PORTER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2006
6:00 P.M.

The regular meeting of the Porter County Board of Commissioners convened at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, 2006 in the Commissioners’ Chambers of the Administration Center.

Those present were: Commissioners Robert Harper and John Evans, County Attorney Gwenn Rinkenberger, Administrative Assistant Melissa Hartig and Recording Secretary Vi Wagner.

President Harper called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Com. Evans moved to approve the minutes of May 3, 2006, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

APPROVAL OF PAYROLL

Com. Evans moved to approve the payroll of May 15, 2006, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

FUNDING OF ADOPT A COUNTY ROAD PROJECT DISCUSSION
Therese Davis, Reduce and Recycling Dept.

Ms. Davis, “I have given you some spread sheets just now. I just wanted to give you a quick update on the results of the program and I know that last year the Commissioners dedicated a $5,000.00 fund for the project. I just wanted to update you on it. Basically, we have 7 groups that are committed to the project, one of them being those being the PACT program of Judge Chidester and Judge Jent have committed offenders to specific days to participate, a total of 14 this year. So we are working with the Sheriff’s Department, they are committing a vehicle for transport of those offenders so to do the clean up. So far this year we have cleaned about 30 miles of road in a two month period. 66 participants did that and about 164 bags of trash and 160 bags of recycling were collected through those efforts. All of the $5,000.00 that was dedicated by the Commissioners, to date about $2,600.00 has been expended, I think the majority of that is for safety supplies and promotional items about the project. Ongoing costs are going to be for the bags, which are nominal. So, of the funds that are available from the Commissioners, and I was wondering if the Commissioners would have some future considerations to the funding of this project or would this be something the other agencies will be doing.”

Com. Harper, “Let me say I think it is a great project. I notice the roads where this has been done and I think your signs are really nice. They are not real large but they are able to be read real easily and I think it is very well worth the money.”

Com. Evans, “I do, too. I think it’s a well deserved effort. The $5,000.00 we gave you last year came from the cable fund. The only other guy that would spend that would be Al. Al, do you have any better use for $5,000.00?”

Mr. Hoagland, “(inaudible)”

Ms. Davis, “And it’s a very good cooperative effort between the Sheriff’s Department, the Highway Department and the district (inaudible)…. For the Highway Department installing all the signs and the fire department (inaudible)….with a good effort of all the agencies.”

Com. Evans moved to continue with the $5,000.00 donation to get more bags and get more groups interested, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Ms. Hartig, “So this is an additional $5,000.00 on top of the 5 that you’ve already given?”

Com. Evans, “This is for next year.”

Ms. Davis, “I believe we are fine through the end of the year.”

OFFICE HOLDERS/DEPARTMENT HEADS

Manatron, Inc. contract approval
Candy Crone, Westchester Township Assessor

Com. Harper, “Has the attorney seen this?”

Atty. Rinkenberger, “Yes.”

Com. Evans, “This is the same thing that all the other assessors use?”

Ms. Crone, “Yes, (inaudible)…. And I have the money in my budget.”

Com. Evans moved to approve the Manatron contract, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

PORTER COUNTY CONVENTION, TOURISM AND RECREATATION BOARD CHANGE ORDERS
Becky Fox, Marketing Director

Ms. Fox, “I am here to ask for your signature on two change orders. Change Order Number 7 is for a mandatory from the Indiana American Water for a water meter bolt at the edge of our property and Change Order Number 8 is for an upgrade in flooring for the National Lakeshore Exhibit Room and the Gift Shop area. That will be funded directly through them.”

Com. Evans, “So Change Order 7 is in the total amount of $1,557.73? And that is our 20% share?”

Ms. Fox, “Correct.”

Com. Evans, “And then the Change Order 8 is for $6,701.00 and 100% of that is going to be funded by the Lakeshore?”

Ms. Fox, “Correct. It is written as our project on here but the National Lakeshore will be paying that.”

Com. Evans, “And the water company is requiring an additional requirement other than what they….”

Ms. Fox, “They were going to change locations due to our plans for future development on the site for outdoor restrooms as far as such currently it’s placed at the building and it should be decided to move on with those plans with having water regulations.”

Com. Evans, “So it is a change for your benefit, not for Indiana American Water?”

Ms. Fox, “Right.”

Com. Evans moved to approve Change Orders 7 and 8, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.



REPORT FROM COMMISSIONERS

Center District:

1. Wild Rose Subdivision Performance Letter of Credit #2900020 from First National Bank of Illinois in the amount of $18,000.00. New expiration date is June 13, 2007. Recommend approval.

Com. Harper moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.

2. Tower Meadows Subdivision Road Agreement, located on the southeast corner of CR 250 West and CR 550 North. Offer to contribute$750.00/lot for a total of $91,500.00. Owner and subdivider is SW Developers, LLC. Recommend approval.

Com. Harper moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.

3. Carrington Subdivision Road Agreement, located on the south side of CR 550 North just west of SR 149, offers to construct 100 foot turn lane with a 50 foot taper for both northbound and southbound SR 149 traffic. Owners and developers are Chuck White and Bruce Haller. Recommend approval.

Com. Harper moved to approve, Com. Evans seconded, motion carried.

South District:

1. Porter County will have a public hearing at the Administration Center for the CR 100 South Project Tuesday, May 30th at 6:00 pm. See Exhibit “A”


2. Fieldstone Manor Subdivision, Phase IV, Performance Letter of Credit #00717 from Centier Bank in the amount of $28,800.00. New expiration date is June 2, 2007. Recommend approval.

Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

3. Field stone Manor Subdivision, Phase III, Performance Letter of Credit #00716 from Centier Bank in the amount of $ 26,200.00. New expiration date is June 2, 2007. Recommend approval.

Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Safe Route to School Program
Dave Schelling, Highway Engineer

Mr. Schelling, “This is a new program about Safe Route to School and its really kind of a neat concept of trying to encourage kids to be able to walk to school and bike to school. It’s a situation where it just seems like an ideal situation in an area like South Haven schools or in Brummitt Elementary School to get sidewalks built in the vicinity of the school. It is something that is primarily, well, any agency can apply for it but it is really aimed at the elementary schools, not the high schools, but elementary. I contacted, well, Ray Riddell from my office has contacted a number of elementary schools, we neglected Brummitt, but that was one of my main ones. We did contact a list of schools to encourage them to find out more about it. This is something that NIRPC is really working on, too and it is something that Nick Bouga from NIRPC has been the contact person. It just seems like a fantastic deal because it is 100% federal money. The thing is, the competition is going to be fierce, I think. It is something that if you don’t like, then you don’t get anything.”

Com. Harper, “I think it sounds like a great idea. I hope you can swing it.”

Mr. Schelling, “I have one other item that came in yesterday. We had our first bill for bridge inspection and that was $5,077.80. 80% of that is reimbursable to us and I didn’t want to wait until the next Commissioners’ meeting to get that claim form into INDOT. So I brought in a claim form for $4,062.24 that I would like to get signed and get in the mail.”

Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

EXPO CENTER LANDSCAPING
John Thorstad, Expo Director

Com. Harper, “John Thorstad is here, he’s got this proposal for landscaping. John suggested we take out the timbers ___ trees. Did you hear that? Other than that, you feel the proposal is fine?”

Mr. Thorstad, “Yes.”

Com. Evans moved to accept the proposal for landscaping for $16,506.00, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Com. Harper, “John, you brought up the issue of the mower. Let’s put that back on the schedule for next time.”

Mr. Thorstad, “Please, yes, I am about on the last leg of the mower that is there.”

Com. Harper, “I know. We will check on funds.”

CORRESPONDENCE

Treasurer’s monthly report for April 2006 is on file.
Weights and Measures monthly report for April 2006 is on file.
Court Security Activity Report monthly report for April 2006 is on file.

Letter of Understanding with Stewart C. Miller for filing 1099 and W-2

Com. Evans moved to approve a Letter of Understanding with Stewart C. Miller for filing of 1099 and W-2 reporting to the IRS, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Approval for Valparaiso Parks Dept. for summer Concerts in the Park

Com. Evans moved to approve the request for Valparaiso Parks Department to conduct a “Concert in the Parks” series on the courthouse lawn on July 26, 2006 at 7:00 p.m., in the event or rain, the concert will be held at Valparaiso High School, contingent upon proof of insurance, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Request for Transfer of Funds-Commissioners

Fund 132.30 $8,035 from 3950 contractual services
Into 4510 Data Processing

To purchase equipment for wireless upgrade between JDC, Highway and the Admin Center.

Com. Evans moved to approve, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

ANNUAL REPORT FOR HIGHWAY AND ASPHALT TANK LEASE AGREEMENT
Al Hoagland, Highway Superintendent

Mr. Hoagland, “All I need is signatures for the annual report and I would like a signature on the standard asphalt tank lease agreement. That’s all I need and I sure would like to get them. It won’t cost us a thing.”

Com. Harper, “Get them up here and we’ll sign them.”

Com. Evans moved to approve the tank loan agreement, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

Com. Harper, “What’s the other one?”

Mr. Hoagland, “An annual report we have to file with the state.”

Com. Evans, “How many covered bridges do we have, Al?”

Atty. Rinkenberger, “One.”

Com. Evans, “Have you seen it lately? Has anybody seen it lately? It just has a roof on it, that is all that is left, it is atrocious.”

With no further business to discuss, the meeting was recessed.

Com. Evans moved to recess, Com. Harper seconded, motion carried.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA


Robert P. Harper
John A. Evans
Carole M. Knoblock


Attest: Sandra K. Vuko, Auditor