthouse does not have an elevator until PCs get gets back with that part which we're hoping will be tomorrow or Wednesday. So that has hindered us a little bit on the interior model as well.

Okay. Was not part of our wellness program. No, but Petri was the one that was stuck in the elevator on Sunday.

All right. Thank you. All right, Jake.

Good afternoon, Jake, Highway Director. Um so yeah the highway department we're responsible for maintaining the road and the rideways or picking up deer cutting trees um on 800 miles of roadway 500 300 are gravel um as far as our budget goes uh local street we did decrease it by 50,000 uh this will be the last time we draw down fund balance I know Mindy had brought up her concerns on fund balance last time during our meeting. This should be the last time if revenue keeps coming in the way it should. This should be the last year calls. Uh the restricted 11738 restricted um it did raise by 2 minutes by 180,000 but this is still under Peter's plan. The reason it is under Peter's plan is because we do salary adjustments out of the unrestricted into the restricted. So we didn't want to double budget for the salaries on those. Um and then MBH 1176. Obviously this is the one that took the biggest hit this year for increase. Um it's up 687,000. That was 3% for the raises. um commercial insurance and workers comp went up 20%. And the $400,000 increase that we are hoping to get for the revenue wheel tax. So that's where those that big jump is from. You guys have any questions on those? And I don't know. I was looking at the budget book. It says it's all wonky. It was 14% 49% differences on salaries. It was all 3%. I don't know if that was adjustments

salary adjustments between the NVH and under two. So to explain that a little more, every day we fill out a code and it basically tells us what funds we can pay out of. If it's a restricted job, which it's a construction reconstruction or preservation job, we can pay out of the restricted fund. If it's anything else, it has to come out of MDH regular as per state statute. So that's why that's a little wonky. Are you a full up on staff right now?

I'm three short. Three short was born. Just hired a guy. He just started a couple days ago. uh Keune Bridge 1135. Um again, this is under Peters of plan. Um obviously commissioners ask you guys about the rate. Every year we kind of go back and forth. The reason this has lowered the feeders plan is we have three federal aid projects that are all going to lead at the same time. So, we have to write a 20% of the construction cost upfront to the state of Indiana. Um, plus new core, as you guys know, with the intersection improvement. And then I have another major $6.5 million project coming up. So, I'll have to write another 20%. So, that's why I'm not drawing that fund balance down as quick is because I've got quite a bit of checks going out next year. You guys have any questions?

That bridge. So, they did engineering and rightaway. Um, we still have construction and we have a construction inspection still left to do. So, we're looking at 21 million. We had a phone call today talking about bonding, that kind of thing. Um, we're just kind of holding tight on spending that just in case there's a there's a mess up cuz we have a very short time frame we have to hit. Perfect. Going forward,

but also RDC is going to pick up. Yes, Tom Fle town minister. The plan would be to have a bond and pay for it, but the construction inspection as well as some other work we have to pay up front. So, we're looking at possibly using Cune Bridge for some of that. That's a fair state. We have to what's the I don't know if you explained this. when the state awards the bid possibly next July we have 60 days to provide our match

our 20% or greater depends on how those bids come in and that's with every federal project if it goes above our estimate we we're on the hook for that so that's why I've I've not spent down my bridge um and I like I like keeping a million dollars in there um bridge fails You know, we we need a small bridge is 1.3 million nowadays. And we've got several big bridges that a million will get us started. And we're not just sitting there. I don't know if you guys remember, but Boone County had the tractor hit the iron bridge. It took almost 3 years because they didn't have the funds. I don't want to be caught that.

It's kind of like a rainy day. It's a it's an insurance policy. And when you see that, you got to realize that you got to build four years to get that money. And he's right.

The state can owe you for months, but they want their money in 60 days. So, you just have to remember that. So, uh, one of the things council can do during this process is, um, look at some ways to come up with some additional money for you, some funding, and so you got the resources, the people get her done, come up with extra funds. I don't think did you talk about your pug plant in here at all?

Uh, just when I did the ideal financial plan, but not not in this. No, we've had um a couple other pieces of equipment that's failed. Um we're trying to get those fixed, trying to replace them when we can. Um yeah, so bug mail's running. I actually had several people come visit my bug mail um just because my plug's working and they wanted to know why. I'm not saying

need a new one, but it kind of made me feel good when they're coming to visit a 1965 dinosaur and they're running a 2023 um asking me questions. So, it's just prioritizing, right? Um the things that we need, we need now. Bug Mill runs four months out of the year. Do I need it? Yeah. But it's just matter of prioritizing right now. And Jake and I spoke with Jeff Peters about doing an analysis on how to fund to his ideal plan and he had suggested get through the budget process. Then after that we'll start working on some if it's sustainable and what we can do.

Yeah, I think that's the the other thing. Let's see how legislation plays out um and then go from there. you know, obvious obviously I think Peters had predicted 425,000 um for the wheel tax only budgeted 400,000 um just to be conservative, but if it comes in more or less, if we get more people moving here, hopefully that goes up too. Um so yeah, no, I appreciate it. Um I know I've talked to Commissioner Guard. Um, a lot of it has to do with the way the state dictates their their funding. Um, I did an interview on radio a couple weeks ago. As a as a Hooser, as a McGomery County resident, you spend $500 in wheel tax, I get 77 cents of it. That's it. Stays here. So, you know, I think that's something that needs to be addressed, not from you guys, but from the state.

So, the state gets the balance. They get 62% 38% gets divided between all the other cities, towns, and counties. Did you say real tax or gas tax? Gas tax. Sorry. Gas tax.

I think that's something that people need to know. 18 cents of your gas tax goes a federal project right off top. Like it's less than a dollar of your gas tax for here. And I think that's even more crucial why the wheel tax is such beneficial because 100% of it stays local. Every time they raise fuel tax a penny or two Oh yeah, they still have that.

Jar left and then they take in dots out of there and they just, you know, they take their money and then off the top and that's never comes back to us. But it's a it's something to see because it really you really realize what what goes away and doesn't come back or like he's saying the wheel tag stays here.

Um next on the list is engineering. Um we had gotten rid of the engineering budget lines um prior to 25 but I had to encumber some money so that's why it stayed. Um but we have done away with the engineering department. Um Tom and I has taken over those responsibilities and dispersed those um and it made it super difficult to transfer and do other things in the budget when you had two different departments in one budget. So that's that's no longer so I just want to address that while it's on the agenda.

Mr. appreciate what you're doing with what you got and like I said, we're trying to figure this out, but you guys are doing a good job. Appreciate it. Thank you. Uh, weights and measures. Doesn't look like anybody here for that. Oh, okay. Lori is up now. Yes. And the rest of them

uh Rory Dawson's executive assistant uh with a budget remain the same. The only thing changes that the salary increase the 3% that was recommended questions on I have a question. Yes. um on his travel expenses. Mhm. Does he have to go up there?

That's travel. He our weights and measures guys is actually the typical counties also. We get him on Fridays. So his travel is he's going around to the different places when he comes down once a once a week to do those and that's what he says he goes through a year. Okay. He uses his own vehicle also. We don't we don't provide a vehicle. We get a we get a good deal with you. We get an excellent deal with him. Knock on wood, he's no complaints. So, we're very happy with him. He's we've had him for several years now. He's uh Jim Wolf. Thank you.

Okay. Um, the commissioners, they're the they are the executive legislative body of county government. Uh, we have five employees in our office. We have the three full-time commissioners and Mr. Klein and myself. Uh the pushers appointed county administrator, the executive assistant, director of building and zoning, count no more county engineer, uh emergency management, a agency director, highway director, mapping director, weights and measures inspector, and veteran service officers. Um they also do a lot of appointments to the boards and commissions for the county. The first one on your list is the commissioner's budget. Um it's pretty much basically the same. We did have some increases as far as um group insurance went up a little bit. We're kind of getting that figured out and making sure we've got everything everything in ours. We have enough to cover what we pay for the premiums. And then we also have our self insurance fund. Uh there is an increase on the um HSA if you remember that we offer $750 to each employee for their health savings account and then um if they go through a screening they get an additional $750. So the amount that we put in there is for if everyone does that and this is kind of our first year for the extra 750. So we're kind of see where we're at but not my understanding really not everybody's taking advantage of it unfortunately. Um comp that was an that was an increase in the contractual services that that's a big jump and there we have we covered

the 4 rent uh we do that once a year and then also we put in 500,000 for the CCMG which is the community crossings grant uh Jeff Peter recommended put in county general. So, we put it in the commissioner's budget. And then also, we added a $50,000. We were going to try to do a property cleanup, kind of start a program to where just get, you know, we got to start somewhere just to kind of see what we could get done. Um, then the early learning center, that was from last year. the let's see what is the insurance that was a 20% increase for our commercial insurance and the rest of basically the same. So our big jump was the um services

this uh property clean up $50,000 they put in there. What what do they got you got planned? They shared that with you hire companies to it's we're kind of toying. We're getting trying to get some ideas. We talked about possibly maybe even providing someone a dumpster. If we pay for your dumpster, you fill it up and go all the way. Maybe they're just they can't can't afford something like that. Just to kind of to help out, just start low low scale, low low key to start out. We need to start a list of properties, kind of put them in order to see how what kind of funds we're talking about.

Yeah, it's it is um we get a not we do get calls and concerns from citizens of their neighbor or somebody down the road and they feel you know, they kind of feel like there's we're not helping them. We just say there's nothing we can do. So, we thought that's something we'd like to try if it's if it's possible with funding. Would this just be county property since the city does their own?

Yeah, this would Yeah, we only we only have jurisdiction in the unincorporated areas. So, it's not the towns, it's not Crawfordville, it's just people living in the country. Our next one is the IT budget. The IT budget kind of it more reflects on what we're spending as far as we uh the IT budget that is, you know, that's the budget for the entire county. That's uh 9616 that should be next on your book. Um so that is all of our uh security, cyber security, um our firewall, all of our all of our county system. So, this is a this is a very important budget, I think. Well, they're all important, but this is mine, so I feel excited. Um, so the um we pay for the the LA software, we pay for the um PVD software, and we also um we put in 60,000 for computers. And what we do is we try to replace at like a we try we were on a 5-year cycle to replace computers for all the departments and um we'd kind of like to get back on that. Um I did work out this budget. I spoke to our IT facilitator which is Edge IT and um these are um subscription renewals that we need to do for Barracuda and for Cisco. And some of those they don't run annually. go around like from a May to a May or something like that. So, sometimes we can split those out, but these are what the annual costs are. Then the next one down is the self insurance and that's um we work that out with the auditor and figure out what we need to put in there and that's always a

good time. Uh stormwater reviews, those are for um Mark Bonwell. He takes care of storm water. So, This is under the commissioners and this is for the engineering firms that we'll go over. He has a banning engineering. It's the engineering firm that we use for reviews for the different projects that Mark has what they need to be. So that's what pays for those. Um the next one is the CCD CCD budget, cumive capital development budget and we did drop that this year. um we don't have really any any big projects going on as far as like we had for Parkway last year and those kind of things. So we kind of dropped that down a little bit. The sheriff's vehicles, those are for Ryan's cars and then the rest of us are more for maintenance. And then we do have some work that we will be doing on the landfill also. Uh the next one is just the bond payment for the bridge note and next then the one after that is the government center. Um inkeepers they have not they've met and they're supposed to approve their actual budget that we submitted. So in lie of time we submitted the budget that they did last year. So if there's any kind of an increase might hear on that there's any kind of an increase from what they come back from corporation for that. Um let's see then on down to Riverboat Easter egg

that's the same as last year and then after that is the uh 1151 is medical services and that is per our agreement with the city of Crockersville and that amount goes up every year just in small increments and we also have Have they been happy with the with this? They, you know, with the Senate Senate Bill One and different things going on. Have you heard any of stuff?

They're also concerned, the city is also concerned about Senate Bill One. Um, but not as far as keeping their services going. You know, I heard anything that they're going to pull out or now this is it's a five-year agreement, right? So, after that, what what's the annual revenue from the river boat? It's under I was going to say 88, but yeah, 98. Used to they would give it to us all in one um payment, but now they have to break it out.

Also under us is the RDC budgets. Yeah. Do you have that?

Okay. Um, let's see. The uh local program grant, that's a grant that the uh RDC has that they use that line item for the CDC and there I did speak to the president of the CDC and he doesn't anticipate spending any money this year. He said possibly not that, but he asked if we could put money in it for next year just in case something comes up. And then then the next one down is the RDC, the non-tiff money that the RDC has requested. That's $500,000 for them to use for uh something residential comes up. Mr. Booth is on that. You want you have any questions on that one? Gary, we're at um 4850. I don't know. Is there a question?

Oh, no. Just if they had if you had any questions, I'm going to ask have them ask you about the 500,000.

Well, RDC can only spend money in the tip district unless it's put in by the council to be able to spend it outside. The function of the RDC is to find or look for places for growth opportunity for for building opportunity and spark that or see what it take see what it take to make that happen. So that's like we went out spent some money on rain cuz they were want to see what could be done. They just needed to know how to do it and we paid for the what was done in their engineer. I think that was $30,000,

something like that. Things like that. And that's that money is we can't use tiff district money for that because it's outside the tiff district. Also the skank road study. We s Yeah. For the sk, right? We got money from the council to do all that out there. The bypass on the west side.

Yeah. Thank you. Uh then the next one is the timber ceiling. That's the bond payment that we have to pay. Uh and then down from that is the uh the RDC the new core. That's the tiff general. That's what that's their operating budget. They did reduce that. Uh they're just have the 225,000 for services and the bond payment. So they're kind of going to be just operating for next year.

I might add on that We pay the tax Yes. Actually the so nuclear will have a tax abatement but they'll also have an agreement that says if they uh if some reason they are not um because of taxes that they do not pay what we need to do the bond for the new corover project they'll they'll make up the difference and there's a cap for them to pay us. So we're working on finalizing that agreement right now. and Mindy Brekating wasn't temper isn't aren't they behind a little bit on what they've been paying and but we've got the money to pay it and they'll make it up later in that district. Is that right?

They're not behind on on anything. I just on the amounts coming in.

Okay. I just remember them you guys.

Yeah, they've been working closely with the assessor and um yeah, they're it like Gary said, they're just getting a slow start, but there's a defic they have a um agreement with the county that if they didn't raise enough in the tiff district that they would cover the difference in a deficiency payment. So, um, yeah, it's nice to have Newor's always been a good neighbor and seems like Temper is going to be a real good neighbor as well. Absolutely.

And the last one that we have is the solid waste management district. Uh, we did increase that budget. Um, we added another recycling center and we do have a new environmental company that we use for the toxway day and there's a chance that that could increase as far as cost uh it did not increase this year. So as I anticipated because we were down a little bit in our numbers there were 320 47 47 350 or something.

Yes. Right. 350 threshold and we get charged $30 per hour after that and last year we had 500. So just in case that probably amount will not be used. That's all I have. You guys any questions? So, we got through that in less than two less than the two hours, which is pretty good record. Um, tomorrow night we have the next set of budget hearings. Same time, same place and I figured

that's where it should be. Oh, yes. 4 to 6 p.m. [Applause]